Escala brings signature sound to 'Playlist Live,' shares story behind the band
Watch Escala perform on Playlist Live and learn more about the rising OPM act behind the music.
Rising OPM act Escala took the stage on "Playlist Live" and performed their song "Baliw," giving viewers a taste of the band's distinct sound and creative journey.
The group is composed of vocalist Kiel Escalada, bassist Jecs Valmonte, turntablist Keith Dumaguina, and drummer Miko dela Cruz.
During their guesting, Kiel shared that many of their songs were written during the pandemic, a period that became a major source of inspiration for him as a songwriter.
"Actually lahat ng mga kanta namin ngayon, nasulat ko 'yan nung pandemic days. Maraming mga nangyari," he said.
Asked to describe their music in one word, Kiel said he simply enjoys what the band creates together.
"Ako siguro masasabi ko, ako nag-eenjoy lang ako sa music namin," he said.
Kiel also looked back on how Escala was formed.
According to him, he was already writing songs and rapping during the pandemic while playing in another band with Jecs.
"Noong pandemic nagsusulat na ako at nagra-rap na ako at magkabanda kami noon ni Jecs. Drummer din pala ako sa ibang bands. Magkabanda kami ni Jecs sa ibang band. Narinig niya 'yung mga kanta ko, niyaya niya na akong gumawa ng band," Kiel recalled.
The band's lineup eventually came together through music and chance encounters. Kiel said he met Miko during a gig in Baguio, while Keith joined the group later on.
When it comes to songwriting, Kiel revealed that he usually starts with a beat before writing lyrics.
"Ang paggawa ko talaga ng kanta is beat and then isusulat ko. Ngayon, since full band na kami, ganoon pa rin. Kumukuha ako ng beat tapos lalapatan ko ng kanta. Tapos kapag kumpleto na, i-fu-full band na namin," he explained.
With their heartfelt songs and collaborative approach to music-making, Escala continues to make its mark on the local music scene, one performance at a time.
Discover more rising OPM artists and catch Playlist Live every Friday at 1 p.m. and get to know the latest bands and musicians making waves in the local music scene. Watch on GMA Playlist's official social media pages on Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube (@GMAPlaylist).
