Contrary to popular belief, the alternative rock band Barbie’s Cradle never disbanded. Vocalist Barbie Almalbis made sure to clarify this notion during the presscon for their upcoming One Night Only concert happening in August and for the release of three new original singles this year.
“Music was really our bond, you know, back then. Early 20s tayo nun eh. So we really grew up together, traveled together, spent a lot of time in the studio. So yun yung bond namin as brothers and sister in a band. It was never really lost. Even through these years, even if we’re doing our own thing, every time na merong opportunity na tumugtog together, ginagawa namin. Kaya lang bihira yung mabuo kaming apat. So we just kind of pick up where we left off because we didn’t really (disband),” Barbie shared during the presscon.
READ: 20 years after release of Barbie's Cradle's debut album, Almalbis has new EP
The well-loved OPM band, composed of Barbie Almalbis, Kakoy Legaspi, Rommel dela Cruz, and Wendell Garcia, is officially reuniting onstage at the Music Museum for this special event. She shared that the concept of a concert finally came up after she and her bandmates started writing songs together again.
“So this started, because we never really lost touch. Especially now, because of Messenger and being online, it’s easier to reconnect with friends. So nakikita mo yung ganap ng isa’t isa. Like if there’s new music each person is doing, we see it, we support it, and nag-me-message message kami.
"It was Kakoy who first started sending some demos, some songs na nandun lang sa computer niya. So yun lang, nagpadala lang ng songs tapos nag-decide kami na bumukas na and then nag-decide kami to meet and actually work on the songs and mag-record. So sa bahay lang. Hindi siya ganoon ka-planado. Wala namang agenda. Gusto lang namin makagawa ng songs again together and to just enjoy that process. So things just happened. Mamaya, nakatapos na kami ng tatlong songs nga tapos na-mix na. Ang tawag namin sa sarili namin Barbie’s Cradle Studio band kasi feeling namin dito lang kami mag-e-exist sa studio (laughs) just making songs together. Tapos dun na naisip na gumawa na nga show para pag nag-release na ng songs meron na din show. That’s how this came up,” she explained.
READ: EXCLUSIVE: Barbie Almalbis returns to music, admits she enjoys motherhood
With the initial release of their latest single "Emergency," Barbie said the band never discussed whether they should sound exactly as they did when they released their first hit more than two decades ago.
“Sabi ko, ‘Actually, hindi. Yung tunog namin ganito kasi ito ang alam namin.’ This is who we are. If it sounds like how we sounded before, then it’s not because we’re trying to go back to that time, it’s just because it’s still who we are. But I also believe na yung iba-ibang journey namin, it’s also changed us as musicians. So that’s always been our heart as artists, to grow and to find something surprising for ourselves. Musically, we’re still kind of the same people, but also kind of different. Hindi ko siya naisip na ito yung tunog dati tapos ito na yung tunog ngayon. I think siguro kasi pag nag-pe-perform kami ngayon parang ever since then ganun, sa bawat performance ng kanta, lagi siyang iba. Every day, iba yun," she explained.
"So it’s like every chance to perform a song is like a chance to recreate it. Lagi siyang opportunity to make it something na special siya today. Kaya ganun. Hindi ko iniisip na reminiscent of anything. Dadalhin ko pa rin yung mga story na yan today, pero ikukuwento ko siya in a new way,” she said.
Tickets for Barbie’s Cradle One Night Only concert are available via TicketMelon at ₱2,900 for VIP, ₱1,900 for Orchestra, and ₱1,300 for Balcony.