JUANS AND ONLY
Pop-rock outfit, The Juans stages first live show in two years
HINDI tayo pwede Pinagtagpo pero ‘di tinadhana Hindi na posible
Ang mga puso’y huwag nating pahirapan
Suko na sa laban
Hindi tayo pwede
So goes the chorus of the song ‘Hindi Tayo Pwede’ which sends many hopeless romantic – including the heartbroken — and pop song lovers go gaga over the pop-rock band established and based in Bulacan, The Juans.
It could be remembered that The Juans had been steadily gaining momentum since its formation in 2013 until it hit a roadblock in 2018 when three of its five members decided to leave the group to pursue their respective personal endeavors.
Instead of wallowing in despair, the band’s frontman and songwriter Carl Gueverra, along with Japs Mendoza (vocals and guitar) scouted talents from the church they attend as part of the worship team. Soon enough, The Juans were back to five, with new members, RJ Cruz (acoustic guitar), Chael Adriano (bass), and Joshua Coronel (drums).
After Carl and Japs finalized the new lineup, The Juans got down to business and started rehearsing the band’s material. “We already had previous opportunities to play with each other as worship leaders. So, it was fairly easy for us to get along and gel together,” Carl said during the media conference held in Quezon City.
Around such time that the group was reconstructing, The Juans dropped its second EP, “Umaga,” which spawned the hit song “Hindi Tayo Pwede.” This sentimental song has become the heartbreak anthem of many and has helped the group become one of today’s most-streamed local music acts.
The song has recorded over 33 million streams on Spotify and was used as the theme song of a 2020 romance movie of the same title.
By the end of June 2022, however, Viva Artists Agency announced the departure of Joshua Coronel from The Juans.
In a statement, the agency said that Joshua, who served as the band’s drummer, is leaving due “to personal reasons and matters.” However, they assured fans that it is an “amicable separation” and that the remaining four members of the band “wish nothing but the best for Joshua.”
“Malugod naming tinanggap ang pag-alis ni Joshua dahil priority niya ang kaniyang pamilya. We wish him well,” Carl stressed.
Citing how their first hit “Hindi Tayo Pwede” transformed their lives, Carl added: “We want to continue to inspire people with our music. We want to relate to and validate the feelings of other people because we all felt it — the separation, the heartbreak. We want to tell them that after hugot, there is hope and healing.”
Likewise, the group is thankful for the creative freedom and all-out support they get from Viva and great mentoring from Boss Vic del Rosario. And with other artists doing the cover for their hit song, the young men are equally grateful.
“It’s somehow a measurement of success as a band and as a songwriter that others sing our song. We appreciate the artists for giving different versions and colors of our songs, they said in agreement.
The Juans Live in Araneta
THAT The Juans will continue as a 4-man band, has become apparent, as they announced a major concert at the Araneta Coliseum this October 23. The group revealed that they will perform with sessionistas who will add to the dynamics of their music.
“The Juans Live in Araneta is a culmination of all our hard work for the past few years. We’ve been at this for several years now and we feel that we’ve been working all this time to get to this point,” Carl said.
Japs added, “We’re so excited to do this. Every band has a dream venue to play and the Araneta Coliseum is one of those. It is for us as well.”
RJ and Chael, meanwhile, dedicated the concert to their very supportive fandom, The Juanistas. “They’ve been with us since the start, some of them have been here kahit nung wala pa kami sa group,” RJ said.
“This will be a celebration of the music with our dear Juanistas,” chimed in Chael.
What to expect from The Juans’ Big Dome concert
THE concert also draws power from the theater background of Guevarra, who worked in theater and appeared in musicals including “Peter Pan,” “Kelly! Kelly! Ang Hit na Musical, ”“batang Rizal,” and “Lola Basyang.” “It will be a fusion of film and musical theater, the ultimate! May bida at kontrabida din sa istorya ng concert,” Guevarra quipped.
General ticket sales start on July 17, while fan-club members gain early presale access from July 15 via Ticketnet. Ticket prices will range from PHP500 to PHP5,000.
Juanistas can expect the band to play their many hits including “Hindi Tayo Pwede,” “Lumalapit”“atin Ang Mundo,” “Hatid,”“anghel,” and “Dulo,” among others, at the concert as produced by KDR Music House and Viva Live, Inc.