Katha ng Kanlungan

“Music simply uncovers what is there, makes you feel emotions that you didn’t necessarily know you had inside you, and runs around waking them all up. A rebirth of sorts.” — Matt Haig

From the first flushes of romance, to heartbreak, to memories, Noel Cabangon’s songs puts emotions to words — and music — which delivers an indescribable homey refrain that is uniquely Filipino. His unpretentious demeanor, skillful guitar strumming, soulful voice and heartfelt music have always been the hallmark of Noel Cabangon, the multi-awarded, multi-faceted artist, who has made a name for himself in the Filipino Folk Music and acoustic genres with socially-relevant renditions that never fail to mesmerize his audience.

When I first heard “Kanlungan” — a song about a blissful memory of a childhood friend and a joyful yesterday filled with freedom, youth, and love — around ten years ago, I was instantly hooked and wanted to know more about the composer who wrote this incredibly poignant piece. I found out that this once-shy barrio boy in the Northern province of La Union never thought of becoming a singer and a musician. But it was his affiliation with the group Buklod, that gave his voice a platform: his compositions were oriented toward social, political, and cultural issues, and espoused such lofty issues as the plight of the peasant farmers, to the protection of human rights, and to the conservation of the environment. When Buklod disbanded, he set out on his own; and because of his raw talent, the years saw the creation of a loyal following that sought him out, wherever he played. To date, he has not only released six solo hit albums, he also dabbled in theater as musical director, composer, or actor; performed around and out of the country; and even authored a book.

I am indeed blessed to have met this incredibly talented artist up-close-and-personal.