Ben&Ben’s song ‘Lunod’ helped them overcome heavy thoughts
People hold on to different memorabilia as a reminder of important experiences in their lives. When it comes to Ben&Ben, the local folk-pop outfit’s songs are the ultimate keepsakes that help them look back on their journey together.
During an exclusive interview with We The Pvblic, the band talked about their music during the earlier years of their career up to creating some songs for their sophomore album Pebble House Vol. 1: Kuwaderno.
Kathang Isip
Lead vocalist Paolo Benjamin Guico explained how Kathang Isip was one of the tracks that opened doors for them. He shared, ‘We’re really grateful for that song kasi it really started taking us places.’
‘I can remember the first time na the people who watched us sa Route 196 sang the lyrics back to us,’ Paolo continued. He recalled how seeing the response from the audience felt surreal since they knew that their sound and image weren’t like other typical bands that Filipinos expect in the OPM scene.
Maybe The Night
Another song from their early beginnings was Maybe The Night, which they described as the “first baby of the band”. Before the world got to hear it, they actually had quite a challenging time recording it. Keyboardist Pat Lasaten shared, ‘Ang naaalala ko diyan, nag puyat tayo sa studio.’
The whole band had to drive all the way to a recording studio in Marikina since the one they usually went to was already closed. They started recording from 10 pm until 7 am, and they gave up sleep since some of them had school and others had day jobs at that time.
Pagtingin
A few years passed by and Ben&Ben still delivered hit songs like Pagtingin, a track they wrote in only 20 minutes. It also became an integral part of LSS, a movie that premiered in 2019 starring Gabbi Garcia and Khalil Ramos. It follows an aspiring musician and a guy who met as they follow an upcoming indie-folk band.
Leaves
Another OG track called Leaves was a song that gradually blew up even more in 2020 when it was streamed by various fandoms and K-Pop groups. It also unexpectedly led the band to an international collaboration with K-Pop outfit Day6’s member Young K. They recorded a remake of the 2017 single earlier this year.
Kapangyarihan
Ben&Ben also mentioned memories from making their more recent songs including a powerful track called Kapangyarihan. Bassist Agnes Reoma shared that they had a blast collaborating with SB19, who only wrote their part of the song for 30 minutes.
Upuan
On the other hand, Paolo revealed that they enjoyed creating Upuan’s music video despite being shot amid the time where COVID-19 cases were on the rise. Their ‘Pebble’ house was transformed into a makeshift classroom for the shoot to push through. He added that Donny Pangilinan and Belle Mariano had an undeniable chemistry that helped helm the video.
Lunod
The nine-piece collective didn’t forget to talk about their latest single Lunod and how it was written at a time where things felt heavy. Paolo shared, ‘Lunod was one of the ways we were able to rise above those heavy feelings and thoughts.’
‘It’s a song that dwells on anxiety specifically kaya nung simula ng song, parang it really describes how it feels like at tyaka how other people perceive it,’ he added. ‘Some think it’s just “arte” o kaya it’s not something to be taken seriously even though we’ve gone a long way.’
The last line of the song goes ‘Di na muling malulunod pa, which aims to give hope that the listeners will find a way to rise above it. Paolo added, ‘So that’s basically the assurance na somehow eventually makaka ahon din.’
All the songs that Ben&Ben talked about during the interview, along with the many other fan-favorite tracks, surely made a mark on their fans a.k.a. ‘Liwanags’. If reading this made you miss hearing them live, don’t miss out on their virtual concert which happens to be the biggest headline show of their career.
Kuwaderno: A Ben&Ben Online Concert will be staged at the SMART Araneta Coliseum, where they will integrate creative disciplines such as drama, dance, orchestra, and technology with a live performance. You can stream it live on December 5 via the digital streaming platform KTX.ph. Tickets are available to purchase here.
Banner edited by Bea Zaragoza
The post <b> Ben&Ben’s song ‘Lunod’ helped them overcome heavy thoughts </b> appeared first on WE THE PVBLIC.
Source: we the pvblic
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