IT’S a quiet afternoon along Maginhawa Street inside Teachers Village in Diliman, Quezon City. Too early for a beer, or even an electric performance—never mind if it’s just for one song.
But Bullet Dumas is known for his golden nuggets—songs, if you will—about life, sung with equal parts in gentle inflection or charged emotions.
He opened the press conference for the upcoming Iisa concert that will feature his “3D” cohorts Johnoy Danao and Ebe Dancel. With a solo number, Dumas then set the tone for the audience, who included some members of the media. He primed them for the show to be staged on June 9 at the KIA Theater.
He performed Galit that called to mind Sa Madilim na Sulok ng Kasaysayan from another passionate performer in Chickoy Pura, then At Nakalimutan ang Diyos from the Wuds; both with biting and powerful social commentary.
The rage was over when Dumas’s set was done; his toothy smile was there for all to see.
“My songs are a combination of a lot of things,” he said outside Jess and Pat’s, site for the Iisa press conference. “My songs come from the experiences of different people and what I see from day-to-day life. What is happening to our country, to families, to people I know and don’t know.”
Dumas continued, “I also use a lot of symbolism in my writing. It may not be a direct person or incident, but the symbols or metaphors I use do well to enhance them. As for my on-stage passion, it comes from focusing on live work as opposed to studio work.”
He released some songs online in 2014 and has added a few more over the years. They can all be found either on YouTube, Spotify or Soundcloud. As for a full-length and physical album—whether on vinyl, compact disc, or even in cassette—Dumas said they are in his plans. “I would prefer that it happens sooner than later,” he divulged while admitting that he had been around for so long and is probably the only performing artist without an album to his name.
“It is funny and odd,” Dumas said of such fact. “Sure, I have stuff online, but it can hardly be called a proper album, more so since they are recorded with a lot of time in between.”
“Eight years is a long time,” he pointed out to his debut as an independent musician in 2010 and who grew up inspired by the songs of Joey Ayala, the Eraserheads, Rivermaya, Francis Magalona and many others. His two other 3D posse, Dohnoy and Dancel, each have at least five albums out—whether with a band or solo. “I get asked that question all the time: When am I coming out with an album?” Dumas admitted. “I think the reason I have not done one yet is because I am growing as a musician. I didn’t come out all polished. There is much to learn from performing and songwriting as a craft.”
He continued, “It is something I do not want to rush, but I prefer to let it happen naturally. But yes, it is something I want to do. After the Iisa show with (Dohnoy and Dancel), I will take time to think about it and see if I can get the album done.”
The artist rhetorically blurted, “Eight years? There was a lot that had happened. All these things, experiences, stories and people to write about… You can bet that as a whole, that album will be emotional.” Dumas then flashed that toothy grin of his once more, because he has a lot to smile about his future as a Pinoy musical artist.