Promising singer-songwriter Kai Honasan makes beautiful music with her ukulele

Kai Honasan. (Teddy Pelaez/InterAksyon)

Although often overshadowed by its more famous cousin, the guitar, the four-string ukulele has surged in popularity in recent years starting with Sir Paul McCartney’s tribute tour to George Harrison in 2002.

Here at home, the ukulele specialty store Ukulele Philippines located in The Collective at Malugay Street in San Antonio Village in Makati organized the country’s first ukulele festival last weekend.

The three-day event officially opened last October 25 at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall followed by an intimate dinner concert the following Saturday at Buddha Bar and concluded with a Ukulele Workshop last Sunday.

There were featured performances from five international ukulele players, namely Aldrine Guerrero, Kalei Gamiao and Derick Sebastian from Hawaii, Kyas Ryo from Japan; and Apirak Sirinanthakul from Thailand.

The festival also featured a good number of local performers such as Jennifer Blair-Bianco, Manskee Nascimiento and Kai Honasan.

Kai (yes, she’s the senator’s daughter) in particular is considered one of the most promising singer-songwriters in indie music circles. In a recent interview with InterAksyon, Kai said she wanted to pursue a career in music as early as the age of 5.

“I wanted to become a piano teacher. I started writing songs beginning in grade school when I was around 8 years old. I’d write jingles to help me memorize my lessons for class. At 11, I learned how to sing with the church choir,” she recalled.

But it wasn’t until 2010 when she was already 22 that Kai started to fancy the ukulele and eventually embraced it as her instrument of choice.

“I started out as a classical pianist at age 4 and got frustrated in high school when people started getting into bands and I didn’t have a piano handy. In college, I wanted to find the most convenient instrument to carry around so I bought a cheap uke and taught myself,” she said.

Her musical perspective has never been the same since as she now writes songs with either a piano first then transfer it to the uke or direct to the uke altogether.

Now 25, Kai is blessed with strong and often quirky pop sensibilities and a soulful, distinctive voice that recalls Natalie Merchant in must-hear ditties like “Tongue-Tied”, “Everyday”, “Go”, “Heartbeat”, “This City” and “Liwanag” from the neo-rock ballet “Rock Supremo”.

“My songs are musical versions of the moment where you and I catch up over beer after a long absence. How I write is exactly how I sound in normal conversation. Mga kantang pang-kwentuhan, pampaaliw,” she mused.

Kai admits to be influenced by a lot of “chick singer-songwriters” like Lily Allen, Sara Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson as well as her sister-in-law Barbie Almalbis and the Pinoy fusion band Yosha, which also features her brother Karel.

Her songwriting chops were further honed when she joined the annual Elements National Singing-Songwriting Camp in Dumaguete City.

“I wanted to experience collaboration. Before camp, I wrote alone in my bathroom. My audition video was exactly that with matching eye bags and sad face. The company made camp exceptional,” she noted.

“Your co-campers become lifelong friends and collaborators. Your musical heroes become actual human beings then friends so your hero worship grows twice as much. Suddenly, you are all equals when Mr. C (Ryan Cayabyab) is giving a music theory refresher and when lining up for lechon.”

The camp also kept her grounded as it also allowed her to meet other promising artists like Anj Florendo, Keiko Necesario, Michan Saubon, Gus Abarquez, Hopia, Bullet Dumas, Len Calvo and “The Voice of the Philippines” finalist Talia Reyes whom she all admires.

Although she has become adept at playing the ukulele, it is not the only instrument that Kai is fond of. Like McCartney, she is also a big fan of the kazoo, a wind instrument known to add a buzzing timbral quality into its player’s voice. Kai often performs with both her ukulele and kazoo in tow.

“The kazoo was influenced by the preschool kids I used to teach in UP Diliman. I also have a baby accordion and melodica that will make a few appearances in gigs soon,” she hinted.

As to how she hopes to make a big musical impact on people, Kai Honasan has this to say. “I want people to get so confused the first gig they watch, they have to come a second time. And so on and so forth, hanggang gets na nila. Tapos bibili sila ng album.

“Or if you see me on the street I will sing you a song if you ask nicely,” she gleefully deadpanned.

Kai Honasan’s music is currently available at https://soundcloud.com/kaihonasan.

Promising singer-songwriter Kai Honasan makes beautiful music with her ukulele

Source: InterAksyon.com (October 28, 2013 at 10:18PM)

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