Almost A Music Podcast

In this episode recorded last April, Channa and Meg caught up with their good friend, Yoga teacher JC De Leon. Each sharing shifts that they have experienced from the past 2 years from the different expressions of yoga to how music, silence and movement continue to amplify their lives.  

JC shares his love for martial arts and how it has evolved from practicing Taekwondo to Sarian (‘Sariling Paraan’ a form of Filipino Martial Arts) to Arnis. The aggressive release from each modality brings balance to his yoga and meditation practice.  

The realization of the finite-ness of life through his parents’ passing made him ponder on the question — “Am I doing something that I truly resonate with?” Our host, Meggy met JC in one of his earlier yoga classes in 2017. JC, at that time shared about his journey leaving corporate to teach yoga full time and founding his very own yoga institute. He talks about it more on this conversation.

On this episode, we also talk about:

* JC’s origin story on co-founding Konscious Spirit Yoga and Medicale Yoga Institute

* The practice of yoga beyond the physical poses and finding a practice that works for you

Almost a Music Podcast is recorded live on Clubhouse

Podcast IG: @almostamusicpodcast
Hosts : @channa3x | @meggycaparas
Guest : JC De Leon : @jclion1

#AlmostAMusicPodcast #AAMP

In this episode, Channa, Meg, and Jed have a conversation on music, faith, spirituality, service, and a shared vision. 

Jed shares how he sees the value of empathy and messaging through music to influence his life and creative expression. His experience with the underserved community was an invitation for him to find more depth and purpose in music. He hosts a radio show — The Bridge Chicago and is currently leading Good Loud Media, a nonprofit organization that creates music and movies to help meet the needs of at-risk people. Its mission is focused on violence prevention, mental health awareness, underserved health applications, and climate change.

We explore a conversation on music and divinity. Jed says that music has a way in exploring the divine in a way that is unique to us— the God of our understanding; exploring God with fewer walls, gatekeepers, and people telling what it has to be. 

We talk about having a sense of unity through a common purpose in making music. Each song could be a dream, a vision, and an aspiration of the artist. Jed sees different genres as pathways to multiple expressions 

Channa asked what is the signature of Jed Brewer? — “recognizing the talent that other people possess that the heart is gonna love if they take at least 3 minutes to listen to it. Other people are gonna get a chance to hear what I get to hear”
To close, Jed shares very profound insight on how he sees the music industry moving forward and he says — “Right now, artists have an opportunity to chart the course for themselves and have their own version of success. 

Almost a Music Podcast is recorded live on Clubhouse

Podcast IG: @almostamusicpodcast
Hosts : @channa3x | @meggycaparas
Guest : Jed Brewer @jedbrewer   

#AlmostAMusicPodcast #AAMP

In this episode, Channa and Meg sat down for a chat with Izzy, a writer, and creative entrepreneur as she shares how music influences her creativity through her blog, self-published book, and business. Our 7th episode covered stories as music fans, musings on life transitions, and navigating pivots while trailblazing the path towards one’s alignment. Izzy shares her journey of starting a music and photography blog while being a contributing writer for an online media outlet, Philippine Concerts. 

She has grown it to become a creative business to help content creators monetize their blogs. Coming into the full circle this year, Izzy finally self-published her debut Young Adult book “The Hush Society Presents'' which ranked #1 new release in the Teen and YA music e-books category during launch week on Amazon. This book was something she has been working on since High School. Talk about illuminating dreams in real-time!

 In this episode, we also discuss how juggling university and work-life looked like while working on passion projects on the side. Izzy knew that writing has always been her dream. She shares her journey of coming at a crossroads in her career and finally decided to pursue blogging full-time. She’s had multiple edits as she finds her voice, vision, structure, and consistency while building her brand and blog. Izzy drops the most recent iteration and northern star in her content direction - sharing your bliss and “a fangirl approach to life”. This was such an insightful and fun episode!

 They discuss: 

·       Comparing the blogging era 10 years ago to what it is now

·       Writing anonymously on Tumblr and Livejournal when content creators weren’t a thing

·       Insights on blog monetization 

·       Exploring the different assets of blogging and creative entrepreneurship 

·       Tiktok, social media growth and the importance of content planning

·       Navigating writing blocks and creative burnouts

·       KPOP and the whole new world of music and fan culture

 Almost a Music Podcast is recording live on Clubhouse 

Podcast IG: @almostamusicpodcast
Hosts: @channa3x | @meggycaparas
Guest: Izzy Matias @izzmatias | @thspbook 

#AlmostAMusicPodcast #AAMP

In this episode, Channa and Meg are joined by Nikki James, a friend whom they met on Clubhouse earlier this year. The three explored topics around creative expression, Clubhouse as a platform to practice active listening and speaking. Nikki shared the impact of music and spirituality complementing each other; being in a constant state of wanting to evolve ourselves and grow. She describes how the heart of creativity is evolution.

The conversation also covered the art of communication — how it is a gift and a practice of values like courteousness, compassion, emotional intelligence and other behavioral aspects. Being in spaces where our energy is replenished, and where drawing healthy boundaries is an act of self-care. 

Nikki James is a singer, eclectic music connoisseur, mental wellness advocate, and chandler. Music is the language of her soul. Nikki is a creative that’s here to build rapport with like-minded individuals who feel like the sun, absorb knowledge and insight from genuine jewels, working and or artists within the realms of music and entertainment. 

They discuss: 

• Experiencing, understanding, and harnessing the energy and power source within ourselves 
• Manifestation and understanding our Human Design 
• Staying centered and present to experience any and all things happening 
• Understanding yourself and awakening to your true nature 
• The two sides of nurturing and inspiring creativity from others
• Drawing/meeting the same individual in different relationships/situations
• Amplifying our gifts to share them in service to others
• Creating music and its vibrational frequencies. 
• How music and spirituality complement each other 

“When you vibrate higher, you call yourself energies that are aligned for you and deserving of your space. Call yourself in a higher realm. Harness that energy and this awareness which will propel us to deeper flow.”

“Being in your soul expression, there is a certain radiance and brightness that you emit.”

Almost a Music Podcast is recording live on Clubhouse

Podcast IG: @almostamusicpodcast
Hosts : @channa3x | @meggycaparas
Guest : Nikki James @aprillnicole

#AlmostAMusicPodcast #AAMP

Channa and Meggy are back from a mini break and catch up on the changes, reflections and transitions happening in real time. Channa shared about how he was feeling stuck and his birthday reflections. Both explored how their definition of happiness, fulfillment and wealth have evolved through time, the greatest equalizer. Cafe culture, the search for the best flat white, energetic climate in Los Angeles and Meggy’s intuitive pull to take a 5 month creative exploration in California.

They also shared as co-hosts how they felt drifting off and the uncertainty of continuing the podcast.  Channa shared that he goes into a conversation with “Every person’s opinions are right, based on their context and experiences. We should be kind more than we are right” which he uses to learn a new perspective from it rather than winning an argument. Meggy advised “Be in the full expression of yourself and let life surprise you”. 

Almost a Music Podcast is recorded live on the Clubhouse App.

 IG: @almostamusicpodcast 

Hosts: @channa.channa.channa | @meggycaparas

#AlmostAMusicPodcast #channa3x #megcaparas #aamp

This is an episode Channa, and Meg wanted to have. They share their first concert experiences and the early signs and symptoms of being a concert junkie. They touch on the subtle impressions and elements of a live concert experience. The energetic exchange between the band and the crowd in fortifying the sense of community in concerts. 

They tackle the shift and lens that technology brings to a show. Going to a concert is a great example of living in the present moment and being intentional with what we do with our time and experience. Talking about the whole package of pre-concert rituals and eats, show itself, M&G, meeting new friends and post-concert processing is super exciting for Channa and Meg. 

They joke about their "thank me later “moments while recovering after a show which is hilarious. 

Channa shares how he is illuminating the human aspect and layer of guest artists on his podcast, bringing guests from “idols” to human beings and all the other facets and layers of an artist. 

They close the episode with their favorite concert moments. 

Almost a Music Podcast is recorded live on the Clubhouse App.

IG: @almostamusicpodcast 
Hosts: @channa.channa.channa | @meggycaparas

#AlmostAMusicPodcast #channa3x #megcaparas #aamp

In this episode, Channa and Meg talk about journey of witnessing The Maine from their humble free mall shows to major music festivals to sold-out solo shows in the Philippines. It was quite funny when Channa and Meg realized they have been going to same shows but never actually had the chance to meet in person. 

They also talked about their evolution as fans and concert goer to the shows from getting the barricade spot to watching from the sidelines and our pre-show rituals, post-concert processing to making lifelong friends in the 8123 community.

The hosts discuss their  favorite tracks from the different Maine albums and how each of their concert gives a very profound somatic, ethereal, surreal experience. How their respect and admiration for this band led them to starting this podcast.

Meggy talks about her gift to Pat’s niece, Sofia, M&Gs, radio station experiences, acoustic sets with the band members and her trip to Singapore to watch the band. The Maine was one of the first (and continues to be) a huge inspiration and expander in her life to keep pursuing “the dream”.

The hosts discuss how The Maine’s curation of each song on an album is very similar to that of a playlist that you have to listen from front to back. They also did a deep dive into how their 8th record is both a very lighthearted, fun yet a deeply rooted album that’s a mirror of how far they have come in both the music industry and in their personal lives. This album is also a testimony of how much we have grown with this band and community thus far.

Almost a Music Podcast is recorded live on the Clubhouse App.

 IG: @almostamusicpodcast 
Hosts: @channa.channa.channa | @meggycaparas
Episode guest : @kiminthebullet 

#AlmostAMusicPodcast #channa3x #megcaparas #aamp

In this episode, coffeeholics Channa and Meggy talk about visiting cafés and the experience they curate for themselves. Importance of music in the whole café experience, from playlists which are perfectly curated and how they would end up Shazam-ing songs on each visit. How coffee and it’s tasting notes are invitations to deeper consciousness and presence.

Meggy shares how her vision of “Constant Conversations” manifested and aligned to take shape as Almost A Music Podcast and Channa comparing difference from his other podcast Channa3x where AAMP is more intimate and personal. 

Channa and Meggy shares their current song digs of new releases at the moment. They had a mini dissection of John Mayer’s music and his persona on the different albums. Also Channa shared his perspective about Fear Factory’s recent single Recode which the music video presents a sci-fi future world but the messaging of the song is applicable for to the present world as much as in the future. 

Almost A Music Podcast is recorded live on Clubhouse App. 

IG: @almostamusicpodcast 

Hosts: @channa.channa.channa | @meggycaparas 

#almostamusicpodcast #channa3x #megcapras #aamp

In this episode, Channa and Meg talk about how they see Spirituality in Music.  Where does music and spirituality intersect? How are they intricately related? Can music transform our spiritual practices? and vice versa? 

How music traces back to our indigenous roots to eastern and western practices of worshipping nature, gods & deities. What if the world was a one big concert?  Spiritual influences of The Beatles and how worship is big part of  Johnny Cash, Kanye West and their own creative expression. 

Music as an anchor to a meditative state and how words, vibrations, hertz affect our consciousness like sound baths, solfeggio frequencies in relation to our subconscious mind. 

Almost A Music Podcast is recorded live on Clubhouse App. 

IG: @almostamusicpodcast 

Hosts: @channa.channa.channa | @meggycaparas 

Guests on stage : @kiminthebullet

#almostamusicpodcast #channa3x #megcapras #aamp