Tothapi: Redefining Hit Band Style

Known for their casual jamming sessions online, the Bicol-based band is taking their love songs to the mainstream.

- By Andrea Panaligan

Picture a group of friends sitting around a front yard. Someone brought guitars, and maybe a bottle of gin. One of them mellowly sings about finding home in the person they love.

That, in a nutshell, is how the world met Tothapi. The Bicol-based nine-piece band garnered a loyal following on TikTok with their casual jamming sessions and uber-romantic original songs. A snippet of Celeste, a track about unconditional love, got 2.5 million views. Thousands asked for a full release in the comments, including celebrities and fellow artists.

That same song paved the way for their first TV appearance earlier this year, after Regine Velasquez discovered one of their videos online. Now, the band has been busy promoting their new single, Ulan, and playing gigs around Bicol and Manila.