Genuine Happiness

In response to a collaborative music-focused community project that took place at the Baldwin House, essayist/artist/musician Miguel Maravilla and friends attempt to recreate, reflect on, and propel the site-specific experience of inviting 30 local artists and musicians in a living room to make a 60-song album into an hour-long musical performance. Songs will be sung, words will be spoken, a short film will be played.

After the performance, space will be made and the audience will be invited to create music with the performers and artists as a way to continue the conversation and practice of creating things within and alongside our surrounding communities. This moment and show, along with all of the time spent with the other contributing artists in the past, will be an ongoing dialogue and series of songs to create, repurpose, and find new ways to engage through our joy and solace in creative expression.

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About the Artists

Miguel Maravilla

Miguel Maravilla is a first-generation Filipino immigrant, essayist, self-taught artist, musician, sound engineer, and activist born in Manila, Philippines, and currently residing on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh nations.

As a self-taught musician, artist, and essayist, Miguel continues to interweave his text and cultural analysis into more immediate and community-oriented forms of media, through collaborative film, song-making, performance, and mixed-media installation.

He has been involved in the creation and development of performance art pieces such as “LAKBAY” (2021) with Joshua Ongcol as co-creator and sound artist, “Untrue Stories Live” (2021-2022) with Rumble Theatre as Musical Director, “PANAWAGAN” (2021) with Shooting Gallery Performance Series as filmmaker and sound artist, and more. Miguel was also an artist in residence at the Baldwin House in April 2022, courtesy of the Shadbolt Art Gallery and the City of Burnaby.

Franco Maravilla

Surrey-based artist, producer, multi-instrumentalist, and sample creator Franco is always pursuing and reinventing the present moment with music across many different genres.

Born in Manila and raised in Surrey, he spent three years in Los Angeles to hone his skills as a producer, to provide his repertoire the most nuance and refinement achievable. Having contributed to a wide variety of bands, artist groups, and collectives over the years, Franco accumulated a kind of fluency in his musical vocabulary throughout his career and experiences.

Inspired by My Chemical Romance, PARTYNEXTDOOR, and John Mayer, he always centers his music through unique vocalizations and sensible, familiar, yet refreshing songwriting.

CHERRY BLU

Sebastian, also known as Cherry Blu, creates sonic landscapes that are feel-provoking. His creative pursuits began at a very young age. Cherry began piano lessons in his adolescence under his aunt’s guidance, which refined his ear and opened the door to writing music, before he got his hands on a MIDI keyboard and recording software.

Cherry Blu has been sharpening his tools for the last 6 years to a point where his production, mixing, & recordings have evolved into a familiar, yet futuristic sound that is vibrant, abrasive, & lush. 

Some notable artists that have made an impact on him are Miguel Maravilla, Spaghetti Wes, & mwah mwah.

Cyrus Jordan

Cyrus Jordan is a musician, artist, and producer, specializing in creating good vibes and atmosphere. With a few years studying Jazz bass at Concordia University, and gigging in multiple projects around montreal and Vancouver, Cyrus has an eclectic sound that radiates through whichever project he is a part of.

Justin Tecson

Justin Cameron Tecson (also known as “JT”), is a Filipino-Canadian record producer, mix engineer and songwriter from Vancouver, BC Canada. Justin had an early introduction to playing music, starting with violin at the age of 3. He continued to study piano and guitar soon after at the age of 7 and producing since the age of 13. Since then, Justin has been involved with many projects throughout the city, most notably working as the main producer for DACEY. Drawing inspiration from various artists such as Dijon, Feist, The Smiths, Sade and Pharrell, Justin incorporates the different elements of each into his productions. Sampling and having live instruments are an important part of his works, often taking influence from the soul sound of the 60s/70s, and new wave synths of the 80s.