Filipino bear musician Kiko On This talks origins, inspirations, and his song Tummy Tuesday

14th August 2026 Bryce Quartz

Kiko On This chats with us about his origins as a musician, what inspires him, his catchy song Tummy Tuesday, and so much more!

Meet Kiko, the Filipino bear musician making waves online and in the San Francisco Bay Area music scene. His music is impeccably catchy with unforgettable instrumentals and lyrics that will get stuck in your head after just one listen!

As a multidisciplinary artist, Kiko also produces and engineers his own music too, and is also quite a talented videographer as well. Taking inspiration from a wide range of genres including R&B, reggae, Bay Area rap, and modern pop, Kiko On This delivers on every single track that he creates.

As a videographer, he offers a variety of video services for others including music videos, weddings, live events, and social media content too. He has experience creating short-form content and visual branding for not only himself, but local artists as well. did I mention he’s done soundscoring and FX editing for film projects too?

As a proud honors graduate of Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, CA, where he earned his Associate of Arts in Music Industry Studies and Pro Tools Certification in 2025, Kiko really does it all, and professionally too.

I had the chance to catch up with Kiko and chat about all the things that inspire and motivate him, representation as a Filipino bear, his creative process, and so much more. check it out below!

Bryce Quartz: Hey there, Kiko, thanks for taking the time to speak with me today! How have you been doing lately?

Kiko: I’m doing okay, just staying busy working and creating new music while also making sure there’s time left to spend with my partner! Thank you for asking.

Bryce: Let’s start with the basics to get some background info on you. Where are you from, how long have you been making music, and what initially inspired you to do so?

Kiko: My name is Kiko and I’m a 2nd generation gay Filipino American male that grew up in Daly City, CA, which is about 10 miles south of San Francisco, in a big Filipino family. I started making music at age 16 during the peak of the 2006 Bay Area Hyphy Movement, a high energy hip hop subculture that brought the San Francisco Bay Area into the national mainstream. Derived from the word “hyperactive,” the movement was defined by its frantic energy, distinct fashion, unique slang, and wild party atmosphere, all of which heavily inspire some of my music.

I started off making beats on Reason 3.0 and rapping in high school. During this time, I was in the closet and making a lot of music with my straight friends where we’d go to the studio, record songs, and produce original music. This has been an on and off journey into my adulthood, but I did a lot of rebranding with my sound when I came out of the closet and met my partner, Izzy, when I was 21.

Since then, I’ve spent a lot of time making music on and off until about three years ago. Now, in my 30s, I’ve found that I want to be a singer and make R&B and pop music. Throughout this time, I’ve struggled a lot trying to figure out how to cater to both the straight world and the gay world with my music while trying to figure out where I fit in as a musician. At times, I struggled with my music not feeling “gay enough” for the gay audience, and visa versa with my music automatically being labeled as “gay” to my straight followers despite my style and sound.

This really made me do a lot of self reflection and take a step back multiple times to see how I wanted to tweak my craft to resonate with anyone, down to most of my love songs being written with non-binary pronouns so everyone can relate. Simultaneously, I went back to school, got my degree in Music Industry Studies and Sound Engineering, and graduated last year in May 2025.

Bryce: Thank you for sharing all of this, I totally understand that predicament of wanting to cater your music to a broader audience, it’s a tough pickle to be in. Can you tell us a little bit about your current life now and what your creative direction is moving forward?

Kiko: Life is always busy, and I’m constantly in survival mode with my hubby, especially living here in expensive ass California, lol. I work a full time job at a hospital to pay my bills and make music on the side. When I have free time, I try to produce and write songs about personal things I go through along with some fun club bangers coming soon.

I plan to push a lot more content on my TikTok and Instagram, documenting my music journey, promoting more music, and doing collabs. Alongside that, I am actively searching for job roles within the music industry and trying to find work related to my degree in music industry studies.

My past few songs titled “3 More Seconds,” “This Drink,” and “Backbone” are actually kind of about myself and my partner getting out of a polyamorous relationship with a third that got complicated. So I’ve been writing a lot of songs lately about heartbreak, polyamorous themes, and the challenges that come with it.

I do plan to make more music that caters to the gay bear community like “Tummy Tuesday” and release more songs that are subtly provocative and kinky. I’m just not very literal in my music and I try to keep the lyrics simple, symbolic, and somewhat metaphorical when writing for gay listeners.

I don’t have any video projects on the way, planning instead to solely focus on making social media content for myself and anyone else willing to pay for my services to help them film something. I’m always open to collaborating and helping other artists or businesses with filming and producing.

Bryce: I love how you’re pouring real life experiences into your lyrics and music because that ends up translating to the audience quite well most of the time. I’m excited to see what songs we’ll hear from you next! Can you tell us a little bit about your videography experience and the power of visuals for musicians?

Kiko: My journey into videography actually started back in 2018 simply because I wanted to make music videos for myself without having to pay outside videographers. That hustle quickly turned into filming local Bay Area artists for side cash and networking and shooting weddings along the way. I picked up a Sony A7III, did all the research and practice I needed to make things look cinematic, and built it from there.

I definitely don’t do it alone, either. I heavily rely on my partner, Izzy, to help with the creative process because he’s a natural director. He always helps carry the load with creative input, lighting, and camera angles.

For me, visuals act like a second layer to the stories I tell through my music. In today’s music industry, where social media pumps the blood through everything we do, showing up on camera is essential. An engineer once told me, “You don’t have to make content, you get to make content,” and I really resonated with that. It’s a fun extension of the music. It’s our chance as artists to connect with viewers, build a community, and keep things completely authentic.

I don’t have any video projects for others on the way, planning instead to solely focus on making social media content for myself and anyone else willing to pay for my services to help them film something. I’m always open to collaborating and helping other artists or businesses with filming and producing.

Bryce: I love the authenticity and creativity you bring into creating visuals and reels on social media. You’re definitely very talented in that line of work and it shows! For those who haven’t seen your work as a videographer, where should they start?

Kiko: If you’re checking out my work for the first time, the best place to start is my website, kikoonthis.com. That’s where you can find a complete portfolio of my music videos, including the ones I’ve shot for other artists, as well as the weddings and commercial projects I’ve worked on.

From there, diving into my TikTok and Instagram reels is a great way to catch the day-to-day creative process and short-form visuals.

Bryce: Okay, back to the music. What are some influences you had when you were younger as well as nowadays in your work and how do you use music as an emotional outlet?

Kiko: To be honest, it’s so hard to pinpoint who my childhood influences are. I’m influenced by everybody in art. But the one thing that influenced my sound the most is growing up in the hip hop scene right here in the Bay Area. I am an absolute sucker for West Coast rap and R&B, especially from local artists like Kehlani, P-Lo, E-40, Saweetie, LaRussell, and one of my favorite artists, Seiji Oda.

I fell in love with songwriting when I realized that I can be introverted at times and have trouble opening up to people. I write music to find clarity within myself and use producing and recording as an outlet, hoping to connect with somebody out there who might be going through the same thing.

On the flip side, I love the party and nightlife scene, so I can’t deny my urge to make club bangers and fun songs to lift people’s spirits along with my own. I also love songwriting because, in reality, I didn’t grow up as a confident person. Making music and writing allow me to break out of that shell and become confident, poised, and full of swag, which is quite therapeutic for me.

Also, my partner and I figured out we have polyamorous tendencies. We’ve been in an open-ish relationship for the past three years, having a lot of fun on the side while going through trials and tribulations with other boys and feelings. We’ve been exploring and opening up about kinks and fetishes that were once suppressed and hidden from each other.

All of this has been heavily influencing my music lately, helping us gain a lot of insight about ourselves and grow in emotional maturity.

Bryce: I’m obsessed with the fact that you produce every song you make from scratch between producing, engineering, writing lyrics, and delivering vocals. That’s a feat that not many artists can say they are capable of doing! What does your creative process look like when you want to create a song from start to finish?

Kiko: My creative process usually ends up with me crying in frustration for two weeks, lmao. I’m jk. But I do go through a bit of frustration trying to create a song because I get too hung up on perfection most of the time. My ideas tend to arrive at the most inconvenient times like at 3 AM, at work, or at the bear bar.

I’ll think of a melody for a good chorus and come up with lyrics based on what I’m feeling that week. Whether it’s heartbreak or something funny I thought of, I turn it into a rhyme in my head.

Then, when I have free time, I rush to my little home studio setup and start making a beat on FL Studio based on my mood, whether I’m feeling sad, moody, happy, or mad. I play with different chords and bass lines that match my vibe and then work up to the drums.

Depending on what I’ve been listening to a lot for the past month, I’ll base the genre on that. If I’ve been listening to a lot of Kehlani or SZA, I’ll make an alt R&B type beat; if I’ve been listening to club bangers, I’ll make a West Coast style vibing beat.

After the beat is made, I usually export it into my recording program and mumble a whole melody scheme until I come up with actual lyrics. I always put most of my focus on the chorus first because it’s the main course of every song. If it’s not hitting right, I’ll double down and figure out the right structure until it sounds good to me.

I really treat the chorus with the utmost importance in songwriting. My professors always told me I have a knack for making hooks and I really pride myself on that.

After all that comes the hours of mixing and mastering which involves making sure everything is equalized, compressed well, and radio ready. I have to check that the audio mix quality sounds great on multiple devices like cars, phones, and studio monitors.

I love wearing multiple hats for two reasons: one, I don’t have a lot of money to be booking studio sessions every time I have a song idea, and two, I have full control over every technical aspect, like how my vocals sit in the mix and how I can switch up the beat to complement a specific part of my verse.

Creating from scratch and having full control is something that really turns me on musically. Plus, I get a little self conscious when I’m in the studio with engineers, so working from the comfort of my home allows me to be myself and stay comfortable.

To be honest, I never really know when one of my songs is finished. When I feel that dopamine rush and start daydreaming about my future as a musician, that’s usually my sign that the song is ready.

Bryce: You engineer and produce for other artists too, and I can imagine this has put you in the room with some really talented people. What are the vibes typically like during a standard studio session with you and who are some of the artists you’ve worked with before?

Kiko: I’ve only worked with a handful of local artists and folks who are just starting off on their musical journey. For the most part, I’m very easy to work with and love bouncing ideas around as long as people are coachable and keep an open mind. I understand the pressure and insecurity that come with sharing your art for the first time, so I always keep things respectful, professional, and fun!

One collab song that I absolutely love and have on my list is that I’ve made is called “Don’t Forget” and it features Leka OT7, a super talented lesbian singer-songwriter friend of mine who is also an R&B / island artist. Working with her was the easiest collab I’ve done so far. We wrote this song together after having an argument with our partners, kind of laid our frustrations on the track, and it came out amazing!

Overall, I’m open to collaborating on anything. Whether that involves me producing the song or an artist giving me an instrumental to use, as long as I get to mix my own vocals, I’m good to go!

Bryce: I discovered you last year off TikTok from your song titled Tummy Tuesday where a mutual friend of ours was using it every week for his very own Tummy Tuesday social media posts… To say I love that track is quite an understatement, and not just because you sampled the Growlr notification sound haha Honestly, I need everyone reading this right now to start using it as a sound for their own Tummy Tuesday posts for… science. Was there something that initially inspired you to make that song?

@shortgaybear
#tummytuesday #gaybear #strong #healing
♬ Tummy Tuesday – Kiko On This

Kiko: There are a few reasons why I made this song. First off, marketing. I’m heavily active within the gay bear community, so of course, my feed is flooded with tummy pics and vids every Tuesday lol. Usually, when these are posted, people just use various random songs and audio pieces. I thought to myself “no one has ever made an actual Tummy Tuesday song EVER!”

I figured there would be a lot of people struggling to pick a song when they have a beefy, beautiful, skin baring picture of themselves. I knew a gay bear might try to type the word “tummy” or “Tummy Tuesday” into the audio search bar on Instagram or TikTok and would probably run into my song. So I decided to make one from scratch!

During that time, I would livestream a lot on the GROWLr app and thought it would be funny to sample their notification jingle into the beat. I figured the GROWLr notification is a very familiar sound among the bear community and sometimes may even raise a few heartbeats when someone’s phone goes off unmuted, so I thought it would be hilarious to add that in as a hook.

This whole song was me experimenting with things I’d never done before and musical gimmicks that had never been tried in the bear community.

Another reason I made this song is that it’s honestly my first actual track catered specifically to the gay bear community. Earlier, I said I usually write non-binary music to reach all audiences, but with this one, I wanted to make something just for the community I’m a part of.

I’ve struggled a lot with getting my music out there and getting followers to engage just like every other artist starting their journey, and the fact that I do have a bunch of gay bear followers, whom I adore and have built amazing friendships with, has been kind of a double edged sword.

A good portion of my followers are there because they are attracted to me, and I know this is the case for a lot of us in the bear community. With that being said, I know for a fact my followers would rather see a thirst trap than a heartbreak song.

I’ve come to terms with the fact that this is just the nature of things, and it’s not a reflection of my talent or musical capability. Sex always sells, through and through. So as a human being hunting for validation, I thought this was a great song to make to show my belly off and encourage others to repost and share their bellies.

In the song, I wrote the lyrics: “They probably thinking that I’m desperate, well I’m starting to think I am” because we all crave that validation, especially at the height of social media.

Bryce, I know for a fact you know where I’m getting at. Your music is so poppin’ because you already incorporate these thirsty and flirty themes, and people love that shit. They eat it up. So this was my attempt to get some traction and expose myself a little while having fun.

Another reason is that I want the world to know a piece of bear culture. We are deeply rooted in body positivity where we celebrate the big body types that we all grew up thinking weren’t equivalent to beauty (which is a load of bullshit).

Growing up in a Filipino household, it’s a known fact that you will get shamed for being big. If you’re a big Filipino, your weight will be mentioned and criticized by all the aunties, parents, and uncles, and that’s just how things work. The majority of older Filipinos have it in their heads that slenderness equals beauty.

I definitely grew up feeling unattractive for a long time until I started immersing myself in the bear world. I wanted to make a fun song that celebrates big bodies. Feeling sexy and comfortable in your own skin is empowering, and I’m all for it.

Bryce: I love the way the song makes me feel and love seeing how it makes others feel too. I’m proud of you to be able to make this track as a form of catharsis. Can you tell us a little bit about the creative process behind the song?

Kiko: I made “Tummy Tuesday” in like two days. This song idea hit me like a garbage truck going 80 miles per hour on the highway. Plus, I wasn’t working at the time, so I had plenty of free time to do it. I started off screen recording the GROWLr notification, extracting the audio into my beat making program, and building the instrumental around the same key as the notification chime.

I originally made the song sound a bit more R&B-ish, but I later changed the melodies to sound more pop and playful. I wrote the lyrics very quickly too. It was pretty much about posting a picture of your belly, but not because you’re a hoe or just thirsty, but because you’re looking for a little validation and hoping the DMs, likes, and views will give you a confidence boost.

On another level, the lyrics are also about posting a belly pic to grab the attention of a potential crush in hopes of getting a DM or a reply. So all in all, it’s about celebrating yourself, getting that validation, and claiming that attention which were pretty much all the things I was going through at the time.

Bryce: It’s quite a catchy body positive track but it’s also very chill and fun, I think even people outside of our community can enjoy it too. What has the reception been like from the bear and chub communities?

Kiko: The progress of “Tummy Tuesday” has been amazing so far. A good number of bears have been using the audio, and I’m extremely grateful for the engagement. But there is still a lot more promotion and content I need to make for this song to keep the momentum going.

My fans have been really supportive and quick to use the song in their posts. I’ve had a small boost in followers and received the occasional compliment on the track. With consistent promotion and content revolving around “Tummy Tuesday,” I hope to take things up another notch and have even more bears use this audio in their next post.

I’m hoping readers will tap in with my social media and connect and also hope to build a solid following someday of people who resonate with my music and connect with me on a different level. Also, if this song adds to the joy and playfulness of the Tummy Tuesday tradition, it would mean the world to me.

Bryce: Speaking of representation, I want to ask you something a little personal. The representation you bring to the bear community as a chubby Filipino American creative on the scene is so important and necessary. Oftentimes queer spaces are taken up by white cis gay men who might have good intentions but still have implicit racial biases that keep marginalized communities excluded socially. What are some of the experiences you’ve had in regards to this topic and how have you dealt with them directly and personally?

Kiko: My representation as a chubby Filipino in the bear community has had its ups and downs. There is always a thin line between feeling unwanted and being fetishized. Sometimes, I feel not as attractive as a chubby and bearded white male, and other times, I feel heavily fetishized and disregarded as an actual person with values and depth.

Gay bear scenes and queer spaces can sometimes feel super dominated by white cis gay guys and there’s no doubt about that. Growing up in the Bay Area, especially coming up during the peak of the hyphy movement with all those rich layers of culture, and then stepping into a bear bar, it sometimes feels like people can’t really pinpoint my background. They might put me in a box or assume I’m acting really hood or ratchet just because they don’t get the full picture of who I am.

Honestly, that used to mess with my head, because deep down, I just wanted to connect and feel like I was a part of my bear community, but I often felt too different or too exotic. It even messed with my creative process sometimes. I’d catch myself stopping myself from making a soulful R&B melody or writing a track a certain way because I’d overthink it and tell myself, “the majority of the bear world isn’t even gonna get the swag/style on this track.”

Like with “Tummy Tuesday” for instance. It started out as a pure R&B / trap soul song, but I actually pivoted the chords to make it more poppy and fun just so it would be more relatable and actually get picked up by the gay bear crowd. But the real turning point was realizing that second guessing myself and chasing instant gratification was actually blocking my own art.

It’s like, if I want to make an R&B hit, I just need to make an R&B hit and stop overthinking it for the masses.

What I’ve realized now is that staying true to myself and putting my authentic self out there is the only way to truly represent gay boys like me. Even if it takes some gay bears a minute to catch on, I think it’s best to keep bringing that true depth and showing all the layers of who I am as a chubby, gay, and swaggy Filipino.

Being my authentic self is true freedom, and hopefully, it will inspire the next brown and chubby gay boy to walk with confidence when stepping into these spaces.

Bryce: Every single song that you touch feels like there’s magic attached to it. The soundscapes you create are phenomenally produced and the lyrics you write feel so easy to connect with. Not to mention, your songs are also quite catchy! How would you describe your music to those who’ve never heard a song of yours before?

Kiko: If someone has never heard my music before, I’d tell them it’s a blend of R&B, pop, reggae, Bay Area hip hop, and soul all filtered through my own life experiences. I grew up around a lot of different sounds, so I’ve never wanted to limit myself to one genre. Every song starts with the emotion first, and then I let the production serve whatever story I’m trying to tell.

Lyrically, I write about connection, identity, vulnerability, confidence, relationships, and the messy yet beautiful parts of being human. Some songs are fun and playful, while others are deeply personal. As a gay Filipino artist, I naturally bring my perspective into my music, but I never want that to be the only thing people hear. I want listeners to recognize themselves in my songs regardless of who they are.

Emotionally, I want my music to feel honest. Whether I’m making someone dance, laugh, cry, flirt, or reflect, I want them to feel like they’re experiencing something real. I think people connect most when an artist isn’t afraid to be authentic. What makes my music unique is that I don’t chase trends. I’m just as involved in producing and writing my records as I am performing them, so every song feels like a genuine extension of who I am.

I also love balancing humor with vulnerability. One moment I can make a record that’s sexy and playful like “Tummy Tuesday,” and the next I can write something introspective that comes from a much deeper place. I don’t believe artists have to stay in one lane.

When people listen to my music, I hope they experience authenticity, memorable melodies, thoughtful production, and a little bit of surprise. I want every release to feel like another chapter of my story while giving listeners permission to embrace more of themselves too.

Bryce: I think people will definitely experience a little bit of everything you just mentioned for sure. Like I said earlier, you make some amazing visuals and music videos. Do you have any plans to release new music soon and will they be accompanied by new visuals?

Kiko: I have a few songs in mind that I plan to start working on as we head into fall, but in the meantime, I plan to make more content for my TikTok and Instagram revolving around my existing music.

It will be a mixture of my creative process, fun performance videos, music videos, and pretty much documenting my music journey as I navigate balancing adult life while getting my music out there.

With each video, I’m figuring out a way to go viral, so I’m in very much an experimental phase regarding how I want to create content. Expect the unexpected, but overall, expect the vibes!

Bryce: This is THEE question I am required to ask everyone I interview, no matter what they do, mainly because I’m always hungry and want to try new things! What are some of your favorite foods, dishes, and restaurants? Give me some recs!

Kiko: My favorite foods usually lean toward Asian cuisines like dim sum (siomai, pork buns), Korean BBQ, sushi, pho, Bánh Mì, and Thai food. My top Filipino dish is called Kare Kare, which is a beef and oxtail peanut stew with bok choy, eggplant, and green beans served over white or garlic rice with a side of shrimp paste. Soooo good!

If there’s one place I recommend checking out here in California for people just starting to explore Filipino food, look for a Jollibee. It’s a Filipino fried chicken spot that was voted one of the top fried chicken spots in America. And make sure to grab the Halo Halo while you’re there, it’s one of my favorite desserts!

Bryce: Outside of being the amazing artist that you are, what are some of your hobbies, favorite pastimes, and travel destinations?

Kiko: Outside of music, I’m a homebody for the most part. I am a super nerd! I spend all my time with my hubby playing video games like Marvel Rivals and Fortnite, and I dive deep into a lot of RPGs and horror games too.

My all time favorite video game series is Kingdom Hearts, and I even have the crown and heart design tattooed on my fingers. When I’m not at home, I’m usually at the local bear bar in San Francisco, so please say hi if you ever run into me!

Bryce: Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me today! Is there anything else you’d like to leave our readers with?

Kiko: To wrap things up, I just want to say a massive thank you to all of the Bear World readers for taking the time to read through my story. Seriously, finding my place in the bear community has been such a transformative chapter of my life, and I am endlessly grateful for the love, support, and genuine friendships I have found here.

If there is one thing I hope you take away from all of this, it’s to just lean fully into your authenticity and never apologize for the unique space you take up in this world. Whether you are chubby, brown, awkward, confident, or still trying to figure it all out, your story matters and your presence is valid.

Keep showing up as your true self, keep celebrating every part of who you are, and let that be your real superpower. I am just getting started on this journey, and it would mean the world to have you follow along as I drop more music, create more content, and share more of my world with you.

No matter what you are going through, keep your head up, stay true to your roots, and know that brighter, louder, and more beautiful things are always ahead. Let us keep growing together!