From hugot to birit! Gian and Maki talk exes and music on “Gandang Gabi Vice”
Halloween just got a little more fun as singer-songwriters Gian Bernardino (of Cup of Joe) and Maki joined Vice Ganda for a night filled with music, laughter, and friendship. Their much-awaited “Gandang Gabi Vice” guest appearance together will never be just a ‘multo’ as it finally happened on Sunday, November 1.
In the episode, Gian and Maki shared their friendship’s history, which started at a university concert in late 2023, when they were both just making their way onto the OPM radar. Gian made the first move by sliding into Maki’s DMs, but it was actually Maki who suggested that they hang out again because he genuinely wanted to be friends.
But even before they became close, they were already fans of each other’s music. In fact, Maki was among the first people to tell Gian that Cup of Joe’s “Multo” was going to be a hit, and although it was a slow burn, as we all know, his prediction eventually came true.
The admiration is definitely mutual, as Gian likewise hyped up his friend’s artistry and said he believes that the OPM scene needs a main pop boy like Maki, who not only makes playlist-worthy hits but has impressive vocal range as well.
From Cup of Joe’s indie-pop and alternative hits like “Multo” and “Tingin” to Maki’s dreamy, feel-good tracks like “Dilaw” and “Saan?,” these two have certainly found their distinct sounds. But did you know that before they became known for their soft, soulful tunes, they were actually little ‘biriteros’ with high vocal range?
The two looked back on their childhood singing days. Fast-forward to today, and Gian and Maki have expanded their musical horizons into songwriting. When asked where they pluck their ‘hugots’ from, the Gen Z hit makers shared writing actually comes easier when inspired by heartbreak and painful experiences.
The OPM favorites also got real about their own experiences with love and heartbreak. One of the first songs Maki ever wrote was born out of the betrayal of an ex, who was his best friend before they started dating. Maki gave a little peek into what led to their split, saying the relationship fell apart because of an alleged third party he had been suspicious of all along. Maki used to get jealous of this particular person, only to have his worst fears confirmed when his ex eventually chose the other person instead.
Maki also recalled reaching a point where he felt his ex was simply looking for reasons to start arguments and make him give up on the relationship first, “Gusto niya sa akin manggaling para ‘pag nag-break kami ako sisisihin niya, ‘O, ‘di ba ikaw nakipag-break?'”
Gian likewise opened up about the biggest relationship woe he had experienced, which, much like Maki’s story, involved being betrayed by someone he loved who suddenly left him hanging.
After exchanging stories about their past not-so-happily-ever-afters, Gian and Maki turned all that hugot into music by coming up with a song together with Vice Ganda, right on the spot, giving their impromptu collaboration the title “Kulang.”
The tea didn’t stop there. They saved the juiciest bits of revelations for last, as they left fans ‘shookt’ and, ehemm, ‘kilig’ with the secrets they spilled in the “Deep Truth” segment.
Gian had a confession that even Maki probably didn’t see coming. “Crush ko dati si Maki,” the vocalist declared. And guess what? The confession was actually true.
Watch the unfiltered “Gandang Gabi Vice” episode with Gian and Maki for free on iWant (for Philippines-based users only).