The song completes the ‘Mahiwaga trilogy,’ which includes hit songs “Pagtingin” and “Araw-Araw”
Ben&Ben continued to solidify their
status as one of the most important voices of OPM in 2025. The acclaimed band
made history as the first Filipino act to surpass three billion streams on
global streaming platform Spotify, while also earning major wins at the 28th
Awit Awards, including Album of the Year for their third studio
album, The Traveller Across Dimensions and Best
Performance by a Group Recording Artist for "Triumph.” As the
year drew to a close, Ben&Ben’s music found itself intertwined with
national consciousness when “Kapangyarihan,” their collaboration with
SB19, emerged as a modern anthem in protest spaces, echoing public anger
amid allegations of corruption surrounding flood control and infrastructure
projects.
Now,
as they turn the page to a brand-new year, the multi-awarded nine-piece
collective invites listeners to start the year on a more intimate yet
optimistic note with the release of their new single “Duyan”—out now on all digital music platforms worldwide via Sony
Music Entertainment.
Written and composed by frontman Miguel Benjamin and produced by longtime collaborator Ziv alongside Ben&Ben, “Duyan” represents a profound, romantic bond that defies distance, time, and obstacles. The rousing pop-rock ballad encapsulates what true love really means: deep affection, unwavering loyalty, and the choice to remain committed even when faced with challenges and adversities.
According
to Miguel, he wrote the song three days before his wedding, while sitting alone
in his car. The song contains everything he wanted to tell his then-future
wife.
“There
are songs where artists write themselves in the music, and this is one of
them,” Miguel explains. “That day, the idea of fully offering oneself to
another person stayed with me. It’s a love inspired by lifelong commitment,
shared journeys, and selflessness. More than anything, I realized that I was
ready to make the promise before God. I felt it in the deepest part of my
heart.”
Musically,
the band worked closely with their good friend and constant collaborator Ziv to
honor the song’s emotional core, while “maximizing the soul and expanse of the
band’s instruments to take it to the fullest version it was meant to become.”
The
song is part of the Mahiwaga
Trilogy, Ben&Ben’s thematic arc on
romantic relationships. The series began with “Pagtingin,” a groovy meditation on love at first spark and infatuation,
and continued with “Araw-Araw,” a folk-pop ode to choosing your partner every single day.
“Duyan” closes the chapter with finality, speaking of lifelong commitment and
assurance.
“Two
years after I wrote the song Duyan and kept it as a very personal part
of my life, it made sense for it to be put out there,” shares Miguel. “It also
made sense for it to be the conclusion of the trilogy of songs/videos Pagtingin
and Araw-Araw.”
Music Video
The song will be accompanied by the release of a music video starring real-life couple and actors Gabbi Garcia and Khalil Ramos, who also appeared in the previous installments of the Mahiwaga Trilogy. For Khalil, returning to the project was a full-circle moment for both Gabbi and him.
“Thematically, it’s beautiful to see how the story progressed since Pagtingin,” shares the Filipino actor, singer, and filmmaker. “I vividly remember how we shot those two videos, and the film LSS. Gab and I grew alongside these songs. At every stage of the trilogy, we could deeply relate to it, because it reflected the different phases of our own relationships through the years.”
Miguel
praised both actors in the music video for their enduring role in the band’s
visual storytelling. “It was so good to be able to work with our longtime
friends Gabbi and Khalil once more in this music video. You could say we’ve
both grown so much in life and in our careers ever since the last project we
did together. It was great catching up and telling stories of the past and
making new memories.”
Directed
by Lunchbox Studios under the helm of Daniel Aguilar, the
wedding-themed music video brings the trilogy to a close through rosy,
introspective visuals.
Ben&Ben
said viewers can expect to see a wonderful blend of magic and everyday life in
the music video: “We’ve been working with (Lunchbox Studios) for a while now,
and for this video, we wanted to do a very intimate but expansive conclusion to
the videos we’ve done before. We collaborated on a concept of a portrayal of
the stages of commitment done in magical realism.”
Ben&Ben’s “Duyan” is out now on all digital music platforms worldwide via Sony
Music Entertainment. Watch out for the music video of “Duyan” on Ben&Ben’s official
YouTube channel.
About Sony Music Entertainment
At Sony Music Entertainment, we honor the creative journey. Our creators shape movements, culture, communities, even history. And we’ve played a pioneering role in music history, from establishing the first-ever music label to inventing the flat disc record. We’ve nurtured some of music’s most iconic artists and produced some of the most influential recordings of all time. Today, we work in more than 100 countries, supporting a diverse and distinctive roster of talented creators at every level and on every stage. Situated at the intersection of music, entertainment, and technology, we bring imagination and expertise to emerging products and platforms, embrace new business models, and employ breakthrough tools—all to support the creative community’s experimentation, risk-taking, and growth. And we form deep, trusted, cause-based partnerships to uplift and empower communities around the world. Sony Music Entertainment is part of the global Sony family. Learn more about our creators and labels here.
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