FROM HERE: YORP

YORP did not start out knowing exactly what they wanted to become. Like a lot of young bands, they started with friends, a shared love for music, and a willingness to make a little noise.

For Miles Borja and Louis Cataluna, that began with a shared interest in rock music. Inspired by bands like Nirvana and Green Day, the two eventually found themselves performing together at a middle school talent show. Miles, Louis, and Miles’ cousin on bass took the stage for what would become their first performance.

According to Miles, it went “super bad.”

It would also be the beginning of YORP.

As they moved into high school, Ed Diaz joined the group as their bassist. Getting everyone on the same page wasn't easy at first. Ed remembers having to figure out how to play together and stay in sync, but he also understood that this was simply part of learning how to make music as a band.

At the time, their biggest opportunities to perform came from school pep rallies. For Miles, however, those performances became more than just a chance to play. He noticed that the same types of performances—dance groups and singers—were often featured, and he wanted to bring something different to the stage.

Then came YORP.

Before joining the band, Jerick Quimzon was one of the people watching from the audience. He remembers seeing Miles, Louis, and Ed perform with the help of some of their friends. They wore face paint and masks and incorporated unusual props, including trash cans and propane tanks.

Jerick described it as “just noise.”

But it was different.

And that difference was what caught his attention.

Their classmates may have been a little freaked out, but the band also found support from people who connected with what they were trying to do. For YORP, that support mattered. They were beginning to realize that there was an audience for something outside of the usual.

Eventually, the band's sound began to change.

Late in high school, YORP started experimenting with indie rock, a “total 180” from what they had been doing before. Artists like Boy Pablo, Rex Orange County, and Phum Viphurit became influences as they began working on their own original music.

The new sound brought them onto bigger stages, including Tinian Pika Fest. Jerick happened to be in the audience again. This time, instead of simply watching, he reached out to the band about joining.

That message eventually brought the four members of YORP together.

For them, being a band isn't just about making music. A big part of what keeps them together is friendship.

When asked what keeps the group on the same page, Miles puts it simply: “It’s the fact that we’re all buddies.”

That friendship has become part of the band's identity. Rather than treating one another simply as musicians or collaborators, they focus on building a relationship with each other first. The music comes from that connection.

As YORP continued playing, they began thinking about something bigger than their own performances. They wanted to help create a music scene where other local artists could have a place to perform too.

That idea led to their first house show.

It didn't go exactly as planned.

Their first self-produced show fell short of what they had hoped for, forcing them to step back and figure out what they could do differently. Their later shows, however, were much more successful than they anticipated. Some even became fundraisers to help support opportunities for the band to perform in Fairfax, Virginia, where their drummer Louis now lives.

When they brought those experiences back to Saipan, they began recreating that same energy at home.

Today, YORP blends indie rock with hardcore metal, bringing a different kind of energy to their performances. Their shows aren't meant to be something the audience simply watches. The audience becomes part of them.

People dance. Mosh pits form. The room moves with the music.

For Miles, those mosh pits are more than just people throwing themselves around in a crowd. He sees them as an outlet for people carrying emotions, they may not otherwise have a place to release.

“We’re glad that people are receptive towards it, even if it is a niche community,” the band says.

That community has continued to grow.

YORP has hosted a Halloween House Show and a release show for their song “Striped Bikini,” while also giving other local bands and artists an opportunity to share the stage. They've performed at events such as the NMC SBDC Halloween Marketplace and the NoBida Relief Shows, which supported disaster relief efforts following Super Typhoon Sinlaku.

For a band that once depended on school pep rallies to find an audience, creating their own spaces has become an important part of what they do.

And perhaps the best way to describe YORP's approach comes from Ed:

“We just do what we want to do.”

There isn't much pretense behind it. They aren't trying to make themselves fit into a particular mold. They make the music they want to make, perform the way they want to perform, and take opportunities when they come.

At the same time, they recognize that opportunities for local musicians can be limited. Instead of waiting for someone else to build a space for them, they've started building one themselves.

Now, the band is focused on refining its original music for a six-song EP. It's another step forward for a group that has already gone through several different versions of itself—from a middle school talent show to larger stages, house shows, and performances outside the Marianas.

But no matter where the music takes them, where they come from remains important.

When asked what “From Here” means to them, the answer is simple: it represents where they are from.

YORP has played both locally and internationally, but the Marianas remain part of their identity. They want to represent where they came from because, as they see it, your home follows you wherever you go.

For anyone thinking about starting a band or pursuing music, Miles has straightforward advice:

“You just got to do it.”

There have been moments when YORP found themselves at a standstill. There have been performances that didn't go according to plan. But they never let those moments become an excuse to stop doing what they love.

Now, they hope the next generation of local musicians does the same.

Whether someone starts by writing original music or simply playing covers, YORP wants to see artists grow into musicians who can find their own sound.

Most importantly, they hope those artists continue to represent the CNMI wholeheartedly.

YORP started with a bad talent show performance and a few friends making noise.

They're still making noise.

Only now, they're making room for others to make it with them.