Almost one year since they emerged as the grand winners of the first ever Greenwich #UltimateBandkada competition, the B-Boys, an acoustic-rock-pop band composed of Joel Diche, Ernest Lebrilla, and Jason Aballe, are still making sweet music.
Joel, Ernest, and Jason led typical lives before deciding to audition “for fun” for the competition last year. Out of the hundreds that tried out, their group made through all the rounds and ultimately emerged as the big winner.
Launched in 2015, the Greenwich #UltimateBandkada is a search that encourages young Filipinos to show off their unmatched musical creativity. Just as the best and most creative combination of toppings can create the best pizza flavors, Greenwich believes that the best musical groups are those who can perfectly mash-up different genres to create new tunes. The competition spanned for six long months, and included weekly sessions with mentors from the music industry. It was demanding for the B-Boys, but since their victory, their lives have definitely changed.
“That was a once in a lifetime experience. We waited for that for so long,” says Ernest about their grand slam win.
When asked about how they are now, Joel expresses that a lot has definitely changed. For one, people recognize them and their music now—something they only used to dream about. When it comes to their musical style, they reveal that they’re now more confident with exploring other genres, all thanks to the competition. “We’re also trying our hand at songwriting, since we’re Viva recording artists now,” he adds.
From making music just for fun, they’re slowly fulfilling their musical dreams, and they have the Greenwich #UltimateBandkada competition to thank for. “We’ve improved so much since we won,” says Jason. “Before, we would only do small gigs. Now, we actually do guest gigs. We even have a music video. We’re honestly more confident now; with our music and ourselves,” he adds.
Now that the search is on and a new batch of hopefuls are about to start their journey to becoming the next Greenwich #UltimateBandkada, the B-Boys have a few words of inspiration for them. “Practice a lot—and don’t forget to follow the rules!” says Joel. Ernest on the other hand, stresses one important aspect of being in a band: “Never stop chasing your dreams, and always trust your bandmates,” he says. Finally, Jason urges participants to stay humble throughout the competition: “Keep your feet on the ground,” he says.
Visit www.ultimatebandkada.com for complete details.