Here are our favorites from juan karlos’ latest album
It’s no secret—juan karlos becomes a man possessed on the stage.
Overcome by emotion each time the “Buwan” singer holds his guitar and sings into the microphone, he enters a zone where nothing else matters—not even the audience. We’re just spectators to his musings. It’s infectious, admittedly, to the point where you can’t help but be transported to feel the very exact thing he is experiencing. And so far, his honest-to-God and no-holds-barred artistry has resonated with millions of people. “ERE,” the lead single from his latest album “Sad Songs and Bullshit Part 1” recently became the first Filipino song to debut on Spotify’s Top Songs Global chart.
“This album originally started out as a compilation of all the love songs that I made for someone whom I gave so much of myself to. a collection of all the words I wrote and the melodies that came along with it. eventually, things didn’t turn out the way I hoped for. the songs started to not make any sense. all the songs for love turned into songs for sadness. for me at least, they just became a bunch of bullshit. Hence, Sad Songs and Bullshit,” he shared in a post on Instagram.
In this edition of the Listening Party, we present to you our favorites from juan karlos’ “Sad Songs and Bullshit Part 1.”
ERE
Befitting of the growing success this track is currently subjected to, “ERE” perfectly captures the frustration and exasperation one feels from a relationship that has run out of love, particularly when it comes out of nowhere, blindsiding and leaving you alone in the air.
Oh, ‘di ba? Nakakaputangina / Tayo’y lumilipad, at ako’y iniwan mo / Oh, ‘di ba? Pinagmukha mo ‘kong tanga / Tayo’y lumilipad, at ako’y iniwan mo
What makes this song particularly effective is its pacing and structure. It starts slow, solemn even, and stays relatively monotonous for about two minutes of its runtime. But once that bridge hits, all hell breaks loose—the track swells into a climax, instruments on full blast, and juan karlos’ vocals border into a full-on shout.
As if going through the “Six Degrees of Separation,” “ERE” goes through similar stages: beginning with the sadness that comes after heartbreak, slowly growing into frustration, then even anger later on.
Tatlong bilyon, ikaw lamang ang aking gusto / Pasensya na kung ngayon ako’y ‘di para sa’yo / Tayo ay papunta na sa’ting bagong yugto / ‘Yokong mabuhay sa isang mundong walang tayo
Sad Songs and Bullshit
To artists everywhere: this is how you make an album intro. Now that we’re entering an era where albums are created and organized more thoughtfully—instead of an outright compilation of recorded songs—all the more do we need tracks that are not only placed at the start of the tracklist for no reason but instead play a part in the overall listening experience. “Sad Songs and Bullshit” is exactly that. As if around the campfire, juan karlos acts as the designated storyteller, inviting others to gather ‘round—the perfect “welcome to sad songs and bullshit.”
Tara na’t mag-iyakan, tara na’t magtawanan / Tara na’t magmahalan sa musika / Tara na’t masaktan, medyo mapanakit / Welcome to sad songs and bullshit
Tapusin Na Natin ‘To (feat. Paolo Benjamin of Ben&Ben)
juan karlos and Ben&Ben??? Name a better duo—oh wait, you can’t. This is a heartbreak extravaganza.
Oh, ayoko na, napapagod na ako / Sa mga kasinungaligan mo / Ginagawa mo akong gago / Akala mo siguro porket mahal kita, ah / Ganyan ka na, minamanipula / Ginagawa mo akong tanga
Holding onto someone who doesn’t love you back is overrated nowadays. See through the manipulation and the taking for granted and be glad you’re done with it. That being said, it’s the perfect ending to the album. With tracks all about missing your ex and wishing things had happened differently—this is juan karlos finding his conclusion and his peace (hopefully irl though as well).
Oh, sino ka ba para hilahin sa magkabilang panig / Bawat nilalaman ng aking puso / Alay sa’yo hanggang maubos ako, oh / Ginamit mo lang ako, oh
may halaga pa ba ako sayo??
An almost seven-minute slow burn about asking your past lover if you still mean anything to them. Count me in. And be sure to watch the music video for this tearjerker as it will surely tug at the heartstrings.
Ang aking puso ay na sa iyo / Pwede mo bang ibalik to? / ‘Di na ikaw ang nakilala / Talaga bang minahal mo ako?
It cannot be understated just exactly how much emotion juan karlos pours into his songs. While he applies the same amount of grit and rawness into each of his releases, this one takes the cake. With wails and shouts showing an overpouring of passion, goosebumps are guaranteed even if you’re not exactly going through such pain yourself.
Ibinigay ko ang aking buong puso / Ang lahat ng oras na inalay ko sa’yo / Oh, may halaga ba ito? / May halaga pa ba ako sa’yo?
Time Machine
Sometimes a small dose of classic OPM hits the spot. “Time Machine” is quite literally a 2023 version of Kamikazee’s “Narda” and I’m all for it.
Kung pwede ko lang balikan ang ating nakaraan / Noong nand’yan pa ang kislap sa’yong mata / Kung pwede ko lang balikan, oh, do’n na ‘ko titira / Konting tiis na lang, ang time machine hahanapin ko pa
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Now, are you ready for your welcome into sad songs and bullshit? Listen to “Sad Songs and Bullshit Part 1” by juan karlos on Spotify.