Illest Morena Brings “i dont wanna wake you up” To Life In New Music Video – Watch
The music video shot in her hometown arrives shortly after the empowering single’s release last June 12.
Courtesy of @daillestmorena.
Courtesy of @daillestmorena.
Illest Morena drops the official music video for her latest single, “i dont wanna wake you up,” bringing the confidence-driven anthem to life through a tribute to the community that shaped her.
Arriving weeks after the single’s release on June 12, 2026, the music video premiered on July 4, 2026 as the latest visual from the Filipino hip-hop artist’s new era. It serves as her first solo release after a year of collaborating with some of the biggest names in the local music scene.
Marking the beginning of the rollout of her forthcoming sophomore album, “i dont wanna wake you up” explores self-confidence and personal growth through a blend of Jersey Club and drill influences. Produced alongside longtime collaborator, Shazy, the track is paired with a music video filmed in Barangay Addition Hills, Mandaluyong City.
Featuring the neighborhood she grew up in, the visualizer sees appearances from viral personalities Sesable, Stella Salle, Queen Dura, and members of the local drag community. Together, the song and visual celebrate authenticity, community, and Illest Morena’s journey back to her roots.
Speaking about the music video, the independent rapper shared, “I wanted the video to feel alive. Totoong buhay, totoong tao, totoong community (Real life, real people, real community.)”
On the decision to feature drag artists in the visual, she explained, “Bilang performer, sobrang inspiring nilang panoorin. Magkaiba man yung art forms namin, pare-pareho kaming storytellers on stage, and I hope one day ma-try ko rin maging drag queen.”
(“As a performer, they are incredibly inspiring to watch. Even though our art forms differ, we are all storytellers on stage, and I hope that one day I can try being a drag queen, too.”)
Illest Morena is currently working on her sophomore album, which she describes as her “most personal project yet.”
In anticipation of Illest Morena’s next era, watch her latest music video, “i dont wanna wake you up,” below:
Frequently Asked Questions
“i dont wanna wake you up” is a confidence-driven single exploring self-assurance and personal growth through a blend of Jersey Club and drill influences. Produced with longtime collaborator Shazy, it is Illest Morena’s first solo release after a year of collaborations with major local acts.
The official music video premiered on July 4, 2026, a few weeks after the single’s release on June 12, 2026. It is the first visual of Illest Morena’s new era and opens the rollout of her forthcoming sophomore album.
The music video was filmed in Barangay Addition Hills, Mandaluyong City — the neighborhood where Illest Morena grew up. She described the concept as a tribute to real life, real people, and the real community that shaped her as a Filipino hip-hop artist.
The video features viral personalities Sesable, Stella Salle, and Queen Dura, alongside members of the local drag community in Addition Hills. Illest Morena said she cast drag artists because, despite different art forms, they are all storytellers on stage.
Yes. Illest Morena is currently working on her sophomore album, which she describes as her most personal project yet. “i dont wanna wake you up,” released independently on June 12, 2026, marks the beginning of the album’s rollout.
