CLIQUE5: Triple threat boy band
New boy band Clique5 had a taste of their new celebrity life as they visited radio stations in Cebu last week.
The seven-piece all-male group, handled by 3:16 Events and Talent Management Company, has been training since August of last year.
During a Grand Media Launch on November 2017 where they introduced their Christmas single titled “Tuwing Pasko” written by director Joven Tan, Clique5 initially had five members. Two more were soon added to the roster.
Keeping up with a seven-member band can be a bit tough, but Karl, Marco, Sean, Josh, Clay, Tim, and Rocky insist that each one of them bring a different flavor to the table.
Karl “Campus Heartthrob” Aquino is one of the original members of Clique5. Discovered through “Circle of Ten Walk To Fame” alongside Marco, Sean and Josh, Karl is mean on the dance floor, a talent he believes he inherited from his father who is a former dancer and member of “That’s Entertainment.”
Marco Paulo “The Hunk” Gomez is a Filipino born and raised in Vienna, Austria. He identifies as a singer first, coming from a family who loves belting out tunes.
Sean “Kilabot ng Dance Floor” De Guzman has already built a reputation as a former member of ELEV8 which performed in Kuya Germs’ “Walang Tulugan with the Master Showman” and other shows.
Josh “Cutie Bae” Mirabel is a dancer who is juggling academics and career.
Clay “Soul Balladeer” Kong is the band’s lead vocalist.
The Rivero brothers, Tim “Teen Crush” and Rocky “Boy Next Door” complete Clique5. They are also both theater actors.
The Philippines has had its share of boy bands and eye candies, but Clique5, whose members are between 17-20 years old, set themselves apart as a jack-of-all-trades sort of group as they continuously hone their skills in singing, dancing, and even acting.
With voice lessons conducted by The Company’s Sweet PLantado-Tiongson and dance training by Donald Balbuena and
Mia Pangyarihan of the Sex Bomb Dancers, Clique5 is confident in their own shared identity and skill. They also finished their intensive acting workshop at the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA), and are currently under the wing of director Emman Dela Cruz for a mainstream acting workshop.
“Versatile po kami, we can dance, and act,” Karl begins during a press conference at
Max’s Restaurant in Ayala
Center Cebu.
However, Marco insists that they would like to focus on themselves and would rather not compare their group with other existing ones.
With many boy bands coming in from all corners of the globe, capturing the hearts of many,
Clique5 – being young and new in the industry – acknowledge that it can be daunting to debut in front of Filipinos, and eventually the world.
“Siyempre po parang may pressure kasi mataas po expectations ng
Filipino fans when it comes to boy bands.
Kailangan before kami lumabas, equipped kami. Siyempre kailangan ma-meet namin ang expectations [ng audience],” Rocky muses.
For now, Clique5’s goal is to hopefully top charts, but most importantly, to make their mark in the hearts of audiences.
The boys of Clique5 came in with different sets of talents. Others identified as singers first, knew themselves as dancers, or were already dabbling in acting. As their preparations to debut progressed, the members were quick to realize that they were capable of being so much more than just a master of one.
“Lahat naman po kami, marunong. Nakakapanibago po, kasi siyempre nagulat din kami sa sarili namin na kaya pala namin. Happy and proud kami kasi hindi namin alam na kaya pala naming gawin ang isang bagay,” Sean says.
Marco adds that they have all changed a lot since becoming Clique5.
“Lalo na mga dancers. We singers, we never knew we could dance. As for the dancers, we never knew they had a voice too. It’s all balanced,” Marco quips.
The idol life, despite the glitz and glamour, can still be tough.
Succeeding in the field you choose takes hard work and dedication. The boys are mindful of what they eat, and make sure to work out regularly. Being students, they train after school and squeeze in as much preparation as they could.
Dating, meanwhile—although not entirely out of the question—is a territory the boys choose not to dwell on for now because they want to focus on their craft.
Karl speaks for everyone when he says that it’s all about enjoying the things you choose to spend your energy on—and that’s how they endure despite all the things they have to take care of.
When asked if they all dreamed about being performers from the very beginning, the question was met with a chorus of “yes po” and “of course.”
“This has always been our dream. When we met, we clicked immediately. We are a small group with a shared interest. And five is the symbol of balance. That’s what the ‘five’ in ‘Clique5’stands for, it has nothing to do with the [number of] members,” Marco explains.
The boys seem comfortable with each other. Despite speaking at the same time to answer a question, they end up listening and giving way to each other too. For them, it can be a challenge to stay at the same level, seven people with their own voices and thoughts sure is a lot. But at the end of the day, Clique5 members are there to help each other out.
“Nagtutulungan po kami, inaangat po namin yung isa’t-isa. Kung ano ang weakness ng isa, tinutulungan po namin,” Rocky says, as Marco cites his Filipino speaking skills as an example. Being born and raised in Austria, Marco needed a lot of help in performing in Filipino with his accent. But Clique5 and their management were there to help him out.
There is no competition among them, the boys say. Tim says that being with the same group as his brother Rocky allows them to look out for each other, point out the awkward energy and grey areas during rehearsals and performances, and lift each other up.
The boys say their album is a mix of upbeat bops and sweet melodies, and comes with five other original songs namely “Ako Nalang Sana,” “Bakit Hindi,” “Magmula Ngayon,” “Mabuti Nalang,” and “Sana Naman.”
The Gawad Musika 2017 Awardee as Outstanding Boy Band at the 37th Year Ender Top Consumers Choice Award in 2017 will also stage their very first concert at the Music Museum on February 27.
“Sobrang saya po, kasi worth it ang lahat ng pinagpaguran namin,” Sean says when asked about how they feel now that their music is heard all over the country. Marco adds that they were ecstatic, cheering for each other when they heard their song on the radio.
“Pinakamasarap po yung may mag-memessage na nagustuhan nila, at na-inspire sila. Nakaka-touch,” Clay adds.
Clique5 acknowledges that they have a long way to go. They admit that there is a lot to work on, because they genuinely want to excel in singing, dancing and acting. Aside from singing about romance, the boys are open to singing about other topics, especially those that the youth can relate to, and dream of starring alongside Liza Soberano when given the chance. Writing their own music is something they want to do as well, but for now they’re still learning the ropes.
Despite the journey ahead, the here and now for Clique5 is sweet—and the boys have a few words to those who would want to form their own bands and hone their skills. They are lucky to have very supportive friends and family, as well as capable management.
Josh admits that they get a lot of teasing from their peers, but they know that the “Di ka na ma-reach” rhetoric is all for fun’s sake.
“Mahalin niyo yung gusto niyong gawin, work hard, and trust God. Magpasalamat po lagi,” Karl advises simply, while Sean adds that you should never be afraid of sharing and presenting your talent.
Other than looking out for upcoming shows and appearances, Clique5 fans can also catch up with the band through their social media accounts like Facebook (3:16 Events and Talent Management Company and Clique5), their individual Instagram accounts and a joint account for the band (@clique5official), as well as a YouTube channel (Clique5).