Star Music artist Maki’s Saan spawns countless TikTok videos

With his emotive lyrics and warm voice that encapsulate the confusion of lost love, singer-songwriter Maki has transformed his heartbreaks into a collection of songs in his Tanong EP, which includes the LSS (Last Song Syndrome)-inducing hit Saan?

The EP contains five self-composed tracks including Saan?, which has entered Billboard Philippines’ Top 20 and has earned more than 16 million streams on Spotify to date.

It also spawned countless videos on TikTok using the track to share everyone’s own heartbreak moments.

Maki recounted the time he wrote the track and wanted to keep it to himself as a little reminder of his experience.

“’Yung story ng Saan? hindi dapat i-re-release at para sa akin lang ‘yan. Nasa UP ako, nagsusulat at nag-da-drama mag-isa doon. No’ng maraming nagmahal sa kanta, hindi ko alam kung ano yung i-re-react ko kasi hindi ako makapaniwala na nangyayari na siya after a long time of waiting para sa moment na ‘yon,” Maki shared during his EP launch.

“Yung EP na ‘to, ito yung buong puso ko talaga. Ito yung time na sobrang heartbroken ako as a person, sobrang dami kong pinagdaanan last year at wala masyadong nakakaalam ng mga bagay na ‘yon kaya nilagay ko na lang siya sa mga kanta,” he said.

The R&B artist also got to reminisce the low points of his life and realized how he has overcome several hurdles after his It’s Showtime performance last Sept. 21.

“Last year lang dapat mag-quit na ko sa music kasi I was about to graduate na sa college at gusto ko na mag-lie low kasi as a musician pakiramdam ko wala na kong mararating. So, seeing myself sa TV, I thought to myself, ‘You did a good job,’” he shared.

Meanwhile, Idol Philippines Season One contestant Gello Marquez, who recently dropped his self-titled debut album, highlights the bubbly side of love and the classic sound of Original Pilipino Music (OPM) songs.

Idol Philippines Season One contestant Gello Marquez highlights the bubbly side of love and the classic sound of Original Pilipino Music songs via his self-titled debut album

“Iba yung pressure ‘pag album kasi marami kang songs na nilabas. Sobrang thankful dahil sumugal sila sa akin at naniwala sila sa talento ko,” Gello said referring to his record label, Star Music.

ABS-CBN Music creative director Jonathan Manalo revealed that Star Music immediately saw Gello’s potential the first time they talked to him.

“Nung una naming nakausap si Gelo, nakita namin kaagad yung promise sa kanya as a recording artist kasi malinaw kay Gello kung ano yung choices niya as artist, kung ano yung song direction na pupuntahan namin sa songs na i-re-record niya. Actually, very hands-on siya sa pagpili ng bawat kanta, sa treatment ng areglo, and importante yun sa mga artist para magkaroon ng longevity,” he said.

Before the release of Gello’s album, he dropped a music video for Penpen, which also stars BGYO member Akira Morishita and Kapamilya actress Ashley del Mundo. One of the seven tracks in the album, Penpen was inspired by the Filipino game Penpen de Sarapen.

Other songs in his debut offering are Hanap Kong Baby, Kumot At Unan, Duda-duda, Kaibigan, Teddy Bear, and Torpe.

Now that he has fulfilled his dream of releasing an album, the young Kapamilya artist looks forward to manifesting his other dream projects in the music industry.

“Gusto ko magkaroon ng mini concert at gusto ko ring makagawa pa ng sarili kong mga kanta kasi may song dito na nag-co-wrote ako, pinayagan naman nila ako at tinanong nila kung ano yung idea na gusto kong gawin. Ang collaborative din ng producers ko kaya nagawa namin siya ng maganda,” he said.

Though the road to achieving one’s dream can be a long and tough ride, Maki and Gello are proof that pouring one’s heart and soul into their passion makes the dream a worthwhile ride.