Musical Pair MND3GMA Makes Tracks That Address Societal Animosity

After dropping their debut single “Tayong Dalawa” last June, artists Jordan Alexander and Sakina Garcia of the musical duo MND3GMA persist to deliver more. The anthems, rooted in their rich experience and the ecosystem that they grew up in and continue to grow into, are testament to the ideas and beliefs that both of them actively advocate for. 

“Tayong Dalawa,” for one, openly explores the life of extraterrestrial beings who seek a sense of belonging. “‘Tayong Dalawa’ is like MND3GMA’s baby,” Sakina, a Canada-based Sutherland Models creative whose mother is a Filipina, makes of it. “It’s our pride. It’s not just a song. It’s also a representation of me, who I am, and my culture.” 

To Gossip Girl’s Jordan, meanwhile, the song, which is completely sung in the Tagalog dialect, is a tribute to the major things in life that lie in being connected and bonded to each other. “‘Tayong Dalawa’ is a song about unity and connection. That connection could be with someone that you love and care about or a culture that you love and care about,” Jordan explained. “It’s like a love song to the things in life that matter.”

The musical pair is making waves across the world as they recently added to their repertoire another milestone. With the causes they champion in mind, Jordan and Sakina dropped two tracks titled “Fist Fight” and “illbthr4u.” The duo aspires to address toxic societal traditions and issues surrounding the industry, hence the birth of the singles. 

“We think the freedom of all people is so important. Everyone should have the right and freedom to live their life in peace,” MND3GMA began. “‘Fist Fight’ is about the total horror of how some of the world lives in total oblivion of the pain and suffering that our comforts cost other people around the world.”

Haggling over our rights, according to Jordan and Sakina, is at the core of revolution and the makings of their music. “To live in this modern world is at the expense of other humans, our family. We felt really helpless with this thought and so, [we] channeled our pain into this song. ‘Fist Fight’ is resistance against those who seek to oppress and benefit off of the pain and suffering of others for money.”

“We must fight for what is right—always,” the two asserted. “For us, that is MND3GMA, especially that the name of our band is being derived from a Tagalog word—culture and people who are so resilient and against all odds, have always fought back for their freedom,” MND3GMA told Metro.Style.

Before birthing “Fist Fight,” MND3GMA also took accountability for society’s shortcomings. “Our fight is and always will be for the liberation of all people. No one should be oppressed. Our current society feels like oppression is somehow always needed, but we believe in a world where no one is oppressed—where no one is being colonized. That’s when we are free.”

The song “Fist Fight,” which serves as an encapsulation of their expression of frustration toward the forces that plague the social structure, showcases Jordan and Sakina’s positive advocacy of raising awareness and surviving progressive schools of thought. The defiant tandem stands as stalwarts of respect and regard for all walks of life, weaving acceptance into their timely ideations. 

Apart from this tune, another gem that Jordan and Sakina are grateful for is “illbthr4u,” which is a reminder for people to remain fearless and faithful in the things that are yet to come. Yearning for hope and genuine healing, MND3GMA conceptualized a composition that screams salvation, telling us that redemption and transformation are always accessible.

When asked what sparked their single, MND3GMA answered, “We were feeling down and thinking of all the things that could go wrong, so we wrote this song about all the bad things that could go wrong but don’t. We decided that only good things will happen. At the very least, if we are able to keep a hopeful and optimistic view in our hearts, the down times won’t hurt so bad.”

A powerful affirmation of positivity, “illbthr4u” is a piece that promotes a sense of community and support, connectedness, and healing. Jordan and Sakina are highly intentional in terms of issues that they actively tackle, too, so the song has a touch of reassurance. To remind their peers that problems are temporary, they teamed up for something that underscores the significance of a true union.

Scroll down for MND3GMA’s Q&A session with Metro.Style:

What’s your creative process like in terms of lyrics production, particularly you, Jordan, who switches from speaking English to Tagalog and vice versa?

Jordan: So for the lyrics, I’ve only ever written one Tagalog lyric, “mahal kita,” which is the start of our first single “Tayong Dalawa.” Even though I can sing the full song, my Tagalog is barely conversational, but I’m working on it. I would hum out the melody and get Sakina to fill in the words. 

Sakina: My creative process is making sure I’m in the right headspace of making a track or at least inspired and have the motivation. Sometimes I go into watching and listening to music to get inspired to get an idea or like whatever touches me. And if that inspires me, then I go from there. And I really like production. I love making my own sound and play around with it.

How evolved are you as an ensemble and as an individual now? Are there new improvements when it comes to your career and creative processes as an artist and as a performer?

MND3GMA: We have come a long way very quickly, from messing around making little songs to getting very serious about our band. It happened over the course of just one year. We have worked on our songwriting, our producing, and performing. We are very creative so it’s fun to grow in this band, and we do it for the love of it. 

It’s the holiday season. What are your families’ Christmas traditions?

Jordan: My family gets together and spends time. That’s our most important tradition just being together. Everyone will help cook and me and my dad and Sakina will sing songs. Sakina has come to my family’s Christmas for the past couple of years. 

Sakina: Growing up in the Philippines, we really put out the decorations, so they start in September because of the -ber months. We make food lots of food and families come together from different places.

What item is on your wish list, which you think makes for a great gift idea too?

Jordan: I really like experiences, so I came up with the idea of creating an at home spa day as a gift, because then you’re also spending time together. Also candles. I feel like that’s always a good gift. 

Sakina: Anything for, like, well-being, wellness: spa, food, houseware, maybe like café gift cards. Car stuff.

What is a song that you constantly listened to this year?

Sakina: “say im ur luv” by UMI

Jordan: I listened to “Ceilings” by Lizzy McAlpine a lot. 

How would you summarize your 2023?

Jordan: Explosive. I feel like a lot of exciting and amazing things happened but also a lot of things got torn down in my life. 

Sakina: Mine is pretty interesting. Lots of unexpected things that happened, good and bad. A lot of learning, a lot of growing.

What is an achievement you'd like to claim or manifest for 2024?

Sakina: We definitely want to tour. We definitely want to put up more tracks and we definitely want to have more knowledge to be an independent artist, and we manifest to represent Toronto and collaborate with different artists around the world. I just had it on my laptop.

Jordan: Touring. We manifest festivals and touring our music around the world. 

Photos courtesy of MND3GMA

Special thanks to Vani Altomonte