How a chance Reddit connection turned into a beautiful duet

Katrina Rivera has always had music running through her veins. With a love for both singing and reading, she's juggled between musical and literary hobbies growing up. It was during the pandemic, however, that she began to take these passions more seriously, creating a unique process where her lyrical prowess and musicality meet. Her voice, once trained for classical and Broadway, finally ushered her to tell stories she had long kept.

It was in her collaborations that Rivera's artistry stood out. Her early work, 2023's "Lovely", was a labor of love with her college best friend, Mei Lee. The pair named their tandem Innsaei, Lee's favorite word that means "intuition" in Icelandic.

But it was Katrina and her cousin Sabrina Carpio's work on "Sabi Mo", their debut single as Bri & Ina, that unfolded in an unexpected way. This time, the singer found herself collaborating with another artist, Raf Mariano, whom she met through Reddit. Though they were strangers at first, their musical chemistry was undeniable. Rivera recalls how, after connecting, they worked together through Meadowlark Productions to record the track. "I met a male singer through Reddit, Raf Mariano," she says, adding, "We worked with Meadowlark Productions as he was the sound engineer and producer. The sessionist, Brennan Ng, reimagined the guitars and bass."

The song, written by Sabrina, carries a subtle but thought-provoking message about empty promises. While it's woven into what sounds like a sad love song, it's actually a reflection of the disconnect between political promises and actual action. "Kaya 'wag na, 'wag na, 'wag nang iisipin / 'Wag na, 'wag na, 'wag alalahanin / Limutin na'ng lahat / Ng mga salita / Na 'di ko naman natupad," the chorus goes. Rivera shares, "[Sabrina] showed me some lyrics she was working on. Seeing that ['Sabi Mo'] had potential, I started creating the guitar chords and melody for the song," admitting she and Bri only completed the chorus after listening to The Itchyworms' "Di Na Muli", a song written by drummer Jazz Nicolas, a relative.

What began as a random online encounter blossomed into a beautiful male-female duet, with "Sabi Mo" taking on a life of its own. This is the magic that happens when artists come together, even across virtual spaces. Right here is a story that makes music in the digital age worth pursuing.

Listen to "Sabi Mo" below.

Sam Corrazza

Sam is a mediocre artist, musician, and the founder and editor in chief of UNXIGNED. He is a Juris Doctor who leads an excitingly boring life in the confines of his room juggling studies with passion and dreams. He is terrible at finding balance but gets by anyhow. He wants you to follow his artist pages and channels for when he decides to up his game. Pretty open for collabs and will mix your would-be hit song for cheap.