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| (Image Source: Rappler/Sony Music Philippines) |
World-renouned all-male Filipino pop idol group SB19 and Ben&Ben, one of the most popular Filipino bands of today's generation, are making history anew with a re-recording of the former's smash single "MAPA" now available worldwide on variois digital music platforms under Sony Music Philippines. In a year marked by self-imposed isolation and forced withdrawal from the outside world, the inspirational ballad brims with positive light as it honors every loving and hardworking parent out there, who made our journey towards life bearable and be filled with important lessons.
Sony Music Philippines General Manager and Sony Music Asia Vice-President For Business Development Roslyn Pineda discloses, “How did it happen? Basically, SB19 had an idea — a band version of MAPA. And Ben&Ben said yes in a heartbeat, which perhaps shouldn’t have come as a surprise given their ‘Ma, may ___ na kami’ captions on social media that make their devotion to their parents public knowledge. As their label, it was wonderful for us to see SB19 and Ben&Ben get along so well. And when they performed together on one stage, I don’t think anyone could deny—it was pure magic!” SB19 shares Pineda's enthusiasm, adding that the internationally recognized boyband has been dreaming of what it would be like working with the nine-piece collective when they were still trainees. “It was really nice because while working, we were able to share stories and experiences that brought us closer. Also, during the shoot of our video, we were encouraging each other to gain confidence and just enjoy the performance.”
Packed with jazzy and orchestral details, inviting memories, and expansive arrangements, the new version of "MAPA" frames its extraordinary paean of ordinary love with commitment to emotional sincerity and nuanced storytelling. SB19 was gracious enough to give Ben&Ben permission to rearrange the material, ensuring that it stays faithful to the creative vision of both groups collaboratively and individually. According to Ben&Ben, “We were 100% involved with the process. They gave us free liberty to arrange the song, only giving us additional comments to help make some parts flow better. Pablo (SB19) and Pat were directly coordinating and constantly giving updates, and the suggestions he gave greatly helped us during the final recording sessions.” The collective also revealed that all of its members were creatively responsible for their individual parts, but the entire arrangement was mainly conceptualized and spearheaded by Pat and Poch. “They’re two of the most technically proficient in the band when it comes to arranging intricate sections, and they wanted to add that to support the powerful message of the original song. Arrangement-wise, we wanted to make it distinct from the original, adding fun rhythms and grand sections. We felt that doing this added weight, and served to support the powerful vocal performance of both acts.”
The instrumentation takes a huge artistic leap by updating the original with layers of sonic ambition and introspection and, as a result, rebuilding the sound from the ground up while creating magic that transcends beyond the material. SB19's Pablo points out, “We want people to have a different vibe about the song. The original version is more mellow, while this version gives it a rich, well-rounded, and a happy feeling – put together in such a way that it makes listeners feel more uplifted when they hear the song.” In what could be a landmark-defining event to promote the team-up, SB19 and Ben&Ben shot a performance video inside the historic and newly-restored Manila Metropolitan Theatre (MET). Pineda takes immense pride in such a feat and shares, “The Manila Metropolitan Theatre is a revered national treasure. Apparently, it’s the only existing art deco building of its size and integrity in Asia. So to have SB19 and Ben&Ben be the first artists to grace this iconic venue after 6 years of restoration is nothing short of a groundbreaking cultural moment."
