Ben&Ben tells us the secrets behind the making of their new single ‘Comets’ and what it takes to keep hoping despite the impermanence of life and love.
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From comets to solar storms, love lost to life itself, there is beauty in fleeting moments, and Ben&Ben takes that lesson to heart as they drop a longtime fan-favorite unreleased track that marks a new step in their musical journey.
The nine-piece indie folk-pop band are no stranger to penning heartfelt, evocative music that amplify our emotions, whether that’s regret or yearning. Paolo, Miguel, Poch, Jam, Agnes, Pat, Toni, Andrew, and Kiefer have formed a synergy that has allowed them to make music that captures hearts all over the world. With the recent release of their new single Comets, Ben&Ben linger on the concept of fleetingness, on the nature of impermanence and the bargaining we try to use in order to just get more time.
In their Liwanag House, Ben&Ben sat down for a bit with NYLON Manila to talk about the new single, these next steps they’re taking through space and time, how they navigate this adventure they’re on together, and imparting hope through their music.
STREAKING THROUGH THE SKY
If you’re a true Liwanag, you would know that Comets has been teased and performed in an incomplete capacity for a few years now. From livestreams to concerts, fans have been treated to sneak peeks of the song over time—and on May 10, Ben&Ben finally let the people have it.
“We’ve always been at 90% with that song,” Miguel shares. There was always something missing, and they didn’t know what it was until they got the chance to work with Indonesian musician and producer Petra Sihombing. He was the key, they realized, to completing the song all about the ephemeral nature of people, love, and life itself.
“It was inspired by where we were when it was written—we were in a bubble, in a house in the province,” Miguel says of Comets. “The stars at night were really visible. May mga times na may shooting star.”
At the time, the members were going through a rough patch, contemplating loss and hardship and why some people are only in your life for a split second. Fleeting, finite moments and relationships that don’t last were at the forefront of their minds.
“A good part of people in our lives are not meant to stay, especially yung mga napalapit sa’tin,” they reflect. Dealing with that pain and trying to find hope even as you’re dealing with loss is what brought Comets to life. “Maybe, just like a comet that’s beautiful, but only passes by and isn’t meant to stay—maybe some people are like that.”
SEASONS OF CHANGE
Though sometimes ephemeral, love between people is what gives us lasting hope. Just because something did not last doesn’t mean it wasn’t beautiful and life-changing. Times change, circumstances change, and people change. Ben&Ben acknowledges that with all the wisdom conveyed in their music. They tell the stories of our lives.
“It’s in our DNA to write songs that really portray a narrative that travels all the way from a starting point to a season or a moment of pain and going into the depths of that,” Miguel, who co-wrote Comets with Paolo, notes.
But of course, as they celebrate seven years into their career, it’s inevitable to undergo some change. After all, not everything stays the same forever. From new collaborations to new sounds, the band has no fear of the new. They balance trying out new things as individuals and as a group with sticking to the sound that they’re drawn to, with the same grace and gentleness found their music.
“Being in the space of this band,” they say. “It’s a home. We feel safe to try out new things. The balance lies in not being afraid to try new things, and figuring out what your core is, and then marrying those two together to go to new dimensions.”
GUIDING LIGHTS
Though the inevitability of change and losing people, Comets is a celebration of hope despite the impermanence of it all. Though not all things may last, their relationship as a band and their relationship with their Liwanags is a bright light in this darkness of space we call life. Just look at each of the members’ heartfelt messages on their Instagram account.
“We also want to impart a message of hope to people,” they assert. And to do that requires a level of synergy that can only be brought about by authenticity, love, growth, and changing for the better.
“What makes a better musician is a musician who lives every day and absorbs inspiration everywhere,” Andrew remarks. “I think we inspire each other to become better people just by loving each other and being there for each other.”
Andrew also shares that the band supports each other, even through the tough times, and even if it means using some kind—not brutal, they clarify—honesty to tell them when something someone is doing wasn’t okay. “When a person feels supported, when a person feels trusted, and when a person feels loved, they tend to want to give more. They want to do their best.” It’s already difficult to handle friendships and group projects with far less people than there is in Ben&Ben, but for years now, they’ve shown they make it work. And this is exactly why.
“A huge part of it is also listening,” Miguel adds. “I’m proud to say that we’re good at that. We listen to each other.”
With the third album—”the most ambitious project we’ve done to date”—and a concert in the works for this year, Ben&Ben is remaining steadfast in their commitment to tell stories with their music. They’re streaking through the sky, and you can’t help but hope to experience the magnificence of each song, each experience, each moment—despite the inevitability of it ending—again, and again, and again.
Images courtesy of Sony Music Entertainment.
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