Memphis Music Feature: Mak Ro

Each with their own diverse set of skills, Eric and Kris complement each other perfectly to create a unique sonic experience for their listeners. Eric often lays down the intricate instrumental tracks and Kris adds in the lyrics and melodies. The name Mak Ro, which as Kris puts it is “the easiest part of our very Filipino last names,”  coincidentally, serves as a metaphor for the way the two work. Kris notes, “I feel like [it’s like] the way that we create, with [Eric] kind of creating the world and with me kind of being the finisher, connecting the dots in between. Eric always kind of starts it off and I'm always kind of like player two.” 

For Kris, he was drawn heavily to Mo-Town and R&B sounds growing up. “The Jackson 5 was one of the first records I remember my dad showing me. I remember I was in my sixth grade talent show and I did “I’ll Be There”…One of the first CDs I bought personally was a Destiny’s Child CD at a gas station in the Phillipines.” As he got older, he really found a love for pop music, and found himself listening to a lot of Beyonce and Lady Gaga.  On the flip side, Eric grew up listening to a lot of rock bands that his dad loved such as Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and other classic bands from the 70s and 80s. It wasn’t until college that he got deep into hip-hop, R&B, and pop. “That’s where I delved into a whole different listening experience for myself… R&B and Hip-Hop stuff, even early 90s stuff.

 

 

 

 

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As each of their music palettes have evolved, they have found a way to meld together their often differing styles. Their wide range of influences now blend into one distinct sound. “We kind of met in the middle of loving all types of music in general and so that’s where we kind of create from. It’s not that we don’t want to put ourselves into a certain genre, it’s more like we love so many [genres]. Where our artistry and where we like to go is being able to craft from different pots. Creating something that feels fresh and feels good to what we want out of music today.” (Kris) 

Eric recalled growing up learning to play music in Memphis and thinking that live instrumentation was the only way. He attempted to “match that high-level playing,” but ultimately felt it wasn’t a true representation of his art. “I tried to be the picture of what I thought Memphis wanted from me.”  These days, however, they know that as long as they are creating music that is important and real to them, there will be people out there resonating with that. 

 “I thought I had to abide by very soulful singing. But after really digging into what ‘soul’ really meant, for me I found ‘soul’ just really means ‘meaning what you say’. From that point on, with every aspect of our music, it’s always been about authenticity. Being able to back whatever we’re actually putting out with genuine feeling not just for show.” (Kris)

 

 

 

 

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Though inevitably that classic sound of Memphis soul does find its way into their sound, Mak Ro is in many ways carving out a space for a new and more experimental way of creating in the city. For Kris, “as a queer person, we always have to show up in spaces where we’re not invited.” He has brought that energy into Mak Ro and is proud of how they have been able to open doors for themselves to unexpected avenues of self-expression

They contribute a lot of their growth as artists to the people of Memphis and are grateful to “be a part of that community of really strong, authentic people.” Kris goes on to say, “I think this city just has so many incredible people that do give people space to be themselves and be authentic. I think that’s why I really love having worked with so many people like Music Export Memphis, Crosstown Arts…As scary as it is to do the things we do how we do it, I feel like we’ve been given the confidence to do it from the community that we’re in.” Being apart of the Memphis music community is something that has even held weight outside city limits, solidifying for them that the reputation of Memphis music reaches far and wide. Eric discovered that being from Memphis "always would give me some kind of credibility as a musician…They would say, ‘Oh you’re from Memphis? You must be able to play pretty well.’ There really is a unique identity here which is where the unique sound in music comes from” 

Eric wants to see more musicians in Memphis simply “Make music that they want to make…Because they're only making what they like, it all comes from their own filter, not from any expectation, not from any ego thing., it’s just super pure…Now, the sound of Memphis, which was STAX or our hip-hop/rap scene, it becomes something even new that we could’ve never imagined for this city. That’s what would be super cool to see. You can feel the old presence of our city, but it’s new and you can't really understand it completely in a sense.”

Mak Ro has played at many great Memphis venues, and would never play favorites, but a couple do stand out as vital moments in their career, their show at Overton Shell this past summer being one of them. Eric said, “The preparation for that show was intense, but it was probably my favorite show I’ve ever played in my life up to this point.” One thing Kris loved about that show, in particular, was how accessible and welcoming it was to everyone in the community. “I’d love more time and investment and people fighting for more spaces for art. We have really great ones now…I’d love to have more spaces like those and for our city to invest in more things like that.” 

They noted the Green Room at Crosstown Arts as well. They played there at the beginning of their live performance journey in Memphis in 2021. They also did an album release show there last year for their latest album, Love in the Dark.

Finally, according to Mak Ro, you haven’t been to Memphis if you haven’t: 

1. Been to Kwikcheck

2. Eaten Payne’s BBQ

3. Seen our trained ducks line up (Peabody Duck March)

4. Gone on the elevator at Bass Pro 

5. Been to (or sweat at) Cooper-Young Fest