After two decades as a singer-songwriter, Armi Millare thinks the biggest reward is to just enjoy the music.
It is evident in the way she easily vibed with the crowd during her live performance for Jameson Distillery On Tour held at BGC High Street in Taguig City on December 13, 2026.
She started her set with her new singles "Whatever" and "Say It Again."
Then Armi thrilled the crowd with a fresh sound of "Oo," "Tadhana," and "Indak," which are some of her anthemic songs with former indie rock band UDD (Up Dharma Down).
Armi had been with UDD for 17 years before she left the band in 2021.
She has since turned a new leaf as a solo artist. At the Jameson event, Armi was accompanied by her new bandmates Patrick, Josh, and Drew.
In an interview with PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) and Philippine Daily Inquirer backstage, Armi explained her mindset about her craft.
"I realized there are no rewards. The music is the reward. And if you live by those standards, I think you'll have a good time," she began.
Armi went on to say that having the right attitude goes hand in hand with talent for a singer to last in the business.
Elaborating: "Music industry is such a challenging animal to deal with. I've read this somewhere, parang the artists that make it are the ones who stayed.
"So, you know, you could be ignored. Your single could be a flop. And the moment you walk out is when you lose.
"So when you stay, it's basically a win and you just, you kind of wait it out whether or not you get exactly what you want. You'll never know if you will because if you leave then that's it, right?"
Referring to newbie singers, she added that they should be in it for the long haul.
"So I think it's kind of like making sure you really wanna do this because it's a very challenging industry. So don't forget to have fun."
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NEW ARRANGEMENT TO HER HIT SONGS
When asked what prompted her to render a jazzier arrangement when she performed Oo and Tadhana, Armi explained that it's something she plays with organically.
"I'm always the kind of person who's open to new things. So to be able to nail that new version, I guess, is something I also didn't expect.
"In fact, the day that we finished that one, I was so surprised that it could still, you know, we could still do something different. Because I've been singing that song for, like, what, 17 years? Not to carbon date myself, but it's been, you know..."
Referring to exploring new sounds with her new bandmates, Armi pointed out, "So it was also a fun coincidence for the band to get together and do that. I'm willing to try and do different things if I need to."
In her recent IG post, Armi shared that she also made a new arrangement for UDD's "Sana," which she wrote in 2007 and released in 2013.
She described it as her "most favorite of all the songs I've written."
Explaining why it's closest to her heart, she told PEP: "It was one of those songs that I didn't think, didn't feel like I wrote it.
"Like when it happened, the words just came out. And when I finished the song I was like, 'Are you sure this is me?'
"Parang, I don't know, maybe circumstance or it really tapped into like the deep recesses of my mind, if you will."
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ARMI MILLARE'S PROCESS IN COMPOSING SONGS
Which comes first when she's writing a new song, the melody or the lyrics?
Armi answered, "There are certain vocal lines that I just naturally come up with."
She pointed out that for her heartbreaking songs like "Indak," it doesn't necessarily come from personal experience.
But she underlined that giving birth to a song remains to be a intimate process for her.
"'Cause even with just two lines of a song, it's already a universe on its own.
"So if you're moved by that, those two lines can be for... It's like extending the empathy to someone who's been through it.
"But you also feel it twice as much because you felt it and then you hear about someone else going through it. Parang the impact is twice."
For her 2024 single "Whatever," she cited how it's more of a collaborative experience with Norwegian neo soul band D'Sound.
"But for that particular song, it was the music that came first.
"And then I co-wrote that with producers from Oslo, the guys from D'Sound. So there's Kim and Johnny, and then there was me and then Bernie.
"But that song took so long. We thought we were finished with it, but like, we kept on, like, throwing the files back and forth.
"Parang, 'No, we should do this or we should add that.' So yeah."
How does she choose the people she collaborates with?
"It varies really. Sometimes you get a call, and sometimes you hang out with someone and then you feel like, 'Hey, wait a minute.'"
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NEW BANDMATES
Pointing out her new bandmates, Armi added, "And by artists, it's very broad because, you know, in this band that we have, it is already five members.
"So I wanted something like classical guitar, so Patrick's there, you know. I wanted a really soulful bass, so we got Josh to do it. Drew, the drummer, is from a metal band actually.
"So parang it really depends. Masaya yun kasi parang you're not the same and you make it work."