Last month, Billboard Philippines compiled a list of the best releases of September. With October coming to a close, there is still no shortage of great Filipino music from all over the country and the world. Beyond just releases, Billboard Philippines takes a look into some of the best music videos that premiered over the past month.
Erik Santos paid a loving tribute to his late parents in his video for “Hanggang Sa Huli”, penned by veteran songwriter Jonathan Manalo; Rico Blanco released his own visualizer for his re-recorded version of the Rivermaya song, “You’ll Be Safe Here;” pop musician Rob Deniel recreated scenes from some of the country’s most notable romantic-comedy films for his track, “Romcom,” and more.
Without further ado, these are our picks for the best music videos released in October.
Erik Santos — “Hanggang Sa Huli”
Iconic singer Erik Santos makes a heartbreaking tribute to his late parents in his music video for “Hanggang Sa Huli.” In the music video, Santos looks over pictures of his family over the years, projected onto the walls around him. Santos’ mother passed away due to cancer last November 2022, with his father following shortly in August of this year.
Produced by Filmhats Prod and directed by Niq Ablao, the Jonathan Manalo-written ballad is sure to make you shed a tear or two, especially knowing that he sang the song as a Mother’s Day gift for his mother while she was in the hospital.
Unique Salonga — “Panahon”
Former IV of Spades frontman Unique Salonga recently made his comeback with the surprise release of his third solo album, Daisy. Directed by Kris Cazin and Salonga, the music video for “Panahon” features a collage of shots taken with fish-eye lens, playing with prisms, and slow-motion montages without it looking all over the place.
Rico Blanco — “You’ll Be Safe Here”
Former Rivermaya frontman Rico Blanco walks through a brooding and gothic castle in the visualizer of his re-recorded version of the Rivermaya hit, “You’ll Be Safe Here.” The song was first released in 2005 as part of the 5-track EP of the same name. In the new M.G Bayani-directed visualizer, he pays a subtle homage to the original music video with elements such as the fluffy jacket he wears at the start (which is similar to the jacket that he wore in the original music video), as well as how the new visualizer plays around with the night-and-day motif set in a forest. For the loyal Rivermaya fan, Blanco’s visualizer is a nostalgic trip to the past with a 2023 spin to it.
beabadoobee ft. Laufey — “A Night To Remember”
IloIlo-born and London-raised musician Beabadoobee teamed up with Icelandic-Chinese singer Laufey for a bossa nova and jazz-inspired track with “A Night To Remember.” The music video features a couple entranced in a passionate dance throughout the city of London. It’s a great visual that complements the pair’s smooth and enchanting visuals.
KINDRED — “IDWTEXTUBABY”
Hip-hop boyband KINDRED have made their mark for their larger-than-life and eccentric visuals, many thanks to the group’s lead creative director, Jaime San Juan. The music video for “IDWTEXTUBABY” was shot on a 360 degree camera, and features the boyband circling around an office-style set, with choreography by Zion Wuxinyi. The result is a cool, campy, and visually exciting video to watch over and over again.
H20 Klann ft. Teemo (Prod. by DJ Medmessiah) — “DI LANG TO BASTA RAP”
If there’s any hip-hop collective with a distinct visual style, it has to be Morobeats. “DI LANG TO BASTA RAP” (This Isn’t Just Rap) is no different. The one-take video opens with a short skit between H20 Klann and his mother, who berates him for trying to pursue hip-hop. The camera follows him into an open park where hip-hop culture collides, complete with breakdancing and on-point bars.
In a Facebook post dated October 1, 2022, Morobeats’ founder and head producer DJ Medmessiah explained the reason why all Morobeats videos are shot in one-take and on the streets. He says in Filipino, “The reason why we [walk in the music videos] is because we are showcasing the musical journey of our artists in their careers. [When we use] one-take videos, we base it on [life’s] authentic conditions because we don’t have expensive cars, women, and other fancy things to cover up what real life is like.”
Rob Deniel — “RomCom”
Pop musician Rob Deniel’s video for “RomCom” is a cute tribute to some of the biggest Filipino romantic-comedy films of the past few decades. The music video shows Deniel recreating different scenes from Kita Kita, F.L.A.M.E.S, Diary ng Panget, and A Very Special Love. Directed by Jason Maximo and Bryan Termulo, seeing Deniel act as Empoy, Marvin Agustin, James Reid, and John Lloyd Cruz together with BINI member Maloi makes for a fun and lighthearted music video.
Any Name’s Okay — “Cobalt Blue”
Pop band Any Name’s Okay channel the 80’s infomercial aesthetic for their newest release, “Cobalt Blue.” Directed by JoFab of V1 Productions Inc., the music video is a cheery explosion of color, sound, and light — very on brand for the quintet.