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If there’s one creature on Earth that can make anyone shriek out of fear, it’s a flying ipis (cockroach). Apparently, there’s another group of living things sharing the same name that can also make people scream involuntarily, but out of excitement: Flying Ipis, the band composed of four ladies Deng Garcia, Ymi Castel, Gaki Azurin, and Tanya Singh. And after putting a brief but rocking performance on One Music LIVE last night, the all-female band sat down with One Music PH to have a chat.
Apart from their obvious talent when it comes to musicality, the band’s name almost always catches attention, especially from Filipinos which is why many are always into the story behind the name of the band. You’d be surprised, however, as to the origins of why the members of Flying Ipis call themselves as such.
“It just happened one day during a band practice, and there was a flying ipis. That’s it,” Azurin shared. And while everyone finds the name Flying Ipis amusing, the band had other thoughts, including not being too fond of the band’s name in the beginning.
“Actually, yeah. In fact, when we were starting off, we were already thinking of changing it, but we were like ‘shit, sayang may 600 followers na.”
But like what the band emphasized during the interview, they don’t want to put too much meaning into the name of their group. They’re more concerned, of course with their music which they describe as: “Sexy. I’ll agree with energetic also. Sexy sometimes. Generally, it’s like a cocktail of different influences, of different things. We’re influenced very differently and when it comes together, it’s like this awesome fruit salad,” said Azurin.
What’s interesting also is that how the band describes their music is pretty much in line with how they are as a collective of personalities. When One Music PH asked Flying Ipis what the best thing is about being in a band, we got two completely different responses that we both welcomed nonetheless: “The girls!,” Castel joked (or not). On a more serious note from Azurin, however, she said that being in a band is a dream come true. “Me personally, I’ve been dreaming of this since I was a little kid. You know, you wanna rock out, and I get to do that. So that’s the awesome part about being in a band. It’s getting to do what you want to do, and sometimes getting paid for it. And getting to travel because of the band is even cooler than anything.”
Indeed, they’ve been to places, and we’re quite positive they’ll go to more, literally and figuratively speaking, especially that Flying Ipis will be releasing their latest album really soon! Asked what should be expected of it, they said audiences shall be hearing something different from “Give Ipis A Chance.”
“Mas mysterious siya compared to the first album. Yung una mas energetic, ito mas moody. (The new album will be mysterious. The first one was more energetic, but the next one will be moody),” Singh said.
Given how well Flying Ipis has been doing in the indie scene and beyond these past few years, it’s only right to expect event greater things from them. Thankfully, they always deliver, and the band’s very existence gives us a better reason to scream when someone shouts, “Oh my, Flying Ipis!”
Watch the performance by Flying Ipis last night on One Music Live in the video below.
What's your favorite song performed by Flying Ipis last night? Tell us in the comments section!