Micah "Manaitai" Garrido, prominently known for his 2018 cover of "Inner Voices" by Marianas Homegrown, will be releasing his newest single, "Månnge' Hao," today in celebration of Mes CHamoru.
The Guam-born, Los Angeles–based artist shared, “This song is the very least I can do to honor the village that raised me – both on Guam where I was born, and in St. Louis where I grew up. It’s celebrating the love of your parents, grandparents, your whole familia.”
Written in collaboration with singer/songwriter and CHamoru scholar Andrew Gumataotao, “Månnge’ Hao” draws inspiration from upbeat '70s funk and soul – but at an island pace. With fellow artists Rob Aragón, Jarren Heidelberg, Mike Placencia and Ryan Wixen, the track brings all the looseness of a backyard fiesta jam, Manaitai said.
Manaitai and his band were set to promote the single with a performance at the Chamoru Cultural Festival at Cal State San Marcos near San Diego, California, on March 28. However, because of the restrictions on social gatherings due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event has been canceled. A new tentative date for the event has not been announced.
Following the release of his cover of "Inner Voices" in 2018, The Guam Daily Post had caught up with Manaitai, and one of the questions asked was: How did you come up with your stage name?
"Manaitai is my CHamoru family's clan name," he said. "I've always written music under that name. Because I chose it for myself, I've always found a certain power or freedom to express myself using 'Manaitai.' It's not an alter ego or an identity separate from who I am, just an extension that helps me find the inspiration to make the music I want to make."
The Post again reached out to Manaitai, who shared his vision and plans for the future:
Question: What's the story behind "Mångge' Hao" – is it dedicated to anyone in particular?
Answer: I started getting ideas for “Månnge’ Hao” right after I released the cover of “Inner Voices.” I like to sit with things and tweak them a lot and around the time I was trying to figure out how to say what I wanted to say in CHamoru, I had been listening to the album Hinengge by Patrick Palomo & Tradewinds. On that record I heard Andrew Gumataotao’s voice and was like, "That’s exactly who I need for this." When he sent me back a verse I was blown away and I had to spend a lot more time reworking it so that the musical environment did justice to the beautiful lyrics he had written. “Månnge’ Hao” is dedicated to my family. I was raised by a village – first on Guam, then in the states. I wrote this to try and capture what kind of good that love does for a person. Most importantly, I had to say thank you for that love.
Q: For anyone on Guam who may be looking to take their musical career to the next level, what advice would you give?
A: While I don’t know if I’m in any position to give advice, I’d guess I say just know yourself and know what you want for yourself. “Next level” should be defined by you. So many things that you needed (in the past) – a record label, a management company or a distributor – you can do with just you and your friends. That’s what I do. It’s about setting the goals that you want for yourself and doing the necessary learning to break those goals down to things you can work at every day.
Q: What are your plans for the future? Would you ever consider doing a show on Guam?
A: I only put something out when I feel like it’s the best work I’ve done yet. So my plans are to look for the next song that inspires that feeling in me. As for a show, I’d absolutely love to come back and play. I learned so much the last time I performed on island and I have a lot to learn if I’m going to put together a show the way I’d want to have it done.
Manaitai, an artist, producer and sound engineer with Merizo roots, was raised in St. Louis, Missouri, and pursued music at a young age, and went on to release his debut EP "Modern Sounds" in 2016.
Manaitai's past work includes the score for "Origins" – the entry film at the Senator Antonio M. Palomo Guam Museum & Educational Facility – and the single “She Calls Me the Moon.”
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