Alamat’s Mo: Building Bridges as Pinoy Pop’s First Blasian Idol

Mixed Asian Media - September 7, 2023

By Jalen Jones

*Translations provided by VIVA.

In the final moments before a performance at Quezon City’s Viva Cafe, Mo and the rest of Alamat are getting their last touch-ups in a brightly lit pink dressing room. For a P-pop (Pinoy pop) idol from one of the most popular groups in the Philippines, it can be a high-pressure environment to be in — with screams from fans flush with kilig drumming up the wall behind us, I wonder if the idols ever get overwhelmed. But meeting me with a welcoming demeanor and a kind, gentle smile, Mo shows no symptom of these worries. Just minutes later he commands the stage with aplomb, and the Magiliws — the name of Alamat’s fanbase, appropriately named because of the fans’ friendly and loving nature — devour every second. “Performing our songs on stage is one of the best feelings ever,” Mo gushes after the show. “We get so much energy from our fans… Every performance, I get to bond with them. We get to bond with them.”

Aaron Joshua Mitchell, known as “Mo” on stage, is the main vocalist and lead rapper for Alamat — the fastest-rising Pinoy act on the Billboard Next Big Sound chart. Formed in 2020 by VIVA Artists Agency, Alamat distinguishes itself by putting an embrace of the Philippines’ cultural diversity front and center. The songs and music videos from the group aim for an innovative, yet authentically Filipino spin on the P-pop genre, often taking direct inspiration from Pinoy culture. Each member of Alamat descends from a different region and ethnicity in the Philippines — Mo is the group’s resident Filipino-American from Castillejos, Zambales, and is currently the only Blasian P-pop artist in the whole country.

Mo entered the world of music in a way every Filipino is familiar with — through karaoke at family parties and celebrations. He remembers being told he had musical talent, even before he realized it himself. “I didn’t like music right away. My cousins all heard me sing and said, ‘Oh, you have a great voice!’” Looking back, he realizes he always had the ears fit for a career in music. Singing along with relatives, he could tell when a singer was in or out of tune. “Kasi sintonado sila…” Mo clarifies with a playful, knowing smirk. “[My relatives] would always be out of tune.”

Music became a serious pursuit of Mo’s when he started high school. Impressively, he had sourced from two different high schools in order to pursue his passion for music. Mo would enter and win singing competitions at the school he was formally enrolled in, while also acting in lead roles for musicals at another school. His interests led him to start writing his own music between eighth and ninth grade, eventually taking on the name “Young Simba” for his underground rap days. “I remember I thought those (songs) were amazing,” Mo recalls with wise affection. “Now I think those [were] whack. But that’s where your journey starts — write out the bad.” Mo approaches his craft with serious care and diligence, making decisions based on what feels best for his artistic growth and vision. “[My schoolmates] wanted me to be part of their group, but I wasn’t ready kasi gusto ko gawin sarili kong craft hindi ako na-di-direct — I wanted to pursue my own craft without anybody directing me.”

Mo’s initial inclination toward independence could perhaps be attributed to his unique musical inspirations. “I feel like my music is unique… Most of my references are R&B, OPM (Original Pinoy Music), and Blues. I like to listen to different genres, but I tend to gravitate toward music that originated from people of color.” Mo finds that his mixed identity in particular has influenced his interests and approaches to music. “I think [being mixed] helped me become more confident in mixing both worlds — R&B and OPM. I think they are of the best music… Parang napaghahalo ko — I feel like fusing the different types of music comes to me naturally. You can hear in the beats, the references I get from Black music.” Maybe it’s learned, or maybe he’s born with it — I think of the natural talent his cousins praised in his childhood as he tells me: “My musicality, I feel like it’s innate, it flows through my blood.”

When I ask how he embraced both his Black and Filipino identities growing up, he tells me it came pretty easy to him. “Growing up I didn’t have a hard time embracing my Black and Filipino identities, because at a young age my parents already taught me and my sister to embrace, accept, and love who we are. You know, to love ourselves [knowing] that being Black or brown is beautiful. And I’m going to say this right now — I’m Black and I’m proud. I’m brown and I’m proud.” This built-in pride shielded Mo from the hardships that could come from being the only Black and Filipino P-pop idol. “I’m representing as a mixed Filipino and Black artist. I was overwhelmed by the warm support of the P-pop community, despite receiving some backlash from haters… There’s a comment posted [online] asking why I’m part of the group when I’m mixed race, and saying that I didn’t deserve to be part of the group when I’m not a pure Filipino. But I didn’t stress myself about it so much — it’s just noise.”

Before joining Alamat, Mo was more focused on hip-hop, R&B, and rap. But after an introduction to Jason Paul Laxamana — Alamat’s creative director — by a schoolmate, Mo’s artistic vision began to widen. He became interested in joining Alamat because of his desire to improve and grow as an artist. “I really wanted to dance, since my influences are Michael Jackson, Chris Brown, Usher… I wanted to sing high notes and dance like them.” It's customary for P-pop performances to have complex choreography for the entire group. Mo remains committed to the challenge. “I always give my 100% every time we train.” 

Besides singing, rapping, and now dancing, Mo is passionate about addressing social issues. Specifically, he hopes to address the racism that persists in the Philippines. “The racism here in the Philippines never ends, so that’s something I want to keep pushing against and tackle. Wherever I go, I would catch bits of other people’s conversations about how their darker skin is stigmatized here. Most people would still suggest to others to get treatments that lighten their skin. I want to inspire more people to be proud of their skin color.” With Mo as the co-leading member, it’s no coincidence that one of Alamat’s greatest strengths is the group’s willingness to touch on important societal issues. He mentions his favorite Alamat music video is for the song “ABKD,” as it encourages “embracing your own, loving your skin color, and loving yourself.”

With the recent release of their latest music video for “Walang Hanggan,” and their ever-growing popularity throughout the Philippines, Mo can only wonder what the future holds for Alamat. “I can’t say right now. Maybe performing in Times Square? Maybe Staples Center? Or just maybe more people learning about our advocacy, and bridging more communities.” Having crossed over 7,000 miles to witness a fellow mixed Black and Filipino climb the ranks of P-pop, I can tell Alamat’s well on their way.

Keep up with Mo and Alamat on Instagram @alamat.mo and @alamat_official, on their YouTube channel, and on music streaming platforms.