COS top and shoes, BAGASAO trousers. Photographed by Karl King Aguña
For Vogue Spotlight, Filipino-American choreographer and musician Brian Puspos talks to Vogue Philippines about dancing as his destiny, Filipino pride, and his new musical endeavors.
The excitement bubbles to the surface when Brian Puspos walks into the studio. He’s recognizable to some members of the Vogue Philippines team who grew up watching him on YouTube in the 2010s, his dances inspiring various dance competitions, TV productions, and even family gathering performances. Between layouts, Brian is just your average kuya: he maintains a relaxed demeanor, chatting about watching anime in his downtime, navigating career changes as a choreographer-turned-musician, and representing his Filipino culture and heritage.
Thirteen years ago, Brian posted his most popular video, a choreographed dance to “Wet the Bed” by Chris Brown, and by now, it’s amassed over ten million views. More recently, he reaffirms his dance acumen as a dance coach and mentor, a choreographer for BTS’ Jungkook, and dances in his own music videos. When asked if there was an alternate universe where he wasn’t a dancer, he shared, “I wanted to be a firefighter… or to be someone in the military. Just something macho.” While he cheekily notes that his wife might laugh at these alternate career choices, “it would always involve bettering people’s lives.”
He grew up surrounded by performers; his parents were competitive ballroom dancers, and their entire family sang. The choreographer alludes to this outcome common to every Filipino family, playfully referring to his own as ‘kind of like a Filipino Jackson 5.’ “Coming home to the Philippines,” he fondly recalled, “every party has karaoke, and some type of performance is always happening.”
When they moved to Houston, their family was heavily involved in the Filipino community. Brian’s father had started a talent show for Filipino families, where he started performing to music by Britney Spears, Michael Jackson, and Usher. “I’m very proud as a son of someone who was a leader in a community for people who looked like me,” he says. “For my dad to give me an outlet to perform, to dance and sing, is the reason why I’m here today.”
Brian admitted that pursuing this dream wasn’t without its challenges. Surprisingly, the initial pushback came from his family, who wanted him to pursue a career as a nurse. The performer in him persevered, despite lacking a template for his desired career path. Puspos not only continued to hone his skill, but also grew his network. He’s in good company with his collaborators, notably producer August Rigo and global musical artist Jungkook, choreographing and dancing with the artist last year. “Jungkook said, ‘I want you to dance with me’, and that’s something I don’t do. I only supply the moves for the dancers. Jungkook came in and released me from all my [doubtful] thoughts.” Puspos said the experience of doing this with Jungkook made him fall in love with dance all over again. “I was replenished to tackle the world with new inspiration and motivation,” Puspos says.
Now, with two decades of experience as a choreographer, Puspos is diving deeper into the music scene with his R&B sound. Influenced by artists such as Usher, Chris Brown, and Boyz II Men, he is carving out his space in the genre alongside Rigo. “We both share that chip on our shoulder as Filipino underdogs in the R&B space,” he shares.
His latest album Cherry Mansion takes listeners on a metaphorical tour through the rooms of a mansion, with each one representing a different chapter of his love life. The album, which started taking form in 2018, saw delays due to the pandemic, but this only gave him the time to evolve. “It allowed us to relook at the project and make it better,” he reflects. Tracks like “Body 2 Body” and “Ocean Blue” showcase his passion for both music and choreography, with the latter offering a vulnerable look into his relationship with his wife.
For Puspos, it was always important to uphold his heritage throughout his journey. “I know how to move forward because I know who I really am and where my blood is from,” he says. “I’m trying to represent dance and my art at a high level, but first, I want people to know that I am Filipino. I wear it on my body 24/7.” Puspos shares the stories about some of his tattoos, with ‘Family First’ tattooed on his finger, and a sleeve that represents his family and heritage. “The industry might see it as a disadvantage, but I think it’s an advantage. I think it’s safe to say that Filipinos are the best performers and the best dancers in the world. What’s not to be proud of that?”
He stays deeply passionate about staying grounded and appreciating the present. “One day, my dancing legs won’t be there… I just want to cherish these times while I still can.”
By CELINE LAGUNDI. Photography by KARL KING AGUÑA. Videography by KIM SANTOS of KLIQ. Managing Editor: Jacs Sampayan. Styling by Neil de Guzman. Art Direction by Bea Lu. Grooming by Luis Bunag of MAC Cosmetics PH. Produced by Bianca Zaragoza. Digital Associate Editor: Chelsea Sarabia. Senior Multimedia Artist: Gabbi Constantino. Multimedia Artist: Tinkerbell Poblete. Digital Multimedia Artist: Myc Priestley. Photographer’s Assistants: Jyllan Bitalac, Sherie Bolo, Ruby Pedregosa. Digital Content Writer: Daphne Sagun.
