It’s hard to believe that the WRIZZARDS only recently began making music. Their single, “Ms. Barista,” was nominated for the 2024 Wammie Music Awards’ Best World/Global Song just two months after its release, but the suave acoustic hit marked the first time the Filipino multi-genre collective collaborated. (Independently, the collective’s members dabble in indie pop, R&B, country, hip-hop, bossanova, and more.) In a Zoom interview, Tina Carzon tells City Paper that making the song with fellow members Bema Tadey, LEIF, and J Matty was a fast process—a synergy that speaks to their tangible chemistry and explains the “rizz” in WRIZZARDS.
The collective’s formation unfolded as organically as their “Ms. Barista.” Unified by their shared Filipino heritage, the DMV-based musicians—all active and talented artists individually—knew each other through a combination of their craft, friendship, and families. Weekly jam sessions intended to provide a creative outlet eventually led to the group forming in late 2022. By July 2023, the young WRIZZARDS had their debut show at Songbyrd, where they sold more than 150 tickets; ticket sales more than doubled when they played at Union Stage in December.
Asked to describe their sound, the group uses words like “eclectic” and “multifaceted.” LEIF emphasizes that their sound is inherently wide-ranging because they prioritize reflecting each artist’s style in their collaborations. In “Ms. Barista,” their efforts to support each other’s artistic growth translated to infusing a “salsa-music feel” that represents J Matty’s personality; an ethereal element reflects Carzon; and they sing lyrics in Tagalog, their native tongue, to empower the creative direction of Tadey.
“We don’t want to box in our group sound because we want to help each other grow in our artistry,” LEIF says. “We’re a [music] label for each other.”
The group credit their Filipino roots not only for their work ethic, but also for their values of supporting one another within and outside of the WRIZZARDS. LEIF says they all grew up seeing people collaborate at Filipino functions. “At parties, we always helped each other out. Who’s bringing the food? Who’s gonna perform? And who’s gonna clean up after? That mindset is just naturally ingrained.”
From their lyrics to that community mindset, the WRIZZARDS are keen to show all aspects of Filipino culture. “Being Filipino, we strongly believe in incorporating our roots in any form, whether it be songwriting, the way we dress, or just the way we speak,” Tadey says. It’s really important for us because the Philippines is what we represent. That’s where we came from.”
Beyond amplifying their culture through music, the WRIZZARDS want to show that intentional collaborations—in the music industry and life more broadly—can go a long way. “In this industry, if you don’t have anybody, it can feel very lonely,” J Matty says. “One of our missions is to change the [self-starter] culture around the DMV area, as well as to show it’s possible to break out as artists from here; you just have to find the right people.”
On March 30, the WRIZZARDS will perform at Charix Warehouse in Northeast, which Carzon says will be unlike their previous shows at Songbyrd and Union Stage. “It’s more intimate in that everything will be stripped down. It’s gonna be an opportunity to really enjoy the music.” Meanwhile, looking ahead toward the summer, J Matty says they want to push their limits for their next big venue show. The band members exchange smiles as Carzon and LEIF hint at how they’ll play with the technical production aspect of shows—from intimate gatherings to crowded concerts—moving forward. But true to their charismatic ways, the group leave the details to the imagination.
“I don’t think the audience is even ready for what’s coming because we’re turning it up,” LEIF says. “We’re turning the volume up for sure.”
The WRIZZARDS Unplugged starts at 7 p.m. on March 30 at Charix Warehouse. eventbrite.com. $35–$45.