Wingspeak is the professional name of emerging Filipino-born and Toronto-based singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Bianca. After years of writing, recording and refining, she made her professional solo recording debut earlier this year with the singles “Unexpected Song” and “Walk on Water.” Those tracks introduced a talented young artist with a sound built on classic singer/songwriter alternative rock.
Bianca was inspired to call her project ‘wingspeak’ by the legendary Irish band The Waterboys’ 1985 hit “The Whole of the Moon.” The name is derived from the line, “I spoke about wings, you just flew.” More than just a nice bit of poetry, the lyric prompted Bianca to stop procrastinating and get her music out into the world.
“College St.” is the debut 5-song EP from wingspeak, released worldwide via all major streaming services on August 12, 2022. The record is a collection of songs the singer wrote from 2013-2019. However, despite the relatively long span of time between compositions there is a cohesive sound and lyrical theme here. This is the story of a young artist finding the courage to shine.
The EP opens on “Center Stage,” a catchy mid-tempo indie-pop track about stepping into the limelight for the first time. Here and throughout the record, Bianca conjures the sound of late 90’s and early 2000s alt-pop. The rolling percussive beat and ringing chords of “Walk on Water” follows with a clever mix of shipwreck metaphors, biblical references and some tasty guitar solos.
“Unexpected Song” is a real highpoint. Recalling the work of alternative heroine Juliana Hatfield, the track pairs an infectious hook with an inspirational ‘carpe diem’ message. Layers of shimmering guitars and smooth vocal harmonies elevate the song’s radio-ready pop vibe. “Into the Void” is a fun rocker with a driving rhythm and cool guitar riff as its melodic anchor. “Between Us” closes the set with a nice mix of modern lo-fi bedroom indie-pop and 90’s college rock.
Check out the “Unexpected Song” video below. You can also hear the track on the Deep Indie Dive playlist, or listen to the entire EP on your favorite streaming service. Follow the links below to connect with wingspeak. Get on her socials and get in the loop on all of the music to come from this multi-talented artist on the rise.
