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On this episode of the ABLE Podcast, we sat down with rapper and songwriter Waiian to talk about his newest project. The album is dense, playful, and alive with energy. It begins with birth, closes with death, and carries a lot of life in between.

What stood out was the balance he is chasing. Early in his career he was often called a “motivational rapper.” For this record he wanted to move beyond that frame. Humor and his goofball side take center stage alongside the seriousness that still anchors his writing.

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There is honesty throughout. Some lines he wrote as fiction ended up coming true, almost prophetic. Other tracks like Softie push back against the idea that rap has to be hard all the time, especially in how men treat women. It is why one of the most striking lines in the album is “Astig din hindi maging astig.”

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The music reflects the same openness. Working with Kashira Music, who was not afraid to push back, the album stretched into dance and funk. Every track was built with live performance in mind, with the goal of making songs that feel just as good to play as they do to hear.

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I am grateful that I get to sit down with artists like Waiian. These conversations are reminders of why ABLE exists.

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Talking to Waiian about this record showed why it matters to give space to honesty, humor, and risk. He is not afraid to try, to laugh, and to tell the truth even when it cuts against the grain.

—Enzoitgoes

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