‘Kilometro’ composer Yumi Lacsmana reintroduces ‘Pundi’ and talks about continued collab with ex-BF Thyro
She’s keeping it real. If there’s one thing truly endearing and admirable about Viva Records‘ multi-hyphenate Yumi Lacsamana, it would be her candor. For someone who has made hit songs that are relatable aside from sticky (yesss, her songs are LSS-worthy!), that is no surprise. Her authenticity and passion definitely shine through the way she presents herself and the music she creates.
For her latest single Pundi, the multi-awarded singer-songwriter gives us a piece that tackles regret and hearbreak.
Being half of the awarded R&B duo Thyro & Yumi, Yumi is getting used to going about things on her own. For the past few singles, she’s been releasing solo acts.
Originally written by the duo for the movie Squad Goals, Pundi is now being reintroduced and served fresh. Their professionalism is impressive as the two manage to still work together even after their breakup as a real-life couple.
Asked if anything has changed with their approach, Yumi answered, “Not really. I can say that our working relationship didn’t change that much. Except (now) when the pandemic hit. It’s a bit hard for us to write because we need to do it virtually. It takes time now, unlike before, we can finish a song in one sitting.”
Yumi displayed a lot of maturity as she admitted the difficulties that working with an ex-boyfriend entails. She emphasized though that having worked together for years has given them the grasp in managing creative differences. During our interview last week, she told Random Republika , “‘Yung process namin, we’ve been doing that for ten years na. So, it’s very easy for us to distinguish what the roles are. For example, for this song, I will be the driver. So, Thyro will just guide me or aalalay lang siya.” She explained how they set up boundaries and delineated roles between the two of them.
On avoiding personal ‘Pundi’ or waning creativity
With a number of hits under her belt, I cannot help but wonder how Yumi keeps her creative juices flowing. She gamely let us in on a secret. Yumi shared, “Sa totoo lang, minsan dumarating talaga kami sa ganyan. Napapagod din, nauubusan ka rin. Ano pa ba ang kantang ‘di ko pa nagagawa or ‘di ko pa nasusulat? But every time na gumagawa naman kami, parang automatic naman. Hindi ko siya pinipilit.” What surprised me was how crunch time and adrenaline rush form part of her personal creative tool kit. “Nag-wowork sa amin ‘yung cramming. Mas malapit ang deadline, mas gumagana ‘yung utak ko.” She revealed often finishing projects close to the deadline.
“Kahit ‘pag nag-iisip ako ng mga gusto kong gawing kanta, mas may deadline, mas okay ako doon,” Yumi added. She also reminded that inspirations are endless. “As a songwriter, as a creative person, hinding-hindi ka mauubusan, because anywhere around you, you get an inspiration.”
Yumi cited her hit song Kilometro, popularized by Popstar Royalty Sarah Geronimo, as the perfect example. She shared how it was randomly inspired by a passing vehicle while she and Thyro were having coffee. Yumi reminded fellow creatives, “You’ll never know kung kailan din darating sayo yung inspiration. Everyday, hinding-hindi ka mauubusan.”
Here are some of Yumi’s hit compositions:
