SASSA Gurl has taken the internet by storm after dropping her second single, Maria Hiwaga. Why is it so popular? Because it sounds absolutely nothing like her.
Released last June, Maria Hiwaga is a smooth hip-hop song that, for the lack of a better description, gives off major straight-guy vibes reminiscent of the music of Al James or Because, and not of the TikToker who many have come to know through her funny, relatable skits.
The song talks about Sassa’s constant search and love for “Maria Hiwaga,” which, of course, is a code name for something that we all know. Sassa’s image is far from wholesome based on the content she posts on TikTok, but this song is a whole new level – an added layer – to what she can do.
It also shows Sassa trying new things, exploring what she could do.
“Frustration ko maging artist, frustration ko maging singer,” she said as she discussed her most recent feat.
With the transgender icon Sassa Gurl, the surprises never seem to stop coming.
A new side to Sassa Gurl
Last July 14, Sassa performed her single for DOUGBROCK TV, a media outlet that posts about entertainment and music trends, including Filipino hip-hop. This took place on its show Soundtrip, which often holds live music performances of different Filipino musicians from a variety of genres.
She also did an interview with entrepreneur Douglas Brocklehurst for the 99th episode of DOUGBROCK Radio, a podcast that often features people from the underground music scene, mainstream rap, and hip-hop, as well as urban fashion trailblazers.
In the interview, Sassa shared that she was always drawn to hip-hop as a child.
“Yung mga tropa ko dati mga lalaki din, tapos nakaka-relate ako kasi galing ako sa kanal, galing ako sa mga kalye, sa mga skwala,” she said.
She looks at her latest single as a parody of toxic masculine culture. She purposely added sexual, objectifying lyrics as a means of satirizing the genre as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, which often falls victim to the very straight men that either make or listen to this kind of music.
Through her song, she hopes to express the idea that both hyper-femininity and masculinity are able to co-exist in one space. She also aims to shine a light on her perspective of the Filipino rap and hip-hop community as a transgender woman, especially given that it’s a space filled with straight males.
The making of her music has helped her to better embrace her masculinity, realizing that it’s not a bad thing to be masculine even as a transgender woman.
The two-hour episode also tackled Sassa’s life in a low-income community as well as how she managed to attain success through her content.
Not her first rodeo
From TikTok comedian to singer to calendar model, it seems like Sassa’s done it all. In fact, Maria Hiwaga isn’t her first song; back in 2023, she released Lagot!
Her song is something more predictable given Sassa’s image, with the single’s cover photo showing her dressed in gorgeous drag, and with her lyrics referring to herself as everyone’s mima and joking about jejemon culture in the Philippines.
Meanwhile, Maria Hiwaga is the opposite. But that’s exactly what it’s meant to be given that it’s intended to satirize the Filipino hip-hop genre. Through this song, Sassa hopes to give a voice to those like her who feel the same way about the community.
But whether she is singing about slaying in her makeup, looking beautiful at an inuman session with only 20 pesos in her pocket, enjoying a good smoke, having sex, or hiding from the police, Sassa puts her all into it.
As she said, she’s just happy that she’s able to do her art.
