The Dawn Returns With Powerful New Single ‘Sa’n Ka Pupunta’

Filipino rockRockA guitar-driven genre that grew from rhythm and blues in the 1950s and splintered into countless styles, from punk and metal to alternative. With a long history of rebellion andGo to Rock Glossary icons The Dawn are back with their gripping new single “Sa’n Ka Pupunta,” a masterclass in tension and release that proves the veteran band still hits harder than most newcomers since the release of their last single “Missing Hearts” in February. Released via Sony Music Entertainment, the track wraps its emotive vocal performance in shimmering guitar textures and a deceptively smooth shuffle rhythm.

Guitarist Francis Reyes reveals the track’s evolution from Bim Yance’s original demo to its final form, a process that saw the band “Dawn-ify” the composition through their signature collaborative alchemy. “Jett suggested editing out a couple of bits from Bim’s original demo so the tune flows better overall. I think it was JB himself who suggested a shuffle-type thing for his drum parts to give the tune a bit of propulsiveness.” The result walks the tightrope between ‘90s power balladBalladA slow, emotional song that tells a story or expresses deep feeling, usually about love, loss, or longing. Ballads have a special place in Filipino music, where heartfelt power balladsGo to Ballad Glossary grandeur and the band’s distinctive alt-rock edge. The song is familiar yet fresh, nostalgic but never derivative.

What begins as an intimate confession builds into a cathartic release, with Jett Pangan’s vocals shifting from weary murmurs to full-throated pleas. The arrangement mirrors this emotional arc: spacey verses giving way to choruses that crackle with pent-up energy and the classic Dawn guitar tones that would make loyal fans reminisce about their classic sound. 

Already igniting crowds at live shows, “Sa’n Ka Pupunta” showcases The Dawn’s enduring gift for transforming personal angst into communal catharsis. As Yance puts it: “That even in frustration and silence, music can remind us to reach out and be there for each other.” 

Forty years in, the band still understands that the heaviest rockRockA guitar-driven genre that grew from rhythm and blues in the 1950s and splintered into countless styles, from punk and metal to alternative. With a long history of rebellion andGo to Rock Glossary anthems aren’t about noise, they’re about the weight it carries. 

Elijah Pareño

Music Writer

Elijah Pareño is the Music Writer of Rolling Stone Philippines. He writes daily music news, features, reviews, and radar stories of the website.

In addition to music writing, Pareño has written about the behind-the-scenes writers and producers from the P-pop scene, interviewed hip-hop artists like Shanti Dope and Zae, and featured up-and-coming artists for the Music Forecast 2026. Aside from music, Pareño has written about the state of affairs that affects pop culture. He wrote a movie review for 'Mortal Kombat II' and reported and interviewed photojournalists at the September 21, 2025 protests in Luneta and Mendiola.

Prior to working in Rolling Stone Philippines, Pareño was a freelance writer for 3 years and independent live music promoter

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