How does one get lucky enough to find their soulmates in this crowded, overpopulated world? What are the chances of suddenly stumbling upon people whose heart beats the same rhythm as you? Well, Darl Alba, Kin Ivan Umpad, Kevin Castro, Luis Macabulos, and Kaya Katigbak definitely know the answer to these questions, and today, we get to know them better as we hear the story of the humble beginning of The OK Club. 

The OK Club is a six-piece indie-pop band that pulls influence from different genres and combines indie and alt-rock with jazz and anime OSTs. This diversity in style becomes clearly evident in their singles “Cherry Soda” and “Oh Well” released last March of 2020. 

It was back in 2018, during the summer end of freshman year when Kaya Katigbak had a jam with her coursemates, Kevin and Kin Ivan. They were all in the field of Information Design, and after having that bonding session, Kaya knew she needed to look for the missing pieces of the team. That was when fate worked its wonders as Kaya met Marga, Luis, and Darl one by one. In such a random occurrence, Kaya was able to bring everyone together, and with that, they breathed life into The OK Club. 

It seemed like a sketchy situation, said one of the band members. What are the odds of suddenly getting asked to join a band? Here you are- with your passion tucked quietly inside your pockets, and surprisingly, someone would tell you, “Take that out, and let’s create music together.” Indeed the best things in life are never planned. Some moments, you just have to take that leap of faith, and before you know it, you’re somewhere far, somewhere better, with people singing and playing the drums and guitar beside you. 

The band members’ origin story was not the grand type. It was not the “trained-since-I-was-3-years-old” nor the “forced-into-music” kind of memory. Kaya played the drums when she was around 9 years old yet her drumset was ruined because of Typhoon Ondoy. It was a short-lived hobby she abandoned when she was young, but she eventually came back to it in middle school. As she went to gigs and performed live, she became more used to having an audience watch while she plays. And then there’s Kevin, who, while listening to James Bland, decided he wants to learn the guitar. Some of the members even set fire to their passion by watching an anime that revolved around the creation of bands. Some- through doing karaoke, singing in the shower, or playing Guitar Hero. These people found each other at the right time and the right place, and if soulmates were real, The OK Club surely knows it comes in six. 

Music really did become an outlet for these individuals who were lucky enough to find not just bandmates, but life-long friends. As such, they ask us never to let the people who feel at home with us slip away from our fingers. Being in a band isn’t smooth-sailing; it is full of mishaps and disappointments and overturns. Yet one must always remember to go back to their drive- which, first and foremost, must be the music itself. Whether you’re playing for a hundred or just two people, what matters is how much effort you’re putting into giving that kind of music that feels like a different world to the audience. You can aim for fame and fortune but music guarantees no success to anyone. All there is to music are melodies to sing, even when it's getting out of tune. Always go back to what’s pushing you to pursue your dreams, your passion, and your talent. There is more to lose if you never try, so might as well, go for whatever your soul sings for. Understand your intentions, and with that, everything shall fall into place.