04/10/2026
Awkward Dancer on The Freeman! ✨
Awkward Dancer’s new single offers glimpse of sophomore album
Since they started playing together in 2022, Saturdays used to be the time when Cebuano indie rock band Awkward Dancer would assemble in Talisay City, whether it was to practice for an upcoming gig, brainstorm new songs and record them until the wee hours of Sunday, or party and drink. Many times, it was all of them at the same time.
Calling the house of vocalist and primary songwriter JB Villagonzalo their headquarters, traveling to Talisay was a challenge for the rest of the members, but it also served as a motivation to record their eight-track debut studio album, “Awkward Dancer vs. the Harmless Devil,” released in 2024.
“Granted, the company and time we shared in the process of making the album is something I'll never regret,” said bassist Josh Aquino in response to questions sent by The FREEMAN. “The grueling hours of making the songs, while partying at the same time, was a testament of why we like the songs so much because it came from a personal level of comfort and vulnerability.”
“I miss that routine,” added guitarist Crisniño Aleman. “It always gets me hyped to see my friends and make music with them once a week.”
The band got their name when Aquino remarked that Aleman looked like an awkward dancer on the dance floor. Villagonzalo also said that the name is sort of a play on the acronym ADHD, with them deliberately naming their debut album so that its initials would spell out ADHD when the full title is abbreviated.
Most of the members had different favorite songs from the album. For Villagonzalo and Aleman, it was the third track, “Southeast Emo,” a song that Villagonzalo couldn’t believe they actually made from paper to recording. It’s a cathartic song with lyrics that tackle social anxiety and burnout while thinking of someone they had a past with.
“We were riding off the high from writing and recording it,” shared Aleman. “It gave us that feeling that we couldn't believe that we actually made this song, and I love how we all collaborated on it.”
For Aquino, it was “Never Wanted,” which has a similar vibe to “Southeast Emo” about an emotional collapse following the end of a relationship. He said, “It’s coming from so many emotions, and we wanted to turn it into a song in a way that the listeners would feel affected by it.”
The band is in the process of creating their sophomore album, with “Antelope (Used Me),” released last September 2, serving as their first single to usher in a new era for the band.
With grunge influences that mimic the sound of American rock bands Hum and Smashing Pumpkins, the song focuses on the contrasting balance of not letting go of a relationship even when it becomes toxic.
Villagonzalo explained, “It’s about being scared to let go, but being too tired to move on to the point that you’re okay with being used.”
First recorded in 2024, Villagonzalo joked that creating the song sober is what makes it unique in their discography compared to their other songs. He noted that the song’s raw honesty comes through, especially after they revised it many times before its release.
“It sounds different now compared to how we originally made it, which is good because I think it feels more appropriate for the direction we're trying to make,” Aleman said, adding that Mich Pacalioga’s drumming in the song elevated it further.
The band says that the single serves as a good glimpse of what their second album is going to sound like, as they try to experiment with new sounds while satisfying their fans who enjoy their live performances.
“We wanted to let people know that we are doing our best to make this second album worth checking out without compromising our artistic vision,” said Aleman.
“I hope we can deliver something really special for the second album. It will be just as big of an emotional roller coaster as it was before on our first album,” added Aquino.
What glues them together as a band is their common absurd sense of humor, as well as their collaborative nature while recording in the sound booth and performing together on stage.
“We make sure everyone has a voice,” Aquino said. “I keep reminding myself how I have little efficiency in my skill as a musician, but others are always open to helping me and adding a few jokes in the process, which is a healthy way of approaching music as a band.”
When asked what makes their band stand out compared to their peers in the Cebu indie scene, the members emphasized that they do not necessarily see themselves as trying to outdo their peers, but rather as contributing their own identity to the vibrant scene.
“Every artist brings something to the table that you can’t just find anywhere else,” said Pacalioga. “I like to view it as contributing to a shared collective rather than just trying to stand out from the crowd. I think what our band brings to that mix is our honesty.” —Januar Junior Aguja
