I think we can all agree—music brings us all together. Whatever the genre is, the instrument being played, or who the artist is, music has a way of connecting people through the composition of notes and lyrics.

For Pugfish, music played an important role both in their personal and social lives. The Manila-based musical collective has been playing since they were in high school and eventually moving on to doing gigs in different places, picking up friends and band members along the way.

Their sound is influenced by numerous artists, bands, and genres. In the podcast episode, they shared that they usually start with a musical reference first. Then, they create a basic structure that all members can contribute to, trying out different sounds and versions that culminate into the final cut. For them, music is a powerful medium to deliver any message or feeling, which drives them to create music to reach out to different audiences.

So, what glues the band together? Pugfish’s answer is friendship. At the roots, Pugfish is more than a musical collective; they are a group of friends who have come together because of their passion for music. During the pandemic, they managed to stay connected by doing regular meetings for their album, in tandem with doing fun activities like watching parties.

When asked about what advice they would give to aspiring musicians, their answer is one that most need to hear—to treat it like any other career and be a professional. Aside from that, they encourage seeking out for help when needed and to continue learning from others, while remembering to stay to true to yourself.

Learn more about Pugfish in their Indie-Co podcast episode, available on Spotify.