““Mahal Kita” means “I love you” in Tagalog, one of the languages spoken in the Philippines. The phrase “Mahal Kita” as well as the other words featured in this piece were among the first Tagalog words that I learned. I have long regretted not completely learning Tagalog when I was growing up, as it is the primary language of the members of my family that live in the Philippines as well as many other members of the Filipino community. In fact, most of my family currently lives in the Philippines, and without knowing Tagalog, there is an intimidating barrier of communication between us. Not knowing Tagalog has also been a source of dissonance regarding my identity as a Filipino-American, as I sometimes find myself questioning if I could even call myself a Filipino if I did not know any Philippine language.

This piece, Mahal Kita, is a sonic exploration of the repetitive — and often frustrating — experience of learning a new language as an adult, and the desperation to communicate with the ones you care about.”

—AJ Francisco