As he returns to the music grind, Denin Sy merges his passion and profession

Denin Sy

While there’s always a place for bombast in music, singer-songwriter Denin Sy believes that straightforward but earnestly crafted songs can be just as impactful.

“I want to create songs that people can easily sing along to, songs that feel like normal conversations. I love to keep the songs as simple as possible. I want them to be sincere—something that will make you feel like dedicating them to other people,” he said at a recent press conference.

His latest single, “Minsan Kape, Minsan Ikaw,” is just that. Over a mellow acoustic-guitar instrumentation, Denin sings about that jolt of emotion that makes one feel like his or her heart is about to burst.

“Sometimes, you love a person so much, but don’t necessarily have to express it literally or directly. You can tell someone that you love or like him by drawing comparisons. In this instance, this person—like coffee—makes my day brighter or makes my heart beat faster,” he pointed out.

Denin’s musical style, in part, was shaped by some of his favorite artists, both old and new, like Paco Arespacochaga and Moira dela Torre. “I looked up to Paco as a singer and drummer. When I heard the song ‘Line to Heaven’ (as part of the band Introvoys), I was like, ‘It’s not that difficult to sing, but still has a great sound,’” he related.

Experiment

“I love Moira’s music, which is very relaxing, heartfelt and emotional. There are no big belting or complex runs, but it feels very sincere,” Denin said. “I hope I can jam with her in the future.”

Still, he tries his best to experiment with different genres to expand his range as a music artist. “I grew up listening to alternative music. But I also listen to new songs and keep in touch with the current sound,” he said.

Denin also works as an architect. And while writing songs and designing structures may seem strange bedfellows, these two disciplines, he said, do share some similarities. “Lyrics and melodies in songs are like form or function in architecture,” he said. “Another similarity architecture and music have is that you can always revise and improve what you have created.”

As a fan of K-dramas, one of Denin’s future goals is to have his songs featured in television series or movies. “It’s a dream of mine … I do watch Korean dramas. And I get amazed at how the soundtrack and music can heighten the emotions and experience—you feel more involved in what’s happening. Such is the power of music,” he said.

Juggle

Denin debuted in 2010 with an 11-track album under Star Records. But he had to slow down his music career, because he had to juggle it with his day job. Still, he’s thankful to have a profession and passion that he loves.

“They say you should make your passion your profession. But not everyone is given that kind of opportunity, so I make passion a part of my profession,” Denin said. “When you love and enjoy what you do, it won’t feel like work.”

But now Denin’s back to the music grind. And this time, he wants to give it his all. “I laid low after my debut album. And I don’t want things to be like 2010 once again, when I felt I wasn’t able to give it my all. Now, I want to give my best,” he said. INQ