Filipino Artist ORIGIN Builds Music Career From Discord to Hiroshima

From sketchbooks in Manila to streaming hits in Hiroshima, Yzlvikxen Angkahan—stage name ORIGIN—has turned a Discord chat into a full‑blown music career.

At 27, the Filipino singer‑songwriter lives in Hiroshima, Japan, but his artistic roots lie in visual media. He first made a name for himself as a sketchbook artist and photographer before the COVID‑19 pandemic pushed him toward music.

During lockdown, Angkahan began experimenting with vocal effects on Discord servers. He taught himself the basics of audio mixing from his bedroom, and the first time he heard his voice processed with effects he described the moment as a “boost of confidence” that spurred him to record more.

The moniker ORIGIN emerged from a Discord username inspired by a new pair of shoes he had bought in the “Origin Story” colorway. The name stuck, and he began releasing music under it.

His debut single, “NINETEEN,” was written the day after a heartbreak on 19 May 2022 and launched on Spotify in early 2023. The modest streaming numbers encouraged him to keep dropping singles, including “2021,” “Mirror You,” “Kalamidad” (a collaboration with El Manu), and the recent “maliliit na bagay.”

Production work is largely handled by Carlo Oraya, known online as Corrgtd. ORIGIN credits the producer with shaping his sound from the beginning of their partnership. “All of my songs are collaborative work and I’m very hands on with the process,” he told Rappler, noting that Corrgtd “trusted me since day 1” when he only had two songs.

Lyrically, ORIGIN focuses on nostalgia and the small details of everyday life. He describes himself as a storyteller who blends reality and imagination. In “Distraction,” for example, he reflects on a fleeting conversation that left him feeling like a distraction, preferring simple, direct language over flowery phrasing.

He also shares his experience with vitiligo, a skin condition that causes depigmented patches. Early attempts to conceal the spots gave way to embracing them, which he says has increased his self‑confidence. The cover art for “EARLY SLEEPER” shows his full face—a decision that met with acceptance from listeners.

ORIGIN’s production process relies on a digital audio workstation, which he learned while experimenting with vocal effects on Discord. He has described mixing as a learning curve he navigated independently. His releases are distributed through Spotify, where listeners can stream his catalog.

The artist’s journey illustrates several broader industry trends. First, the pandemic accelerated the use of online communities such as Discord for music collaboration and discovery. Second, self‑production and self‑release on streaming platforms like Spotify have become viable paths for independent creators. Third, personal authenticity—whether through storytelling or visual presentation—continues to resonate with audiences in the creator economy.

As of July 2026, ORIGIN has released multiple singles and continues to write and record new material. He has expressed a long‑term goal of becoming one of the Philippines’ leading songwriters, a target he believes is attainable with continued collaboration and confidence in his craft.