LuzViMinda (song)
| "LuzViMinda" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Alamat | ||||
| from the album Destino | ||||
| Language | ||||
| Released | November 7, 2025 | |||
| Genre | Hip-hop | |||
| Length | 3:28 | |||
| Label | Viva | |||
| Songwriter | Alamat | |||
| Producer | Alas Alvarez | |||
| Alamat singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "LuzViMinda" on YouTube | ||||
"LuzViMinda"[a] is a song by the Filipino boy band Alamat. It is a hip-hop song that incorporates indigenous Philippine instruments, namely the gabbang and kubing. Lyrically, it is about striving to reach one's full potential while being proud of their Filipino roots. The song is written in several Philippine languages—Bicolano, Cebuano, Ilocano, Kapampangan, Tagalog, and Waray—as well as English, with lyrics by Alamat and production by member Alas Alvarez.
The song was released under Viva Records as a digital pre-release single on November 7, 2025. The music video, which depicts the Alamat members as ordinary citizens living in the Fort Bonifacio Tenement, was released on November 12. Its director Judd Figuerres drew inspiration from the visuals in American rapper Kendrick Lamar's 2017 album Damn. The song received acclaim from various publications, with critics generally praising its lyrics. Julienne Loreto of the British music magazine The Line of Best Fit favorably compared the song to "Tokyo Drift" by Teriyaki Boyz and Blackpink's "Pink Venom". "LuzViMinda" is also a track on Alamat's second album Destino (lit. 'Destination'), which was released on November 21.
It is a part of the soundtrack for the upcoming mystery horror series Hell University (2026).
Background and release
Sometime in 2024, Mo Mitchell—a member of the Filipino boy band Alamat—began drafting the song "LuzViMinda". The group later shared their musical drafts with one another in a meeting, and they agreed to develop Mitchell's composition further.[1] In December, at their solo concert Ragasa (lit. 'Rush'), Alamat announced their second studio album Destino (lit. 'Destination'), which was set to be released in 2025.[2] On September 5, 2025, the group performed "Rock Baby" with Filipino singer-songwriter Mrld as part of Coke Studio Philippines at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. The song incorporates a sample from the Filipino disco band VST & Company's "Rock Baby Rock".[3] On October 20, they announced that they would release "LuzViMinda", the title track from Destino, on November 7 and the album itself on November 21 at the MassKara Festival in Bacolod City.[4] On October 23, the group began posting teaser images for the album inspired by everyday life in the Philippines, with creative direction and production by Alamat member Jao Canlas.[5] From October 31 to November 2, the group also released handwritten lyric teasers confirming that "LuzViMinda" is a multilingual song containing verses in each member's native language.[5]
Composition and lyrics
The track is three minutes and twenty-eight seconds. It is a hip-hop song[7] that uses the indigenous Philippine instruments gabbang and kubing.[6] It was written by all of Alamat, and produced by member Alas Alvarez.[8]
Lyrically, the song is about being proud of growing up in the Philippines.[1] For instance, in one verse, Alamat's Jao Canlas raps about his Kapampangan ethnic identity.[6] The track contains lyrics in each member's native language: Bicolano, Cebuano, Ilocano, Kapampangan, Tagalog, and Waray.[6]
Reception
The song received acclaim from music critics. In a track-by-track review of the Alamat album Destino, Julienne Loreto of the British music magazine The Line of Best Fit commended the "richness" of "LuzViMinda", comparing it favorably to "Tokyo Drift" by Teriyaki Boyz for its use of Southeast Asian percussion instruments and "sharp" lyrics; as well as "Pink Venom" by Blackpink for its "delightfully brash" production.[6] Pulp's Andrea Dee and Scout's Pauline Miranda both opined that the track reinforces Alamat's musical identity, as well as their commitment to their advocacy of championing Filipino culture and diversity.[9][10] Mian Centeno of Art+ called the song a "roaring declaration" of the group's multilingualism and "refusal to dilute Filipino identity" in their music.[11] In their year-end Favorite P-pop Songs list, the staff of Pulp reiterated their love for the song, lauding its use of several Philippine languages, as well as native instruments.[12]
Music video
The music video was directed by Judd Figuerres[13] and released on November 12, 2025.[14] It features various settings including a computer shop, sari-sari store, basketball court, and jeepneys, with members dressed in sandos and jerseys.[15] Alamat member Jao Canlas choreographed the song's chorus.[4]
The initial concept for the video involved a stylized environment blending Japanese and Filipino aesthetics, created with the help of CGI animation; however, it was scrapped due to budget constraints.[13] A lyric in the song, "Lumaki 'to sa Pinas" (transl. Grew up in the Philippines), inspired a new concept more grounded in reality, in which the Alamat members all grew up in the Fort Bonifacio Tenement in Taguig.[13] The Tenement is a public housing complex built in the 1960s; its community has faced eviction since 2010 due to safety concerns.[13] For the video, Figuerres drew inspiration from the visuals in American rapper Kendrick Lamar's 2017 album Damn.[13]
Other uses
In 2026, "LuzViMinda" was included in the soundtrack for Hell University, a mystery horror series.[16]
Listicles
| Publisher | Year | Listicle | Placement | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| When in Manila | 2025 | 7 New Songs and Albums by Alamat, YGIG, and More That We're Putting on Repeat | Placed | [17] |
| 6 P-pop Songs You Should Play at Your New Year's Eve Parties | Placed | [14] | ||
| GMA Integrated News | Bini, Alamat, and more: Here are 5 new OPM songs to listen to | Placed | [18] | |
| Pulp | Eight P-pop Hits For The Streets | Placed | [9] | |
| Pulp Loves: Our Favorite P-pop Songs of 2025 | Placed | [12] |
Personnel
Credits are adapted from an official listing on YouTube.[19]
- Alamat – lead vocals; lyrics
- Alas Alvarez – production; arrangement; mixing; mastering
- Eightkidd – recording
- Zeb Zuñiga – vocal coaching
Notes
- ^ a portmanteau of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao
References
- ^ a b Go, Mayks (November 24, 2025). "'Destino': an Exclusive Track-by-Track Guide with Alamat". Billboard Philippines. Retrieved December 19, 2025.
{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ^ Acierto, Drew (December 9, 2024). "Alamat goes all out in "Ragasa" concert". ABS-CBN News. Archived from the original on December 22, 2024. Retrieved November 13, 2025.
- ^ Roque, Nika (September 6, 2025). "Coke Studio Live: from Dionela to Lauv, Here are Five Moments that Brought the House Down". GMA Integrated News. Retrieved December 25, 2025.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ^ a b Saenz, Rome (October 20, 2025). "Alamat Announce Upcoming Album 'Destino'". Billboard Philippines. Archived from the original on November 11, 2025.
- ^ a b Loreto, Julienne. "P-pop Bites!: Your Fortnightly P-pop News, 3rd November 2025". &Asian. Retrieved November 13, 2025.
{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ^ a b c d e Loreto, Julienne (November 21, 2025). "Alamat are indomitable on Destino". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved November 21, 2025.
{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ^ Gustilo, Mary Cris (November 8, 2025). "Dive into Alamat's Flawless Discography". Pulp. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ^ Saenz, Rome (November 7, 2025). "Alamat Releases New Single "LuzViMinda"". Billboard Philippines. Retrieved November 13, 2025.
{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ^ a b Dee, Andrea (December 4, 2025). "Eight P-pop Hits For The Streets". Pulp. Retrieved December 6, 2025.
- ^ Miranda, Pauline (December 8, 2025). "Scout OST vol. 11: Back-to-back P-pop bangers". Scout. Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved December 19, 2025.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ^ Centeno, Mian (November 29, 2025). "Alamat Ignites A New Era with Destino". Art+. Archived from the original on December 19, 2025. Retrieved December 3, 2025.
- ^ a b Pulp Magazine Staff (December 27, 2025). "Pulp Loves: Our Favorite P-pop Songs of 2025". Pulp. Retrieved January 12, 2026.
{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b c d e Gonzaga, Pie (December 3, 2025). "How Alamat's 'LuzViMinda' Video Scraps Glam for Grit, According to Its Director". Rolling Stone Philippines. Archived from the original on December 19, 2025. Retrieved December 3, 2025.
- ^ a b Posadas, Andrea. "6 P-pop Songs You Should Play at Your New Year's Eve Parties". When in Manila. Archived from the original on December 19, 2025. Retrieved December 19, 2025.
- ^ "Alamat goes full badass in 'LuzViMinda' MV". GMA Network. November 13, 2025. Archived from the original on December 19, 2025. Retrieved November 13, 2025.
- ^ Go, Mayks. "Alamat To Release Cover Of Rico Blanco's 'Yugto' For 'Hell University' Soundtrack". Billboard Philippines. Archived from the original on January 30, 2026. Retrieved January 30, 2026.
- ^ Posadas, Andrea. "7 New Songs and Albums by Alamat, YGIG, and More That We're Putting on Repeat". When in Manila. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ^ Roque, Nika (November 7, 2025). "Bini, Alamat, and more: Here are 5 new OPM songs to listen to". GMA Integrated News. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ^ "Alamat - 'LuzViMinda' (Official M/V)". November 12, 2025. Retrieved December 21, 2025.