Mixing Passion & Unity: Meet Cebu’s We Are Your Friends

MIDNIGHT: “What is the story behind We Are Your Friends, and could you introduce us to the members of the collective?”
WAYF: “It started as a group chat among friends. We decided to take it forward last year and make it a movement and collective. We have Via Chan, Renzo Senining, Victor Jao, and Kirby Ano as our DJs. We recently recruited two WAYF juniors, Simon Rodriguez and Kaizer Rave. We have our manager/creative director Ralph Lapura and our photographer Janne Salinana.”

MIDNIGHT: “Do the artists in We Are Your Friends specialize in specific genres, or do they explore a wide range of musical styles?”
Via: “We have known each other for years. We can definitely work around our programming and take turns. However, we all have different styles and music tastes. I personally love Progressive, Tech, Deep, Funk, Soul, House, and anything that’s a mixture of old and recreated into something new. I try to incorporate that into my sets.”
Victor: “My heart was always for EDM or Bigroom Music, giving high energy in all of my sets. Over the years, I have evolved and adjusted to other musical styles.”
Renzo: “I’m one of the most high-performing open format DJs. I can switch up genres whenever I wanted and needed to, and the flow still makes sense.”
Kirby: “WAYF’s everything underground music maestro. Switching from Techno, Tech House, and Progressive, this has become my forte. I can also switch up genres and am versatile in mainstream venues.”

MIDNIGHT: “How did We Are Your Friends come together as a collective, and what inspired the choice of the group’s name? When did the collective officially start?”
WAYF: “As we all built influence in the nightlife here in Cebu, we thought collectively that we have all been mentored by industry veterans. We wanted to teach and pass down what we learned to the upcoming and new generation DJs.”

MIDNIGHT: “Has We Are Your Friends organized their own events, and could you share an example of an event that had a significant impact on the local music scene?”
WAYF: “We haven’t organized our own events yet, but we do have WAYF Nights where we take control of the venue, invite our community, and we handle the programming of the music.”

MIDNIGHT: “In a collective, there is often a person who takes charge of planning and execution. Could you tell us about the leadership dynamics within We Are Your Friends?”
WAYF: “We all have a say in whatever goes on in the collective and we always make sure everyone’s voices and opinions are heard.”

MIDNIGHT: “Each member of We Are Your Friends must have their unique quirks and attitudes. Can you share some interesting facts about each member and their individual personalities?”
WAYF: “Via: Always hungry…Victor: Rarely or never drinks…Kirby: Kirby is always silent, but then when he decides to speak his mind it’s 🤯, that’s why we call him Boss Kirby.Renzo: Embodiment of loyal and our Kuya in the group. (He married Via’s best friend, and now they have a kid together!) “

MIDNIGHT: “Over the years that We Are Your Friends has been active, what is the most memorable moment or experience that stands out for the collective as a whole?”
WAYF: “Every WAYF night has always been memorable. However, the most unforgettable one was the time when WAYF invaded Manila for 2 weeks. Being able to play in places around Poblacion, Quezon City, and BGC. Each member was able to showcase their music taste in a packed and sold-out crowd in HQ Poblacion that night on October 1st, 2022.”

MIDNIGHT: “From your perspective, how does the party scene in Cebu, where We Are Your Friends is based, differ from that of other cities? What sets it apart?”
WAYF: “Cebu will always be one of the toughest crowds to please. But with a combined experience of WAYF DJs of almost 10 years in the scene, we know how to get it done.”

MIDNIGHT: “When We Are Your Friends had a tour in Manila, how did that come about, and what was the experience like for the collective? Can you share any highlights or challenges?”
WAYF: “It was definitely a fun experience being able to gauge the crowd of a capital city. Everyone spends more and parties harder in Manila, and it makes it easy for WAYF crew to translate our sets into the energy Manila wants. It was an instant connection.One of the challenges would probably be going around, compared to how small Cebu is, and getting around is fairly easy. Manila is a whole different ball game, Makati to QC and traffic is no joke.”

MIDNIGHT: “As a collective, what are We Are Your Friends’ future plans, and how do they intend to stay united and thrive in the years to come? What kind of collective attitude do they believe is crucial to maintaining their cohesiveness?”
WAYF: “As part of our vision and goal as a collective, we will continue and move towards helping new DJs find their niche, teach them the do’s and don’ts, and always remember to stay humble, connect, and network your skills. Another thing is we are always on the search for willing DJs who want to learn; the only requirement is to have a good attitude (which is hard to find these days). As for staying united, we consider ourselves as family and our own critiques; we always evaluate and keep everything objective in terms of improvement in our craft. Having this work and life balance is always the key to maintaining this success that we have now. Being a family means being there for each other during highs and lows, celebrating each other’s milestones, but when it’s game time, we all put on our working shoes and do what we have to do.”

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