Cebu's Very Own - Junior Kilat

The island of Cebu has been the place for the Caribbean vibe of reggae music for years. Being named as the reggae capital of the Philippines, it is the home for outstanding reggae bands these days - one of them is Junior Kilat (the name was inspired from a 70's Cebuano band "Leon Kilat"). Composed of members Errol "Budoy" Marabiles on vocals, bass guitarist Tiano Evangelista, Archie Ybanez on lead guitar, Gina Pentano on keyboards, Diana Freese on drums, Cleofas Quijano on trombone, with the unlikely mix of turntables by Bangin atienza, the band is set for the reggae invasion all over the 7000+ islands of the Philippines. With their playful yet brilliant repertoires, we can only expect a bigger, better and bolder Junior Kilat for years to come.

Formed in 2000, the band was able to set a new trend in the music scene with their funky, humorous and modern approach on reggae. With their influences such as Sly and Robbie, Eek-A-Mouse, Prince Far-I, Lee Scratch Perry, and popular novelty artists Yoyoy Villame and Max Surban, they were able to introduce an ear catching vibe - RnB (Reggae na Bisaya) delivered in a very humorous way. As the band set foot on local performances, they instantly made a big name in Cebu with the hit single "Ako si M-16" (a song for guns) - the rumors about the young band reached as far as the metro.

Having a unique vibe and rhythm, their songs "K-Fyne", "Original Sigbin" and "Kling Klang" was succesfully included in compilation albums "Island Riddims" and "Island Krismas" released in 2004. In the 2005 NU Rock Awards, Junior Kilat received the Song of the Year award after which they released the album "Party Pipol on Dub TV" on Galaxy Records.

The "Buwad Suka Sili" album was their response to their growing number of fans. In 2006, Budoy Marabiles joined the reality show Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Edition where he wrote songs "Maligo na Jam" and "Budoy Ako" - the Visayan version of the show theme song "Pinoy Ako", which were also used in the program. It was quite controversial since the rising band's progress was placed in hiatus and people are clueless whether Budoy are on to his personal career or just making a way to promote his band. After Budoy's eviction, the Cebuano band was active again to pursue their careers as reggae artists.

The recent album of Junior Kilat is "Enrique de Malacca". As the name suggests, it’s filled with awareness of Philippine history - Spanish colonization, traditions, indigenous, pagan, and religious beliefs. It's what makes Junior Kilat unique - being able to incorporate culture and beliefs through their lyrics and songs in a modern taste of reggae music.

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