Kuya, Pinoy band of brothers in Canada, reunites for new single
Two pairs of Filipino brothers are creating R&B music in Canada.
Samuel and Bobby Gerongco from Toronto and Johann and Jayson Camat from Montreal are the artists behind Kuya, a Filipino word for “older brother.”
Kuya was originally formed in May of 1993. Sammy and Johann met when they were part of the original Canadian cast of “Miss Saigon.” During rehearsals, they would find time to share musical ideas, and soon would have their younger brothers Bobby and Jayson singing along.
Bobby went to school for music production, and soon the group started writing, producing and releasing their own songs. Kuya became quickly known as a powerhouse R&B vocal group.
As described by Sammy, “Johann carried the group with his strong raspy vocals and incredible stage presence. Jayson brought a soulful edge with deep lyrical content, and Bobby set the tone with his next level beatmaking.”
What about Sammy? The group believed he complemented Johann’s singing style with his smooth vocals and strong sense of melody.
Kuya began to take meetings with major record labels and had recording demo deals with RCA records and EMI Canada. They travelled from Los Angeles to New York, working with the top producers in the industry hoping that one day they would be discovered.
Through their journeys, Kuya’s music captured the attention of such industry moguls like Pharrell Williams, Andre Harrell, Wyclef Jean and music icon Clive Davis. However, through personal circumstances, Kuya disbanded tentatively in 2004 with questions of when they would reunite.
During the hiatus, Sammy and Bobby went ahead with their musical journey forming Kuya Productions.
“We became a successful Grammy nominated hit-making production team,” said Sammy. Their discography includes such artists as Nelly, Jesse McCartney, Ginuwine, Nicole Scherzinger, Big Time Rush and more.
Kuya Productions recently released a new video, “Stay Here,” featuring Kuya reunited performing Sammy’s song.
His mother’s struggle with cancer was the inspiration behind “Stay Here.”
Recounted Sammy, “My mom died of cancer two years ago. My brother and I cared for her right to the very end. It was a tough time for our family. We had to take it one day at a time. Right to her last breath.
“When I wrote this song I was reflecting on that time and what really matters most in life. I thought about my wife. My family. My friends and my dreams. I thought about Kuya and our music and how much my mom wanted us to sing again. So here we are with this new single. This song is a reminder of how short life really is. Our message is do what you love and surround yourself with the people and things that matter the most. Stay here.” –The FilAm
Samuel and Bobby Gerongco from Toronto and Johann and Jayson Camat from Montreal are the artists behind Kuya, a Filipino word for “older brother.”
Samuel and Bobby Gerongco from Toronto and Johann and Jayson Camat from Montreal are Kuya. The FilAm photo
Bobby went to school for music production, and soon the group started writing, producing and releasing their own songs. Kuya became quickly known as a powerhouse R&B vocal group.
As described by Sammy, “Johann carried the group with his strong raspy vocals and incredible stage presence. Jayson brought a soulful edge with deep lyrical content, and Bobby set the tone with his next level beatmaking.”
What about Sammy? The group believed he complemented Johann’s singing style with his smooth vocals and strong sense of melody.
Kuya began to take meetings with major record labels and had recording demo deals with RCA records and EMI Canada. They travelled from Los Angeles to New York, working with the top producers in the industry hoping that one day they would be discovered.
Through their journeys, Kuya’s music captured the attention of such industry moguls like Pharrell Williams, Andre Harrell, Wyclef Jean and music icon Clive Davis. However, through personal circumstances, Kuya disbanded tentatively in 2004 with questions of when they would reunite.
During the hiatus, Sammy and Bobby went ahead with their musical journey forming Kuya Productions.
“We became a successful Grammy nominated hit-making production team,” said Sammy. Their discography includes such artists as Nelly, Jesse McCartney, Ginuwine, Nicole Scherzinger, Big Time Rush and more.
Kuya Productions recently released a new video, “Stay Here,” featuring Kuya reunited performing Sammy’s song.
His mother’s struggle with cancer was the inspiration behind “Stay Here.”
Recounted Sammy, “My mom died of cancer two years ago. My brother and I cared for her right to the very end. It was a tough time for our family. We had to take it one day at a time. Right to her last breath.
“When I wrote this song I was reflecting on that time and what really matters most in life. I thought about my wife. My family. My friends and my dreams. I thought about Kuya and our music and how much my mom wanted us to sing again. So here we are with this new single. This song is a reminder of how short life really is. Our message is do what you love and surround yourself with the people and things that matter the most. Stay here.” –The FilAm
Comments