Focus on Mindanao’s Women in Music

They were in town for Fête de la Musique — three artists who’ve carved their own spaces in the Philippine music scene. KC Salazar of KRNA, Kim Trinidad of Loop, and Crisha Mejia were preparing to perform, and it felt like the perfect time to create something special.

We asked if they’d be open to a shoot — nothing elaborate, just something honest and full of color. I wanted to capture them not as performers on stage, but as women in their element — confident, creative, and unapologetically themselves.

The Artists

KC Salazar (KRNA)
KC’s sound feels like a daydream — atmospheric, emotional, and hauntingly familiar. As the frontwoman of KRNA, she’s helped shape Mindanao’s indie scene with music that blends introspection and power. During the shoot, KC carried that same energy: calm, composed, but full of quiet strength.

Kim Trinidad (Loop / Solo)
Kim’s artistry is all about evolution. Known for her work with Loop, and now as a solo artist, her music has a texture that’s both nostalgic and fresh. She brings warmth to minimalism — knowing exactly when to let silence speak. In front of the camera, she moved with the same grace as her songs: deliberate, grounded, poetic.

Crisha Mejia
Crisha brings soul to the mix — literally. An R&B/Soul singer-songwriter from Cagayan de Oro, she has a sound that’s smooth, honest, and deeply intimate.— the kind that makes you stop and listen.

The Shoot

For this session, I imagined them in a colorful, dreamlike state — soft yet vibrant, like the feeling of their music turned into light. We kept the atmosphere relaxed, letting movement and laughter guide the flow.

There was no need to over-direct. Each of them already had presence — the kind that comes from knowing who you are and what you want to say. The shoot became less about posing and more about documenting confidence — women in control of their craft and comfortable in their own rhythm.

What I wanted most was to show that creativity in Mindanao is alive — that the women leading it deserve to be seen, celebrated, and remembered.