Taft Avenue is a jungle of rumbling jeepneys and screeching trains overhead; its air a soup of fumes, the smell of street food, and the occasional waft of floodwater. But if one could tune out the blaring horns and bustling crowds, perhaps one could find romance in the chaos of it all. Or is it love that makes one tune out all the noise?
In any case, the emerging Filipino band Nextone managed to hear a melody sweet enough for a love song. Aptly titled “Taft Avenue,” this nostalgic pop-rock offering tells of dreading a punishing school term while walking hand-in-hand on a street corner, and other mundane moments that make the exhausting student life a little more bearable.
“When you find that right person, the noise and the smells don’t matter—bulag na bulag ka na, eh,” bassist and songwriter Elijah del Rosario tells Lifestyle Inquirer. “Because you know there’s someone who inspires you, kahit gaano pa kalayo at kagulo ang Taft, okay lang. Go!”
“When you find that right person, the noise and the smells don’t matter—bulag na bulag ka na, eh”
Familiar date spots
Nextone is also composed of drummer Alean Soto, guitarist Anton Laron, and vocalist Ezekiel del Rosario. The latter two members, along with Elijah, are music production majors at De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde. Having spent a fair chunk of their formative years on Taft, they will say that this side of Manila can be romantic—or at least give you something worth romanticizing.
“There’s this restaurant by day, bar at night called The Barn, where students go on dates—or look for a date. You see others eating pares on side streets. They also love cafes—Calle Cafe, Elsewhere Cafe,” Elijah says of some familiar Taft date spots, a few of which you may recognize in the song’s music video.
The limbo that’s situationship
But more than its imagery of Taft, the song also touches on how youth today approach dating. From what he has observed, Elijah says relationships often get stranded in the limbo of situationships—“casual lang”—hence the lyrics: “Tama bang ako ang nasa isip mo? / Nalilito na kung ano ako sa ‘yo?”
“Hindi na uso ‘yong ligaw-ligaw. With social media and dating apps, pa-heart-heart na lang. Swipe left o swipe right kung type kita. ‘What are you doing?’ ‘Nasa Torre (a student hub and residence on Taft) na ako’… Magkikita lang tapos sila na,” the band says, chiming in over each other.
“While writing the song, sometimes I would be like, ‘Dito, o, puwede, may nagho-holding hands,” he adds. “So yeah, there are times Taft can be romantic.”
“There are times Taft can be romantic”
READ: Charlie Puth: ‘The Philippines is timeless’
Playful and youthful
Maybe this shouldn’t come as a surprise. Because their father is a member of the well-loved retro cover band Kudos Love ‘80s, brothers Elijah and Ezekiel grew up listening to love songs from the 1970s to the 1990s—from Elvis Presley to Apo Hiking Society, from the Eraserheads to Itchyworms.
And those influences are palpable in Nextone’s sound, which, in its predominantly organic instrumentation, evokes ‘90s and early-2000s pop-rock. “We want to bring that guitar-driven Pinoy rock vibe and sound, which isn’t as prevalent today. It’s not heavy, but still playful and youthful,” Elijay says.
There’s a rawness in that type of music, he adds, which becomes all the more apparent when juxtaposed with AI-assisted or generated songs that have been slipping into the mainstream. They’re not about to be a wet blanket on those who listen to AI music, but they don’t see themselves sacrificing authenticity for ease. After all, struggle is part of the process.
“Okay lang kung ‘di kaya dahil may writer’s block,” Elijah says. “Minsan napapagod ka, but emotion can come from that place, too.”
“Swimming with the sharks”
Curiously enough, the old soul in Nextone seems to reflect the trajectory of their budding career. While they’re still waiting for a big streaming breakthrough, their songs have found a stronger footing on the radio than on digital platforms.
On Magic 89.9’s weekly The Magic Pop 30 chart, their cover of the Smokey Mountain classic “Kailan” went to No. 1; their previous original single, “Sa Iyo,” peaked at No. 2; while “Taft Avenue” has just broken into the Top 10. This piqued the attention of Sony Music Philippines, which recently signed them to its roster.
READ: A happier ending awaits Alys and Drake onscreen
But slowly, they’re starting to gain traction on TikTok, with their cover of Player’s ‘70s hit “Baby Come Back,” which has so far amassed half a million views and reached fans as far as South America. Sure, they have a fondness for doing things the old way, but they also know that they need to “swim with the sharks” in the digital landscape.
Still, the band is wary of getting too carried away by numbers. For now, they want to just keep telling stories and reaching more listeners—beyond Taft Avenue—who can find parts of themselves in their work. “If more people can connect with our music, that would be heartwarming,” Elijah says.
