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Tres Marias: when 3 Pinoy music legends become 1

Tres Marias: Cooky Chua, Bayang Barrios, Lolita Carbon (Photo by Niña Sandejas)

There seemed like no better time to release the much-awaited self-titled EP of Tres Marias than on Women’s Month.

Lovely, formidable and legendary, the ladies who make up Tres Marias are Cooky Chua, Bayang Barrios and Lolita Carbon.

After years of jamming together and ending up in the same events, some of which were rallies supporting reproductive health, it seemed like a natural progression to get together and form Tres Marias.

 

Legends

Besides, each woman was a fan of the other. Bayang Barrios recalls listening to Asin, the 70s folk rock trio featuring Lolita Carbon, back when she was in high school. This admiration and respect led to the trio’s friendship, making their performances look natural and easy.

Tres Marias’ dynamic comes from their distinct voices. They bring to the group their different musical backgrounds.

Lolita Carbon was with the iconic Asin, Cooky Chua still gigs with Color It Red and Bayang Barrios is a world music goddess, having begun with Joey Ayala’s Ang Bagong Lumad and then forging a solo career armed with her heartbreaking vocals.

 

The tunes

Tres Marias’ first official single “Wika” was released in August 2013. A song dedicated to the love for the Filipino language, it shows the light heartedness of the band. Taglish lyrics explain how Filipinos speak nowadays but forget what the words actually translate to.

 

Check out the "Wika" video here.

 

It was followed up by a music video of “Sana,” a love song with an uplifting and universal message. Their current single is the Dina Bonnevie coming-of-age classic “Bakit Ba Ganyan,” which seems to be a running favorite of fans, as it’s now being played on the radio station Jam 88.3 FM.

 

Topnotch session musicians

Their first EP was produced by Hit Productions, under the musical direction of Mike Villegas. Some of their songs include topnotch session musicians such as Angelo Villegas, Mike Alba, Teddy Katigbak and Joey De Guzman.

The rest of their EP contains legendary classics such as the “Kung Tayo’y Magkakalayo” by Rey Valera, “Ayoko na sa ‘Yo” by Apo Hiking Society and “Kung Ayaw Mo na sa Akin” by Gary Granada.

In fact, it was Gary who brought Tres Marias to the attention of their current record label Curve Entertainment.

 

Conquering the scene again

Despite their iconic status and the seriousness of some of their songs, Tres Marias is actually crazy. They try hard not to laugh in between takes and strike crazy poses when they think the camera’s not rolling.

Seeing three amazing singers perform can get you a bit starstruck because their voices have set the standard for a lot of female vocalists today.

However, it’s their joyful vibe that welcomes you, their majestic harmonies promising to conquer anew the Pinoy music scene they first influenced and shaped.

The Tres Marias EP can be purchased in record stores and online on iTunes and Amazon.


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