MANILA, Philippines — Songs about resilient and strong love are timeless, and they never fail to touch the heart.
Young singer-songwriter Waltz explores that in his latest single, Marahuyo, released under the EMI record label. The artist, who is co-managed by Universal Music Group, also provides a new take on it.
“It is a confession of undying love,” said he about the ditty’s genre and theme in a brief e-mail chat with The STAR. “It speaks about how love can conquer all, wrapped in a catchy melody that really captures how I feel at the moment.”
And Marahuyo, added Waltz, is connected to his previous releases. By the way, the Tagalog word means to be charmed and captivated, based on available online sources. In love, one is drawn to another individual’s unique physical attributes and personality traits that the former finds irresistible and commits to caring for.
“It’s part of a continuing journey. My first release, Paano, was about letting go and confronting all the ‘what ifs.’ My second single, CINDY, was about discovering a new love — those feelings that are fresh and intense, but you’re unsure how to express them. Marahuyo, my third release, is about being deeply enchanted by someone, which then evolves into an unconditional feeling of love,” shared he, whose name piques one’s interest.
“Universal Music Group, one of my management (teams), actually came up with the name,” said Waltz. “It reflects the fact that most of my songs revolve around matters of the heart — it’s like I’m inviting listeners to dance through different emotions with my music.”
Asked what he hopes to explore and contribute to the Original Pilipino Music (OPM), Waltz answered, “As a new artist in the OPM scene, I want to bring fresh narratives and sounds that today’s generation can connect with. My goal is to offer something new while staying grounded in stories that people can resonate with emotionally.”
As for his creative process as a songwriter, Waltz shared, “I’m the kind of person who doesn’t go out much. I love staying home, making music, and playing video games. My process usually starts with how I’m feeling, and I like to imagine a scenario around that emotion. Sometimes, the songs come to me in dreams — usually as melodies, but occasionally with lyrics, too. It’s almost like my lucid dreams are helping me create music.”
Since doing a collab is also on the wishlist of most artists, Waltz, in a statement, said, “Sa international artist, gusto ko po sana with Maroon 5 (for an international collab, I want to do one with Maroon 5), while sa local naman, sa rap, si Flow G po siguro (for the local scene and a rap collab, I want to work with Flow G), napakagaling po kasi (he’s very good).”
He also hoped to do a duet with Moira Dela Torre or Janine Tenoso and write a song for the loveteam, KathNiel.
Aside from this, it’s also common for some singers to cross over to other creative fields, such as acting. Does Waltz see himself taking that road?
“Maybe someday in the future, but right now, I’m really focused on my music and growing as a singer-songwriter,” said he in the chat.
What also keeps Waltz busy these days, according to his team, are promo rounds that include a bar tour and a mall tour for Marahuyo.
Give his song a listen by checking it out on all digital music platforms and get to know more about the artist by visiting his social media links such as Instagram — Waltz Music Official, Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/jonnwalter.dumagan, and Tiktok — Waltz_Music.