How does music strengthen organizing and progressive movements in the Philippines? How does politically driven music shape public awareness of social issues—and how do artists craft and communicate those messages through their lyrics and intent?
Those are some of the questions that University of Michigan student Lukas Nepomuceno, winner of the 2026 Raoul Wallenberg Fellowship , wants to soon answer.
"Music can be quite an abstract theme, but there are also material conditions that shape its production and creation," he said. "Given the country's immense cultural diversity, there are so many voices and so much music that remain unheard in the Philippines. I recognize the technology gap there and want to pay close attention to those material realities. I hope to contribute to a society that truly provides its artists with the resources and support needed to bring that music to life."
Born and raised in San Diego, Nepomuceno is majoring in music and technology. He was always immersed in music, taking classical piano lessons at an early age. In high school, he learned jazz and began composing electronic songs. This motivated his application to U-M's Performing Arts Technology program.
"My journey at U-M has helped me grow so much," Nepomuceno said. "The community I have found here, especially in the Filipino American Student Association, has been one of the most important things to me in the past years, in terms of identity, organizing, education and culture."
Chasing the soundtrack of change
Although Filipino, Nepomuceno said he was not deeply connected to his heritage or to issues in the Philippines. During COVID, he enrolled in an online ethnic studies class. It was his first introduction to a culturally relevant education.
"I began to learn how migrants, including Filipino migrants, have been historically commodified, exploited and controlled under U.S. policy and laws," he said. "I then noticed issues going on there and sought more political education throughout college. I found so much community in organizations full of passionate and curious youth like me.
"I started to understand more deeply the root problems that created the conditions for our families to migrate here and therefore also how much must be fought for to genuinely address them."
Nepomuceno's trip to the Philippines last summer changed how he understands the country's past and present problems. He realized those issues are closely tied to identity struggles experienced by Filipino youth who grew up in the U.S.
"I realized a lot of my personal and professional goals necessitated going back to the Philippines to gain an even deeper understanding of its conditions, its culture and its people," he said.
"This fellowship stood out to me as that opportunity to unite so many different aspects of my life: music, language, community, politics, history and so much more. Especially watching many emerging movements against corruption being led by the youth in the past year. It felt like a genuine way to follow the momentum, to both learn from and contribute to it."
Where songs become strategy
Nepomuceno will graduate from U-M's School of Music, Theatre and Dance this May and will return to the Philippines in August for about a year.
Honoring Wallenberg, a noted U-M alumnus and World War II diplomat who helped save tens of thousands of Jews during the Holocaust, the fellowship provides $25,000 for an independent learning or exploration project anywhere in the world during the year after graduation.
"Under a transnational moment of protests sparked by anti-corruption ideals and youth leadership, I will examine how progressive movements in the Philippines use music to empower communities," Nepomuceno said. "So, I will travel to several regions where modern, cultural and folk styles of the Philippines uniquely blend.
"There, I will strengthen my understanding of art's role in the movement by learning from past and current artists. Working alongside grassroots music-making collectives, I aim to co-build workshops and research that identify and rectify the material limitations to this participation."
Nepomuceno wants to make an album about his journey in the Philippines, sharing the stories of the people and artists he meets along the way.
"These could be from recording sessions covering existing protest songs along with new material from collaboration, as a case study and product of my own research," he said. "The album will be supplemented by clips from interviews and field recordings. Because my focus is on sharing the stories of each artist and collaborator with the broader Filipino diaspora, I will ensure they are properly credited in accordance with each collaborator's wishes."