Today we’d like to introduce you to Alyssa Patalinghug.
Hi Alyssa, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
JAGMAC’s journey began many years ago with something very simple and very personal: a song we wrote for our dad’s 40th birthday. As a surprise, we all came together and performed it for him, and he was completely shocked—not only by the surprise, but by the potential he saw in us as a group. That moment became the beginning of something we never could have imagined.
From there, we connected with a local producer and began writing and recording our first EP. We started performing wherever we could—at churches, schools, festivals, community events, and local venues—and we simply never stopped. As we continued making music and performing, we grew as artists, musicians, writers, and performers, and what started as a family surprise became a lifelong journey.
Over the years, we’ve been incredibly blessed with opportunities that have taken us far beyond our hometown. We’ve toured throughout the UK with Little Mix, performed and toured in the Philippines, and later toured across the United States with a boy band. We were also named Radio Disney’s Next Big Thing in 2018 and had the opportunity to tour with In Real Life. One of our biggest milestones was creating and releasing our own full-length album, which we wrote and recorded alongside some of the industry’s most talented professional songwriters and producers.
There have been so many incredible experiences along the way, and we’re genuinely grateful for every one of them. Most importantly, we’ve been able to experience all of this together as a family, which is something we never take for granted.
We’re still just getting started. We recently released a new single, “It’s About Time” and have been so encouraged by the response we’ve received. We’re excited to continue creating, performing, and growing as artists—and most of all, to keep making music together as a family. That’s what makes this journey so special to us.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has definitely not been a completely smooth road, but every challenge has helped shape us as artists and as a family. One of the biggest struggles has been learning how to balance our personal relationships with the demands of working together professionally. Because we are siblings, we know each other extremely well, which can be a strength, but it can also make disagreements more intense. We’ve had to learn how to communicate honestly, respect one another’s perspectives, and separate family issues from business decisions.
The music industry itself has also presented many challenges. There have been periods of uncertainty, changes in direction, missed opportunities, and times when we had to work harder than ever without knowing exactly what would come next. Touring can be physically and emotionally demanding, especially when you’re constantly traveling, performing, creating, and trying to stay connected with the people you love. We’ve also had to navigate the pressure of staying relevant, continuing to grow, and finding our identity as artists in an industry that is always changing.
There have been moments when we questioned whether we should continue, but our love for music and our belief in what we’re building together have always brought us back. We’ve learned that success is not always immediate or easy, and that progress can look different from what you originally imagined. The setbacks have taught us patience, resilience, and the importance of continuing to show up.
Through it all, being a family has been our greatest source of strength. We support one another, celebrate each other’s accomplishments, and remind each other why we started in the first place. The road has had its challenges, but those experiences have made us stronger, more united, and more grateful for every opportunity we receive.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
JAGMAC is a family music group made up of six siblings, and at the heart of what we do is our love for music, performance, and creating together. We’re singers, songwriters, musicians, and performers, and we’ve always been very involved in the creative process—from writing and arranging our music to recording and developing our live performances.
We’ve grown up performing together, so one of the things we’re known for is our chemistry onstage. There’s something really special about being able to perform with your family because there’s an unspoken connection that comes from growing up together and knowing each other so well. We love creating high-energy performances that bring people together, while also putting a lot of emphasis on the storytelling and emotion behind our music.
Another huge part of what makes JAGMAC different is that all six of us are accomplished martial artists and world champions. Martial arts has been a major part of our lives and has shaped us far beyond competition. It has taught us discipline, focus, perseverance, mental toughness, and the determination to keep going even when things get difficult. Those qualities have naturally carried over into our music career.
It also adds a really unique physical element to our performances. We incorporate martial arts into our choreography, music videos, and live demonstrations, sometimes combining martial arts with dance, music, and acrobatics. It’s a part of our identity that audiences don’t necessarily expect when they first see us, and it gives our performances a different kind of energy and “wow” factor. We love being able to combine two worlds that are so important to us—music and martial arts—and turn them into one experience.
I think what sets us apart most is that we’re not just a group—we’re a family. We’ve been on this journey together for so many years, and we’ve experienced the highs and lows of the music industry side by side. Between music and martial arts, we’ve learned what it means to work hard as a team, push through challenges, and constantly strive to become better.
One of the things we’re most proud of is how far we’ve come while staying true to who we are. We’ve had the opportunity to tour internationally, perform across the United States and the Philippines, work with incredible writers and producers, release our own music, and compete and succeed at the highest levels in martial arts. But honestly, I think what makes us most proud is that after all these years, we’re still doing it together.
We’re constantly learning, evolving, and finding new ways to express ourselves creatively. We’re excited about this next chapter of JAGMAC and continuing to create music and performances that reflect who we are. Ultimately, we hope our story encourages other people to pursue their passions, embrace what makes them unique, and never give up on their dreams.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
I think over the next 5 to 10 years, the music industry is going to become even more centered around authenticity, technology, and the overall experience an artist can create for their audience.
Streaming and social media have already completely changed how people discover music, but I think we’re going to see that become even more important. Artists won’t necessarily have to rely on traditional gatekeepers to reach an audience. With platforms like TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and whatever comes next, artists can build their own communities and connect directly with fans around the world. At the same time, I think that will make it even harder to stand out, because there is going to be so much content competing for people’s attention.
AI is obviously going to be one of the biggest changes. We think it can be an incredible tool when it helps artists create, experiment, and bring ideas to life, but we also believe the human element is going to become even more valuable. There’s something about real voices, real musicians, real relationships, and real experiences that technology can’t completely replace. In fact, as AI-generated content becomes more common, we think audiences may actually gravitate more toward artists who feel genuinely human and authentic.
We also think live performance is going to become increasingly important. People don’t just want to hear a song anymore—they want an experience. They want something they can see, feel, and remember. That’s something that really resonates with us as JAGMAC because we’ve always been about combining music, choreography, martial arts, and entertainment into one experience. We’re all accomplished martial artists and world champions, so that physicality and discipline are naturally part of who we are as performers. We can incorporate that into our demonstrations, our music, and our live shows in a way that makes JAGMAC different from a traditional musical group.
Another interesting shift is that we think artists are going to continue becoming their own brands and businesses. The lines between musician, entertainer, creator, entrepreneur, and content creator are becoming increasingly blurred. We think the artists who understand how to create a strong identity and genuine relationship with their audience—not just release songs—will have a huge advantage.
Ultimately, we think the future is going to belong to artists who can combine technology with something technology can’t manufacture: personality, emotion, connection, and a story people can believe in. That’s something we’re really excited about because JAGMAC has always been about more than just the music. We’re a family, we’re performers, we’re martial artists, and we’re entertainers, and we think that kind of multidimensional identity is going to become even more valuable in the next generation of the industry.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jagmacmusic.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jagmacmusic
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1YKE8CW8gF/
- Twitter: https://x.com/jagmacmusic
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@jagmac
- Other: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/jagmac/its-about-time/
