When asked how it feels to have created some of the country’s most recognizable songs in history, Mayonnaise frontman Monty Macalino says he treats it with patience, like a vault of songs waiting for the right moment to reach listeners. When he steps into guitar solos from singles like “Jopay,” “Tayo Na Lang Dalawa,” “Kapag Lasing Malambing,” and “Synesthesia,” Macalino puts trust in the audience to carry the songs with him.
In the latest episode of Rolling Stone Philippines’ Greatest Hits, Macalino recalls moments like Leni Robredo’s presidential campaign rally in 2022 in reigniting the band’s drive to keep participating in music, even after two decades in the game. “It was the movement of the youth,” Macalino tells Rolling Stone Philippines. “During the pandemic, that was the discovery of TikTok. It was also a tool for us musicians to tap into a new market. Wala siyang kinalaman sa pulitiko o sa edad, naging kultura.”
Slow and Steady Wins the RAce
The resurgence of “Jopay” proved that songs can come back to life long after its inital release. But Macalino remembers the band’s slower years, especially between 2010 to 2013, when Mayonnaise felt stuck in limbo. What pulled him out was the energy of younger bands like Sud, Jensen & the Flips, and Autotelic, who invited Mayonnaise to share stages at now-defunct venues like Route 196. That atmosphere gave them the push to keep writing and performing.
“Parang delayed recognition lagi,” he said. “Almost all of our songs or hits, ganon lagi yung nangyayari.”
For Macalino, every band faces the test of time. His advice is simple: hits are not everything, and a band needs courage to move forward with or without them. “After your first five to ten years as a band, that’s the most important period,” he said. “Kasi doon mo malalaman na kung tatagal kayo lalo o ayaw niyo na. Kahit marami kayong gumagawa ng magandang kanta pero walang nagiging hit. Hindi na kayo gusto ng masa, hindi na kayo gusto ng tao kasi may bago laging lalabas.”
That philosophy shaped how he approached tracks like “Tayo Na Lang Dalawa” and “Bakit Part 2.” They were never written with the goal of being hits but instead as experiments born from curiosity and shifting influences. The results proved meaningful in ways Macalino never predicted.
“For me, that would always be the magic about music, when people you don’t know nagkakaroon ng community of support,” he said. “Parang hindi kayo magkakilala but because of one song, you’re connected forever.”
Learn more in the latest episode of Rolling Stone Philippines’ Greatest Hits on YouTube.
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