It’s been 10 years since Jason Dhakal bought his first mic with money he earned from a gig in Oman, and nine years since he flew to the Philippines to pursue a career as a queer R&B artist. Since then, the Filipino-Nepali singer has released two albums, 2020’s lovesound and 2022’s BEING, alongside several singles. His latest is the soulful and breezy “Play,” which finds him working once more with longtime collaborator Lustbass.
Throughout the first half of 2026, Dhakal has worked towards putting out a new album, the title of which has not yet been announced. Aside from recording music, he’s been “setting up a deck [and] making my visuals,” which have become necessary steps in a rollout.
“I remember just releasing music and hoping for the best,” he tells Rolling Stone Philippines. “But after being in a major label, it’s like I know the whole machinery of releasing music. Being talented is not even enough anymore. You have to market yourself online, you still have to be accessible to people, and all these things. And it’s a lot.”
But after enduring the technical part of his work, Dhakal is ready for summer. “[‘Play’] is a good introduction to what my new record is going to be,” he says. “There’s going to be eight tracks. It’s going to be very summery, very tropical, and very Philippines.”
In this interview with Rolling Stone Philippines, Jason Dhakal reflects on ten years of making music, Clairo’s Charm, working with labels, and what we can expect from his forthcoming third album.
The last song you released before “Play” was “Home” back in November 2025. What’s life been like between releases?
It was kind of a lot. It was more about the business part of the music business for me. I was handling moving from my label and trying to just align everything. And while doing that, I was also just recording and trying to finish up this project. So, yeah, that’s what I’ve been mostly doing: setting up a deck, making my visuals, and all these things.
Labels are a bit of a touchy subject, but I wanted to ask, what’s it been like working with ONErpm?
It’s like going back to when I first started making music, doing it just to enjoy it. To have a group of people support me, have my back, and help me with being independent means so much more to me. I’m working towards my future, so it’s really nice that I get to experience this now.
I’ve been listening to “Play” since it came out. I really want to hear about the process, because I’m getting a bit of Charm by Clairo, a lot of softness. It feels a little more analog and lived-in compared to your past work. What was the creative process for “Play” like?
Your ear is so right. I remember when we made this song, I was listening to “Terrapin” [by Clairo]. I was in the studio with [Allan Malabanan] — Lustbass — and I was like, “I’m listening to this, and I want to do something like this,” really soft, light, and just smooth. When we started making it, I already had the hook that I wanted. I just wanted it to be sweet.
It took a while to get to this song, but it was just naturally happening for me in my life. Like, I’ve been with my boyfriend for almost two years now. So, it was a whole process of just going through it and writing verses.
You moved to the Philippines in 2017, and you’ve been making music ever since. When you compare the local music scene before the pandemic to what it is today, how do you think it’s changed over the years?
I think it’s super different. I mean, even the idea of a rollout is so different now than it was before. I remember just releasing music and hoping for the best. Or I would just release music before and hope I get a gig from it and perform in a bar or something. But I’d say after being in a major label, it’s like I know the whole machinery of releasing music. Being talented is not even enough anymore. You have to market yourself online, you still have to be accessible to people, and all these things. And it’s a lot. I miss a good Sade. She just makes a song and then disappears for like seven years. That’s where I want to be.
Speaking of Sade, you’ve always been like a neo-soul or R&B artist. What drew you to that kind of music in the first place, and who or what inspires you?
R&B is something I’ve listened to my whole life. Growing up, I loved Mariah Carey, like that was my diva. When I was a teenager, I started actually listening to music, looking out for what music I wanted to listen to. Erykah Badu, The Internet, Syd. Her voice is smooth, so simple and plain, but it’s also so impactful.
When I started making music, I was just making whatever I wanted to. I was just searching for what my sound was first. I remember on my 16th birthday party, I sold tickets. I charged people at the door, and then I bought my first mic and tripod. And then my laptop. I was just recording in my room, in my mom’s place. I really just needed to do it. It was really a form of expression.
“Being talented is not even enough anymore. You have to market yourself online, you still have to be accessible to people, and all these things.”
Right. And that was back in Oman?
Yeah, this is in Oman, in 2016. And I don’t know why I was so delusional that I was like, “Oh my God, I need to make money. Let me make music.” Momma, we need to take like IT, engineering!
But it worked out. I moved here. I emailed every label. I emailed every fucking person in the fucking world, just trying to make it work. I was able to make a living out of it until now. I have my own place because of music. I got to survive on music. I get to have my cat because of music. It’s so surreal.
Now that “Play” is out, what more can we expect from you? Are we looking at an album or an EP? And can we expect this kind of sonic direction in your future work?
Definitely. This is a good introduction to what my new record is going to be. There’s going to be eight tracks. It’s going to be very summery, very tropical, and very Philippines.
I feel like the sound that I’m trying to go for is inspired by Brazil, bossa nova, samba, all these things. And I always feel like there’s a connection between the Philippines and Brazil. We look the same, not the people, but the place. I feel like the music that we make here also sounds kind of the same, but there’s this beachiness, tropicalness, or slowness [in Brazilian music] that I feel doesn’t exist here, and I want to go in that direction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Jason Dhakal is a Filipino-Nepali queer R&B and neo-soul artist who moved from Oman to the Philippines in 2017 to pursue music. He has released two albums, lovesound (2020) and BEING (2022), and recently signed with ONErpm after leaving his previous major label.
“Play” was inspired by Clairo’s “Terrapin,” with Dhakal aiming for a soft, smooth sound while in the studio with longtime collaborator LUSTBASS. The song’s lyrics draw from his nearly two-year relationship with his boyfriend, giving it a lived-in, sweet quality.
Jason Dhakal’s untitled third album will feature eight tracks with a “summery,” tropical sound inspired by Brazilian bossa nova and samba. He cites a perceived cultural and sonic connection between the Philippines and Brazil as a core influence on the record.
Jason Dhakal cites Mariah Carey as his earliest musical influence, followed by Erykah Badu, The Internet, and Syd, as he developed his sound as a teenager. He has also named Clairo as an inspiration behind his latest single, “Play.”
Jason Dhakal moved to ONErpm seeking a return to the independence and enjoyment he felt when he first started making music. He describes the label as supportive of his artistic autonomy while he works toward long-term career goals.
