Juan Miguel Severo (CDN PHOTO/CARL VINCENT RABOR)
A MODERN Francisco Balagtas personified without the fancy wreath, he tells stories in rhymes in quaint cafes on an improvised stage.
Juan Miguel Severo gave face to the growing spoken word community as his video performances went viral until it got him the role of Rico on the popular ABS-CDN romantic comedy television series “On The Wings of Love.”
Severo’s pieces are raw, freshly scribbled from his own tale of pain, lost and failed love, something everyone can relate to.
He treats his pieces as his own play, the audience his scene partner.
Juan Miguel says that with spoken poetry, he wants to promote the kind of art where people can bare themselves without pretense before a crowd, where he tells the tales only they knew, using the language they are most at home with.
He describes his use of the Filipino language in his pieces like that Harry Potter’s Ron and Hermione moment, when one sees a longtime friend in a nice dress, walking down the stairs, realizing you are already head over heels in love with her, finding out for yourself that it was love all along.
In this interview prior to his show “Habang Wala Pa Sila,” presented by Little Boy Productions, Juan Miguel shares his humble beginnings in
the world of spoken word poetry, his ideals and where he draws inspiration for the pieces he has been performing for two years now.
When did you start doing spoken poetry?
I started writing and performing spoken poetry officially in 2014, two years ago. But I always wanted to try it ever since when I was exposed to it in 2012. Pero 2014 ko na siya sinimulan sa Sev’s Cafe and that very same night I met her (Louise Meets) and the rest of the World Anonymous.
How do you write your pieces?
Depende ‘eh. Some pieces demanded to be written. If this thing or this feeling is what occupies my space, to be able to get through it, I need to write about it. Minsan naman, because… wala lang... gusto ko lang talagang magsulat, I put myself in another situation or ibabalik ko yung dati kong issues and then I will try to write from my old self’s perspective. Or may specific line na gusto mo gamitin, gagawan mo yun. Kasi halimbawa, yung basang unan, yung una kong Pinoy form, ang una ko lang naisip noon is the image of sa sobrang pag-iyak mo basang-basa ‘yung unan. At saka gusto ko lang ipakita na ang pagluha ang pinakamabisang panglanggas sa sugat ng puso… minsan may ganun.
Is it (writing) a way to get over something?
Minsan, bukod sa I think na ang pagsusulat ay isang paraan ng pakikipag-usap sa sarili, minsan ang pagsusulat tungkol sa anumang pinagdaraanan mo, parang isa rin siya uri ng pag-aaklas ng whatever it is that’s weighing you down. You can try to rise above it by writing.
Favorite spoken word artists?
Sobrang dami. Sa amin, karamihan sa grupo (Word Anonymous) namin. At di maikakaila na si Sarah Kay and Phil Kaye… ang laking bagay nila kasi nga nag-viral sila. Napaka-accessible ng tula nila pero kung doon sa mga nakita namin, eventually we fell in love with the art form, and we did some research. Similar namin is Gina Loring, Sierra DeMulder na dadalhin namin sa Pilipinas in October. Magpe-perform kami na kasama niya. Sierra was the very first spoken word artist na nakilala ko, as in piyesa niya ang unang-una kong napanood. And we are going to perform with her in a show (in falsetto voice). Iiyak ako, ramdam ko na, as in.
(CDN PHOTO/CARL VINCENT RABOR)
How are you preparing for that one?
Nagspa-spazz! (laughs).
What do you usually do before performing for an event?
In fairness, sa Word Anonymous, sa grupo namin, we are big nerds, we are funtards, but when there’s work that needs to be done, talagang nagta-trabaho kami. Saka na muna kami nagpapaka-chummy. At kahit sa isa’t-isa naman ‘eh, we are all good friends pero pag may trabaho na kailangan gawin, hindi sila pume-preno pagalitan ang isa’t isa. Sinabi ko sila (pointing to other members), kasi most of the time ako ang napapagalitan. (laughs) Joke lang, di naman, minsan lang.
Is there a difficulty choosing a language?
Not really. But to be honest, when I started and got introduced to spoken word at nagsimula nang sumubok magsulat, sinubukan kong magsulat sa Ingles kasi ang mga piyesa na napapanood ko sa YouTube ay Ingles. Pero nung nagbasa ako ng tula ko sa Ingles sa harap ng mga tao, dun sa Happy Mondays pa nun sa Katipunan, na-realize ko na sa spoken word, di ka lang dapat nagsusulat dun sa wika na komportable mong isulat kundi dun din sa wika na komportable kang bigkasin. That’s why whenever I go to different provinces and perform, parati ko sinasabi sa kanila na as much as possible magsulat sila sa native tongue nila. Sa mga regional languages natin.
Aside from Tagalog, is there any regional language you know?
No. But I have been wanting to perform my pieces in Hiligaynon or Aklanon because my family—most important persons in my life— ‘yung Severo nanggaling sa Aklan, so may kamag-anak ako sa buong Panay island at gusto ko magsulat sa Aklanon, Kinaray-a or Hiligaynon.
When you do spoken poetry in Tagalog, somehow it also promotes our regional language. How important is this to you?
Tulad ng sinabi ko kanina, sa spoken word, dapat dun sa wikang komportable ka bigkasin… yun yung gamitin mo pero when things blew up, nung nag-viral na at umabot na sa teleserye, parang I felt like may responsibility na ako to learn more about our own language. At kumbaga ito yung wika na binabandera ko sa trabaho ko eh, so hangga’t maari kung kaya ko siyang ipresenta sa mga tao sa pinakamaganda niyang anyo, yun yung gagawin ko.
If you find yourself in the middle of the show lost, how do you get yourself back?
Hindi ako tumitigil. May mga spoken word artists, pag na-snap out sila, out of character muna tapos sasabihin nila na “wait lang, nakalimutan ko yung tula ko” at babalikan nila. Pero ako nag-i-improvise ako kasi frustrated actor ako, eh. Isa sa mga dahilan na napasok ako sa spoken word poetry ay dahil gusto kong maging isang theater actor, but I had no proper training.
So I treat spoken poetry the same way an actor would perform it in a play, na wala kang kawala and that the show must go on.
Can I say that acting is your first love?
Di ko masabing first love ko ‘yung acting, but it would be performing in general. Kasi ‘yung acting per se is tinanggi ko nga sa sarili ko na gusto ko siya kasi I think I did not have what it takes dahil… well, hindi ako maputi at di ako matangkad, sakto lang ang kagwapuhan ko (laughs).
Are you still bothered by these thoughts?
Sobrang no, please. Kasi ‘yun ‘yung thing … sana di basahin ‘to ng mga tao as kayabangan. Ganun naman parin ako, di pa din ako maputi, di pa rin ako matangkad, gumwapo lang ako nang kunti dahil nagkalaman ako (laughs). Nakakakuha naman ako ng trabaho sa
industriya, so sa tingin ko merong lugar kahit sino anuman ‘yung itsura nila or feel nila ang mga limitasyon nila. Kailangan lang nila hanapin kong ano ‘yung niche nila.
Among your spoken word pieces, do you have a personal favorite?
Favorite ko sa ngayon ay “Inggit.” It’s part of this series “Parada ng mga Makasalanan.” Tungkol kasi sa Seven Deadly Sins tapos bawat isang tula mula sa isang perspective ng makasalanan. It justifies the seven deadly sins. Feeling ko kasi may mga situations kung saan parang kauna-unawa kung bakit ka nagkakasala ng ganito, like bakit ka naiinggit.
Can you relate to this piece?
I think before, pero ngayon hindi na masyado. Personal poems din kasi ‘yung “Parada ng mga Makasalanan” so medyo exercise din siya sa akin for empathy ‘eh. Kwento kasi ng iba ‘yung kinukwento ko doon. I feel so strongly about it dahil it’s from a perspective of a young farmer. Medyo malapit sa akin yung issue. Hindi ako farmer kumbaga katuwang nila ako sa pinaglalaban nila. Nagkataon pa na the very first time I performed it was the day after the “Bigas hindi Bala” incident.
I saw you doing a collab with Louise Meets titled “Fairy Tales.” What’s the process and is it more fun?
Ang saya! Nasa loob lang kami ng taxi tapos nagbabatuhan kami ng scenario. We were supposed to prepare for a show sa susunod na araw pero di kami nakatulog kasi nagsulat kami hanggang umaga, hanggang 7 a.m. nag-practice kami. At natapos namin yung piyesa sa isang araw.
Do you edit together?
Medyo halfway. Kasi halimbawa yung process nun ay batuhan. Pero halimbawa na-blangko ‘yung isa, pwedeng mag fill-in ‘yung isa.
(CDN PHOTO/CARL VINCENT RABOR)
How is it different when you perform together, side by side?
It’s like having a scene partner talaga, kumbaga sa acting. Minsan dahil kabisado na yung piyesa, matagal na namin siyang ginagawa, minsan pinapalitan na yung ibang words, napaglalaruan na namin, minsan nako-caught off-guard na ako. (laughs) Pero yun ang beauty ng spoken word, kasi nga sa pagsusulat, the author is dead, but he is always alive. As long his piece is used in performances he will always be alive. Sa pagkakataon na yun, di siya palaging loyal sa original na nasulat namin pero it’s a different experience each time.
Was that the only collaboration you did?
“Fairy Tales”? Yes. Right now, we are working on something, and tomorrow, I have a new collaboration with my best friend Alfonso Manalastas,
siya ay from Butuan.
What’s the working title?
It’s “One Night Stand” and puro siya “Fairy Tale” references.
How was your performance? You mentioned about getting naked before the public?
The first time I performed spoken word… nung bata pa lang ako palagi kong naririnig yun eh kahit sa pelikulang pinapanood ko. Imagine mo, dapat di ka mahiya, ikaw yung disente. Kasi first night ko sa Sev’s Cafe, sobrang bigat ng mga piyesa… may narration about being abused as a child, surviving rape, so parang imagine a naked thing, di lang siya nakahubad physically, nakikita mo yung iba’t ibang parte ng katawan pero if you imagine, yung audience, lahat tayo na may kanya-kanyang pilat at sugat, lamat sa pagkatao, mas magkakaroon ka ng pag-unawa na kaya akong intindihin nito at okay lang na magpakita ako sa kanila ng kahinaan ko dahil sigurado akong meron din sila nun. So yun yung pag-spin ko sa advice na yun na imagining your audience naked.
Was this the most difficult persona you have tackled?
’Yung “Inggit,” yung perspective of a young farmer, kasi natatakot ako sa piyesa na yun dahil nararamdaman ko yung urge na ikwento yung kwento nitong persona. Pero at the same time, natatakot akong nakawin yung kwento niya, ayoko ng ganung feeling. So yun ang dangerous na linya na ayoko sanang ma-cross. So dito sa piyesa kong yun, any similarities, living or dead is purely coincidental. Pero alam ko yung setting niya, totoong tubuhan ang pinanggalingan niya, totoong may namatay na tatay sa pinanggalingan niyang tubuhan… sa Hacienda Luisita maari. Pero wala akong specific na bata na pinagbasihan nitong tula nato. Kaya nag imbento na din ako ng kwento dahil ayoko ko ngang magnakaw ng kwento ng iba. But at the same time, natatakot ako, what if meron nga. Minsan feeling ko masyado ba akong privileged para… I mean, I feel like it was not my story to tell. Medyo nakakatakot siya.
If you lived during the time of Rizal, will you be like him, be the voice for the voiceless?
’Yun ‘yung nakakatakot eh. Ganung klaseng responsibility parang I won’t always be able to tell someone else’s story ng kasing accurate. Na kapag yung taong mismo yung dumanas ang magkukwento. I guess isa rin yun sa dahilan kung bakit pino-promote ng grupo namin yung spoken word poetry, kasi nakikita at na-e-experience namin yung kagandahan niya bilang means of telling one’s story and sharing one’s self or soul sa mga tao. Napakaganda niyang exercise sa mga tao na pagiging empathic eh. Kaya namin ito pino-promote, para maging marami pang mga tao na magkaroon ng lakas ng loob na tumayo, tumindig at magkwento sa istorya nila.
If you were in the Marcos time where there’s no freedom of speech, will you do anything different?
Definitely! Dahil patay na kami nyan (laughs). Kagagaling ko lang sa isang young writer’s fellowship. Tinawag namin siyang Pugad Adarna Networks together with the Cebu Cultural of the Philippines. We are a collective group of oral literature groups na magkakaroon kasi ng performatora or festival of the Filipino oral tradition sa CCP next year, in time for Francisco Balagtas’ birthday. So ‘yung mga tao from CCP, dinala nila kami sa National Arts Center sa Los Baños, na dating rest house ni Madam Imelda Marcos. Sobrang weird lang kasi lahat tao ron ay pati ‘yung nag-organize mismo ay isa sa mga makata at nagpulong right after napatalsik ang mga Marcoses. Kwento siya kung paano mga kaibigan niya mismo ang nakulong, kung paano kailangan magpalit ni Pete Lacaba nung sinulat niya ang isang libro. So definitely, magbabago kasi writing comes from necessity ‘eh, sa excess, sa pag-apaw kung ano ‘yung mas pinaka-pressing na matter na nasa harapan natin, tungkol doon tayo nakapagsusulat. For example, nung Pride March pagkatapos nung Orlando shooting, sobrang dali magsulat sa LGBT community of their rights. Ganun din ‘yun sa panahon ng mga Marcoses, kung nabuhay kami noon. Definitely we will write pero ‘yung avenue namin kung saan hinahatid namin ang gawa namin is different, sobrang different. Sobrang magiging sobra-sobrang underground kami. Wala ako sa television definitely. Ang manunulat ay magsusulat kahit ano pa sitwasyon. Kahit patungkol pa sa sarili or political climate ng bansa niya, magsusulat ang manunulat.
For Word Anonymous, do you see it publishing a book one day?
Yes.