HOMECOMING WITH YSANYGO
The first gig I ever attended – the show that opened up the world of local live music for me – was opened by sibling act Ysanygo. I was in my first year of college, new to the city, and Ysa and Ygo Ferraz, both around my age, were in their element onstage, as if they had done this a thousand times before.
It was a full-circle moment to officially meet them six years later for Spotify RADAR, which they consider “a huge step in our career.”
“We can’t believe we’re here right now,” Ygo says. “When we come across someone and they say, ‘I really like this song of yours,’ we still can’t believe that our song was able to reach (them) and help (them) in some way.”
While the duo has released singles since 2017, they launched their much-anticipated debut EP just last October. They excitedly took turns explaining each of the four tracks, chuckling at the closing song being titled Good Night! A little below 15 minutes, the self-titled record is a well-balanced portfolio that showcases their ability to jump around genres while keeping everything in their signature warm sound.
They attribute their sonic identity to their sibling dynamic. Aside from being able to work with each other every day “because we live in the same house,” they also grew up listening to the same music: Tears for Fears courtesy of Dad, Duran Duran courtesy of Mom. They’re also influenced by South Korean acts Dean, IU, and BTS.
The Spotify RADAR Philippines playlist features their song Sunday Morning with Paolo Sandejas, which is an apt descriptor for their sound – listening to them feels like a calm, sunny morning. When I ask the duo what they want listeners to remember from their music, they say they want their songs to serve as a hug. “We want them to remember that there’s a friend for them,” Ysa says. “We’re still your siblings next door and we’re just a song away,” adds Ygo.
Listen to dwta, Ysanygo, and the rest of the 2024 class on the RADAR Philippines playlist on Spotify.