Like I mentioned in my Kinda Sorta Deep Dive last year, the hurdle keeping me from being as updated in P-pop as I am in K-pop is the lack of a centralized hub for the latest news. Whether that be YouTube or Twitter or a website, unless you actually follow the artist on their own social media, you really wouldn’t know when they were releasing anything new.
Thankfully, that is changing with the launch of Billboard Philippines and also other sites that try to keep everyone updated.
That said, I definitely know I am behind on some P-pop releases from this past year. At least, I could feel it. So today, I decided to check out if some of the artists I’ve listened to and enjoyed in the past have had new releases I may have missed.
“Yayakapin” by Yes My Love
“Light Up” by Yes My Love
I really loved Yes My Love’s debut track “Rhythm” earlier this year. And it’s definitely secured a spot on my year-end favorites list. But I’ve been really out of the loop on their follow-up releases, which is definitely on me. So thank goodness I’ve finally actually used the Googles and learned that they’ve released two new tracks since then. No music videos though, which, come on Cornerstone! These two amazing tracks and no MVs?
Because WOWOWOW. “Yayakapin” and “Light Up” are AMAZING. I’ll start with “Light Up” first which was released on September 30. Though I wish there were more non-English lyrics, the song is still an energetic dance track with a refreshingly optimistic message.
And then there’s “Yayakapin,” which was released last July. Thank goodness I finally listened to this song before finalizing my year-end list. Because hello new entry! This wonderful vibe of a track allows the talented group to show off a more laid-back, softer side of themselves. Especially sandwiched between “Rhythm” and “Light Up”. Very much a modern Filipino pop ballad, it’s just the perfect blend of traditional OPM and the ever growing P-pop genre.
And check out this stripped-down performance too!
I am certainly hoping Cornerstone has them releasing more music soon!
“Dito” by 1st.One
Hello?! 1st.One really had some big tracks. Powerful performances. And very much made a big impact on me. But “Dito” is definitely something different from what I’ve seen from this talented group. This sultry pop/R&B ballad gets all the vibes just right with the group’s smooth vocals matching their smooth moves. An unexpected surprise, but a very welcome one from 1st.One.