Two of the country’s top young music acts have a surprise for fans.
Ben&Ben has recorded “Stand by You” — an English version of its original song “Paninindigan” — featuring Indonesian singer-songwriter Pamungkas.
The idea to collaborate started when Ben&Ben and Pamungkas’ discussed it a month ago.
Said Ben&Ben: “We sent over a rough translation of ‘Paninindigan Kita.’ Pamungkas came up with brilliant lyrical ideas, and we ended up co-writing the English lyrics with him.”
Pamungkas added his own touch, and the result was an enhanced rendition of the track.
“This made the collaborative version very distinct in a way that represents both styles blended into one performance, instead of it being a straightforward cover of the song,” Ben&Ben said.
Meanwhile, SB19 is getting back into the action with a new single after a one-year hiatus.
One of the group’s members, Stell, was quoted in a statement: “It’s been a year… hiatus may sound negative, but we took it from a different perspective. We maximized the opportunity to think more as to what we can improve on, how we can prepare for our comeback.”
The single, “WYAT” (Where You At), is about reconnecting with the world. It is scheduled for release on 2 September, including a music video.
The two groups are also gearing up for the shows overseas.
Ben&Ben will perform in nine cities in the United States and Canada, after a send-off concert on 3 September at the CCP open grounds in Pasay.
SB19 will kick off its first tour on 17 September at Smart Araneta Coliseum, followed by Clark, Cebu, Davao, as well as in the US, UAE, and Singapore.