Some songs take years to find their audience. Others arrive at exactly the right time and eventually become the songs that last for a generation. In the local music scene, several indie and alternative acts have found their way into the mainstream through a combination of word of mouth, streaming, and a second life online. From Ben&Ben’s layered harmonies in “Kathang Isip” to UDD’s cold, intimate “Tadhana,” these songs helped acts reach audiences far beyond the indie circuit.
Some of these breakthroughs happened long after their initial release. Toneejay’s “711” found a new audience through TikTok, while December Avenue’s “Sleep Tonight” and I Belong to the Zoo’s “Sana” became early breakthrough songs for their respective acts.
Here are six songs that helped push their artists into or closer to the mainstream.
Ben&Ben, ‘Kathang Isip’
Ben&Ben’s “Kathang Isip” was one of the songs that turned the promising nine-piece folk-pop act into one of OPM’s biggest names in the late 2010s. Its appeal is thanks in no small part to Miguel and Paolo Benjamin’s voices complementing each other smoothly.
Additionally, the lyrics about a failed relationship were right when “hugot” was a buzzword in 2017. The arrangement also leaves room for the rest of the band to shine, with its wide mix of guitars, percussion, and other instruments giving the song a fuller sound than the usual acoustic folk setup.
Shirebound, ‘Waltz of the Four Left Feet’
Shirebound’s “Waltz of the Four Left Feet” is the best example of a masterclass in sentimental songwriting. In the single, Shirebound takes his time before arriving at its emotional bridge, “Sapat na sa akin / Hindi na aamin / Hindi na aasang / Ako’y liligaya.”
“Waltz of the Four Left Feet” earned the solo folk artist a cult following with its understated folktronica synth arrangement that lets the songwriting take the front seat and melodies and lyrics that give yearning somewhere to go.
UDD, ‘Tadhana’
Written by former vocalist Armi Millare high in Mt. Sto. Tomas, Benguet, UDD’s “Tadhana” embodies an atmosphere that is inseparable from its surroundings. Millare even recorded its vocal parts at a campsite, adding another layer to the song’s cold and intimate atmosphere.
UDD’s electronic production gives “Tadhana” its unmistakable warmth, allowing its electronic textures and gentle vocals to remain severely melancholic. The resulting single surpassed its 500 millionth stream milestone on Spotify, a milestone few songs in the Philippine indie scene have reached.
I Belong to the Zoo, ‘Sana’
“Sana” marked a significant shift for I Belong to the Zoo, who in 2017 was moving away from the alternative rock background of vocalist Argee Guerrero’s other band, Tonight We Sleep, toward the more stripped-down indie folk sound that would earn the solo project its first breakthrough.
The song still carries the edge of Guerrero’s pop-punk-influenced vocals, giving its acoustic arrangement a rougher emotional quality than the typical folk ballad. That combination made “Sana” stand out at a time when indie folk was already finding a larger audience in the Philippines.
Toneejay, ‘711’
Toneejay’s “711” is one of those unlikely hit songs. On TikTok, users would take videos of themselves nodding to the music in front of a convex mirror inside the famed convenience store. Those user-generated videos introduced the track to an audience far beyond its original listeners.
The song is helped by its charming drum patterns and Toneejay’s knack for writing around an unusually specific idea: opening your own 7-Eleven just to give the person you love everything they could ever want. It’s a goofy premise on paper, but the song sells it through its earnestness and catchy songwriting. “711” became proof that a strange little idea can go a long way when the song behind it is cleverly conceptualized.
December Avenue, ‘Sleep Tonight’
Before December Avenue became one of the biggest pop-rock bands in the country, “Sleep Tonight” showed the early signs of the pop rock sound that would eventually make them a mainstream act. The song’s 2016 re-released version still traces the band’s pop-punk lineage, with its guitars and emotional vocal delivery giving it a more angsty edge compared to its first version released on an EP back in 2011.
Years later, their collaborations and subsequent hits would take them even further with singles like “Sa Ngalan ng Pag-Ibig” and “Kung ‘Di Rin Lang Ikaw” alongside singer-songwriter Moira Dela Torre, but “Sleep Tonight” remains an important early time capsule of December Avenue’s rise.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ben&Ben’s lead vocalists are twin brothers Paolo Benjamin and Miguel Benjamin.
Former UDD vocalist Armi Millare wrote “Tadhana” while at Mt. Sto. Tomas in Benguet.
Argee Guerrero’s solo project is called I Belong to the Zoo. He began the project in 2014 before eventually expanding it into a full band.
“Sleep Tonight” was released on June 22, 2011.
Toneejay named his biggest hit “711” after the famous convenience store.
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