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8 Spoken Word Artists You Need To Know

Just getting into the scene? Meet the artists who will change your life forever


If you hang out in Maginhawa or have been to Sev’s you probably know a thing or two about the spoken word, the art of poetry and storytelling onstage. Heck, you might be a budding artist yourself or the host of open mic night. But if you’re just getting into the scene, here’s a list of spoken word artists to start you off with. They’ll make you laugh and give you chills just by speaking the word.


SARAH KAY AND PHIL KAYE

Photo via Project Voice


For starters, how about something light and funny we can all relate to? Sarah and Phil’s When Love Arrives is a funny but heart-tugging piece on love first at sight and its (harsh) realities.



Sarah Kay and Phil Kaye are both part of Project V.O.I.C.E, an organization that uses the spoken word to educate, encourage and inspire people.   


SHANE KOYCZAN

Photo via Huffington Post


Now for some pretty powerful stuff that will move you to tears, listen to Shane Koyczan’s To This Day. Dark, humorous and haunting, this spoken art is about overcoming bullies and self-empowerment. 



Shane Koyczan is a Canadian poet and is known to write about issues like bullying, cancer, death and eating disorders. His most famous work is To This Day.


HENRI IGNA

Photo Via Iarthenri


Need hugot lines to post on your Facebook status? Henri Igna serves it bittersweet and hot with Masarap Kang Magtimpla Ng Kape, wherein he compares love with coffee and how addicting it is. But what happens when it gets cold? Press play. 



Henri Igna is a spoken word artist of Words Anonymous and an intuitive tarot reader of Mysterium Philippines. 


LOUISE MEETS

Photo via YouTube


Sinner Speaks to God by Louise Meets will shake up your faith with lines like, “Were you there, watching from the corner of the house I grew up in as my mother’s lover burned shame into my skin?” Got chills yet?



Louise Meets is also a member of Words Anonymous and has been called the Sarah Kay of the Philippines by some.


ZUELA HERRERA

Photo via YouTube


Sawi? Don’t be, there’s hope for star-crossed lovers in Zuela Herrera’s Dulo’t Simula



A spoken word artist from Words Anonymous, Zuela’s Ako Naman is another must-listen to when you need to be reminded to put your self first.   


GEGE SEVERO

Photo Via philstar.com

Gege is a familiar face to many thanks to his stint as Rico, a spoken word artist, on the serye we all fell in love with, On The Wings of Love (OTWOL). In love or not, his Kapag Sinabi Kong Mahal Kita is sure to give you goosebumps.



Gege, a member of Words Anonymous, was initially brought in as a writer for the show but was asked to play a part instead. His works on OTWOL are all original compositions. 


ABBY ORBETA

Photo Via YouTube.com


Short but sweet, this piece of spoken art by Abby is for the hopeless romantic, those who love so hard that, “For now, I’ll settle as the jester in your court.”



Abby Orbeta is one of the first members of Words Anonymous, a group of performance poets with wonderful, sometimes heartbreaking stories to tell.



Poetry lives on many thanks to poets, like Sarah Kay, Shane Koyczan and the potatoes, err, artists that make up Words Anonymous. Have a story to tell or feelings to share? Speak up and catch open mic night at Sev’s in Manila or Bunk in Mandaluyong.



For more information on Words Anonymous, visit www.facebook.com/WordsAnonymous or wordsanonph.tumblr.com, or email [email protected].


Sarah Santiago

is a former print and online fashion magazine editor and is currently, the editor for go! Magazine. She loves cats, is almost always in black and is a big fan of Kanye West.

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