The collaboration transforms longing and stillness into a beautifully understated musical experience
Filipino
singer-songwriter syd hartha reunites with acclaimed artist TONEEJAY for
their latest collaborative single “dito muna tayo,” out today via Sony
Music Entertainment.
Capturing
the human need to stay in spaces that soothe the mind and nurture inner peace,
the folk-pop track draws inspiration from syd’s emotional connection to the
ocean: a place that she describes as a source of calm and contentment throughout
her life.
The
free-spirited musician recounts how her deep connection with the vast body of
water inspired her to write the song. “My great grandparents, who I spent a lot
of time growing up with, would always bring me to beaches near where we lived
in Cebu. That child-like spirit never really left me, even as an adult.”
Now that syd is older, she considers every trip to the ocean as deeply restorative and healing. “One of the biggest inspirations behind this song was the time I got to spend a few months living by the sea, and how it healed me physically, mentally, and emotionally. Leaving it was heartbreaking because a part of me really didn’t want to.”
Cushioned
on soft instrumentation and understated arrangement, “dito muna tayo” allows
both artists’ distinct songwriting voices to meet in riveting unison. The
partnership reveals both their vulnerabilities and strengths as artists,
finding refuge in unmasking defenselessness and allowing the words to soar with
poetic grace and restraint.
“The
collaboration came out naturally,” syd explains. “We’ve worked together before
on one of his songs, and I’ve been wanting to collaborate with him again since
the. When I chose ‘dito muna tayo’ as my next single, it felt like the song
needed more color and texture. TONEEJAY was the missing piece in the puzzle,
and he’s certainly the perfect fit for the song—thanks to his uniqueness and
distinct songwriting voice.”
According
to syd, the songwriting unfolded organically, with the recurring line, “babalik at uuwi ako dito” inscribing her journey
with nothing but great memories. To make it feel more at home, syd included a
few Cebuano lines in the lyrics to capture both her childhood connection with
the ocean and the comfort that it brings to her up to now.
“I
started by imagining what that sense of calm would sound like on guitar, and
the lyrics just flowed from there,” she recalls. “We mostly just focused on
bringing the song to life in the simplest and most honest way possible, staying
true to its core emotion throughout the process.”
syd hartha and TONEEJAY’s “dito muna tayo” is out now on all
digital streaming platforms worldwide via Sony Music Entertainment. Watch the official visualizer today at 6PM.
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
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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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