Pop icon Sarah Geronimo and P-pop pioneers SB19 have teamed up for the second time, but this one feels less like a crossover event and more like a serious collaborative statement. Their new single, “UMAALIGID,” comes with a ten-minute conceptual music video that plays out like a crime drama. The brand new single serves as a rare meeting point between two of the most influential forces in Philippine music, and it’s delivered with enough tension and grit to leave a mark.
Geronimo first hinted at the release in a July 17 Instagram post showing a giant mansion with party lights shown through the interiors. Since then, teasers revealed both her and SB19 lined up in a mugshot room, surrounded by the aesthetic of a crime thriller. It’s a departure from their previous collaboration, “Ace Your World,” which debuted at the Asia Pacific Predator League 2024 Grand Finals. That track leaned heavily into high-energy branding, backed by the spectacle of esports and live performance. However, their latest collaboration “UMAALIGID” doesn’t bother with polish. It’s confrontational, and its pop-rock production mirrors that.
The Scene of the Crime
The music video opens on a house party gone wrong. A man named Victor lies unconscious on the floor. From there, we’re thrown into a lineup scene with Geronimo and the SB19 members staring straight into the camera. They each take a mugshot. What follows is a series of flashbacks revealing the chaos that led to Victor’s downfall: He cheats in a poker game against Felip and Josh; he smashes a prized guitar signed by Pepe Smith, which belonged to Stell; he insults Justin’s family; he tries to hook up with Pablo’s onscreen girlfriend Lily. The final straw comes when Geronimo finds Victor assaulting Lily, who turns out to be Geronimo’s younger sister in the video. The group eventually gathers together and retaliates.
The beating was taken at the back of the mansion, where each member took shots at Victor until he’s left pummeled to the ground. There’s no ambiguity to what happens. The music video ends with Geronimo and SB19 walking away from Victor’s unconscious body, leaving the question of moral consequence to the viewer. Whether you see it as revenge or justice is beside the point. It’s a narrative that draws blood.
Trust Issues
What makes this collaboration compelling is the way both artists step outside their usual lanes. Geronimo delivers a rap verse with measured aggression where it is far from her usual vocal ballads and pop anthems. SB19, best known for high-concept performance and polished choreography, leans into rougher terrain with a dramatic performance at the forefront of the single’s release. Their delivery on the choruses sounds raw, more like a warning than a hook. The lyrics explore trust and betrayal in relationships, but the framing takes it beyond romantic drama. It asks what happens when your inner circle includes someone willing to turn on you.
For SB19, it’s another moment of recalibration. They’ve been steadily moving toward harder sounds and less predictable narratives. For Geronimo, it’s a reminder of just how adaptable she’s always been and how much more she’s still willing to do. “UMAALIGID” may be thematically different as “Tala” or “GENTO,” but it doesn’t have to be. It positions both acts in a different light — not just as performers, but as artists willing to swing when it matters.
“UMAALIGID” worked because it refuses to play it safe. The song’s structure doesn’t cater to pop radio. It’s theatrical but not overly glossy, cinematic without being fake-deep. For two acts often boxed into clean-cut categories — Geronimo with her mainstream pop image, SB19 with their idol background — this collaboration sharpens both of their edges. It also strips away the usual choreography of celebrity pairings. There’s no soft-focus nostalgia or feel-good messaging here either.
Instead, the single digs into the ugly side of relationships and power, framed through a crime story that manages to stay grounded in its emotional stakes without feeling exploitative. That alone sets it apart from the overload of empty collabs meant to cross-funnel fanbases.
