SB19’s Josh, rapper Al James reflect on ‘messy love stories’ with ‘Yoko Na’

(From left) Al James and SB19’s Josh joined forces with “Yoko Na.” Image: Courtesy of Sony Music Philippines

SB19’s Josh bared his thoughts about “messy love stories” in his new single “Yoko Na,” which was accompanied by a lively hip-hop and R&B melody featuring rapper and singer Al James.

The P-pop artist’s new single, which was released on March 23, is said to be a product of Josh’s “soul-baring session” with producer Brian Lotho, as the song revolves around the frustrations brought by a failed relationship.

“For this particular jam, we traded cliched love stories with messy, real-life situations that ordinary people encounter on a daily basis,” said Josh in a release.

The song tackles pain squarely, such that there is rawness in the telling. “The frustrations and struggles from past relationships, [we] somehow confronted them with a more mature take. It’s a song that’s raw, honest, and straight from the heart,” he said.

Josh also revealed that he decided to feature Al James, who’s best known for his song “Pa-Umaga” in his new single, when he realized that the latter’s style of rapping matches with “Yoko Na’s” demo.

“He’s very chill. He submitted the reworked track ahead of time and recorded his parts in less than an hour. I really admire his level of professionalism. After that, we just bonded instantly and went on a food trip,” he said.

“Yoko Na” is Josh’s fifth song after “Wild Tonight,” “Pakiusap Lang,” “Sofa (Remix),” and “Get Right.”

Josh is the third SB19 member to debut as a solo artist in February 2023 with “Wild Tonight.” During a press launch last December, he hinted that his first EP would possibly be released in the first quarter of 2024.