P-Pop group BGYO is on the rise

How well do you know BGYO?

BGYO (pronounced as B-G-Y-O), short for Becoming the change, Going further, You and I, Originally Filipino, is a Pinoy pop group under ABS-CBN Star Hunt Academy. It is composed of five male members namely, Gelo Rivera, 20; Akira Morishita, 20; Mikki Claver, 19; JL Toreliza, 19; and Nate Porcalla, 18.

Since it debuted with a single titled The Light in January of last year, BGYO instantly carved a niche in the local music industry. The P-pop group also made it to the top spot of two global music charts, Billboard’s Next Big Sound and Pandora Predictions Chart in 2021 with The Baddest.

No doubt, BGYO’s popularity is on a continuous upward trajectory. The group has been dubbed as the Aces of P-pop by its followers collectively known as Aces.

Group leader Gelo said they’ve been together for four years already, including the days when they were still “Trainees” under Filipino and South Korean mentors from MU Doctor Academy.

BGYO’s captivating visuals, powerful vocals, smooth dance moves, plus its signature jump, never fail to make audiences swoon in delight and admiration.

Gelo, Akira Morishita, Mikki, JL and Nate once again didn’t disappoint when they performed at the concert of Red Velvet, the all-girl Korean pop group, held a few months back at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

It was their first time to perform before the fans of the K-pop girl group, so you can just imagine how nerve-wracking it was for the boys to get started. But there was nary a sign that they were fidgety that night. In fact, BGYO received favorable comments on social media the day after the show.

In my conversation with the boys for Batalk channel’s The Interviewer Presents on YouTube, Gelo said the pressure came from the fact that most people in the crowd were fans of Red Velvet. “They came to see Red Velvet but performing before the K-pop fans served as our way to introduce P-pop to them and I think, na-appreciate naman nila.”

JL said prior to going on stage, they have this group ritual of tapping one another’s back, similar to what is known as Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) that helps release any tension or anxiety feeling. “Usually, after we did the huddle, nag-iiba na po kami pag-sampa sa stage. More on excited na,” he added.

“When we got on stage, they (audiences) were screaming,” Nate recalled. “You could feel their excitement. It’s fun and they were all supportive.”

The best performance, Mikki said, often results from having the right mindset. “Okay lang kabahan but we still make it a point to give our best. ‘Yun lang ang iisipin namin — give our best.”

They recalled that honing their talent is a challenging task. Since Day One of their training, the boys have been housed under one roof, so they can do daily training that usually lasts for hours. They rest on weekends.

Nate revealed their daily routine can be physically tiring “but we all know that there’s a reason whenever our coach would push us, tell us to,  like, run 10 times. Aaah, but after (that), we understood (the purpose).

Gelo finds it best to pause for a while to say a prayer. “Kinakausap ko rin ‘yung nanay ko para umangat ulit ‘yung apoy sa puso ko. I also watch videos for inspiration.”

Mikki, on the other hand, is not shy to ask permission to go home to recharge the mind and body.

Gelo said they, too, have arguments which they would try to resolve before the day ends. “Minsan kasi pag di kami nagkakasundo sa isang bagay, minsan minamasama na kaya pinag-uusapan namin agad para malaman naming ano yung dapat pinaka-best gawin at hindi na patatagalin pa.”

Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, BGYO is on Kumu livestream for three hours beginning at 6 p.m. The boys usually show their funny side while doing livestream to the delight of their fans.

“I sing depending on the mood or day,” said Nate. “On Mondays, for example, I sing moody or relaxing songs, especially when the weather is gloomy and then on Fridays, I dance.”

JL said he’s the most talkative and the Aces are used to hearing him telling jokes or playing sarcastic with netizens. “Mangungulit lang at minsan mang-aasar ng Aces pero sanay na sila, hahahaha.”

Mikki loves answering queries from netizens tuned in to their livestream. But he admitted that he couldn’t answer all of them due to so many questions that keep on coming during the livestream.

Gelo has his own gimmick of showing what he does off-cam. “I sing, dance and then nag-luluto rin o nag-sasaing, parang pinapakita ‘yung regular life ko. Minsan naman, nag-dra-drawing.”

BGYO has also graced the cover of PARCINQ magazine with photos by Randy Capinpin. The boys were featured on the online entertainment portal’s maiden print issue, The P-pop Invasion: Collector’s Edition. The magazine keeps readers updated with the latest happenings in entertainment, fashion and beauty, and of course, all about the Asian pop culture.

“With their unwavering passion, Gelo, JL, Akira, Mikki and Nate shine their own path to the global stage while making waves in the P-pop scene — and they’re just getting started,” posted PARCINQ on Twitter.