Self-expression more important than streaming numbers for This Band

This Band

In 2018 and 2019, the pop-rock group This Band had a breakthrough run, scoring three hits along the way. Its songs “Kahit Ayaw Mo Na,” “Hindi Na Nga” and “‘Di Na Babalik” have since logged 104 million, 44 million and 42 million streams—and that’s on Spotify alone.

While replicating such feat would be a dream true, it’s not fuel that keeps the band moving. “We’re thankful that people recognize our work and listen to them … we release songs because that’s what we love to do. We don’t think that our new songs should top our previous ones,” lead vocalist Andrea Manzano said in a recent Zoom conference for the group’s latest single, “Wala Ka Nang Magagawa,” under Viva Records.

The song is also This Band’s newest release after its 2020 debut album, “Huwag Matakot.”

The band—also composed of guitarist-songwriter Euwie von Loria, keyboardist Melvin Carson, lead guitarist Raymart Gubat, bassist Miccael Galvan and drummer John Macaranas—doesn’t want that kind of pressure. Self-expression, it agreed, comes first and foremost.

No expectations“We don’t have expectations. We simply want to express our feelings and emotions,” Andrea said. “We share our songs with the fans with no pressure.”

Besides, streaming numbers aren’t the sole barometer of success. In “Wala,” the group managed to execute musical elements that it didn’t know it was capable of.

“I think this song was an achievement—not necessarily because we think it will be a hit— but as musicians, we managed to do something we only dreamed of doing. We didn’t think we could pull it off,” Euwie said of the latest single, which features some noticeable jazz elements, both in instrumentation and Andrea’s singing style.

“We listen to our previous songs and try to see if there’s something we can improve on. We have different musical influences so we can suggest different things to incorporate into the music,” Melvin said.

While the COVID-19 pandemic has put a lid on the group’s busy live music career, the extra time the members have now, they said, allowed them to explore and experiment with new sounds.

“We had more time to compose music and brainstorm for new ideas. We had the opportunity to explore other styles. And ‘Wala’ is one of the outcomes,” Euwie said.

Core themes remain“Wala,” which was written amid the pandemic, is about “firmly deciding to not go back to the one who has hurt you.” “It’s like you telling someone who has hurt you that there’s nothing he or she can do anymore to fix things. Kahit ano pa ang gawin niya tapos na,” Andrea explained.

But despite the little changes they have been making, the core themes remain—love, heartbreak and persistence. “‘Hugot’ has always been loved by Filipino listeners even before the term was used. I don’t think that will change, because we all love getting in touch with our emotions,” Euwie said.