Musical shift in Julie Anne’s latest EP

Julie Anne San Jose

Julie Anne San Jose’s latest single, “Tayong Dalawa,” is an electropop ballad that touches on long-distance relationships. The song doesn’t really relate to her relationship with Benjamin Alves at the moment, but there’s a part in the chorus that does remind her of the actor: “Magkahawak ang kamay sa panaginip.”

“I guess it’s not applicable to me because I’m happy right now. But I was inspired by the thought of being away from a loved one,” she said of the self-penned song, which is part of her coming EP.

“But I think [Ben comes in] the first half of the song’s chorus, which is about hoping, dreaming, wishing that you end up together … holding hands in your dreams,” she told reporters, after performing at the recent “Next Attraction” concert, which featured Universal Records artists.

“Ben and I were already talking with each other when I wrote ‘Tayong Dalawa,’ and he told me it was such a nice song,” said the 24-year-old recording artist. “And it feels good when you get compliments from other people.”

As a songwriter, she finds it easier writing her own material when she’s “at the peak” of her emotions. “It’s true for me, whether I’m feeling happy, sad or angry,” Julie Anne said, adding that she’s trying to be more consistent with her creative process.

“Usually, it’s either I finish what I’m working on quickly, or I don’t get to finish what I started at all,” the Kapuso singer-actress related. “Fortunately, words have been flowing freely as of late. And I get truly inspired when there’s instrumental accompaniment.”

Aside from “Tayong Dalawa,” Julie Anne said she penned another song, this time in English, for her new EP, which is set for release next month. Though she didn’t veer too far away from the themes she usually tackles, the songs’ vibe will be different from her past works.

“The arrangements are different. I used to do more ballads and incorporate pop and country influences into them. But for my new EP, I will be focusing on R&B and contemporary styles,” she said. “I always want to explore new things. I’m excited for the fans to hear them.”

Being given the opportunity to write her own music, Julie Anne said, is a “very gratifying experience.” “The moment you hear the final product—the arrangement, music and lyrics all coming together—is satisfying. It makes me feel proud,” said Julie Anne, who topbills the GMA 7 series “My Guitar Princess.”

Asked if there’s anything she hopes to achieve as a singer in the near future, Julie Anne said she would love to work with Lea Salonga and Gary Valenciano, her musical influences. “They have a lot of wisdom about music,” she said. “And I’m just so inspired by them, not only as artists, but also as individuals.”