FOLK-POP band Ben&Ben has more surprises for their Liwanag fandom.
The nine-piece band announced on its social media accounts that it will release three new songs this week and in December.
Two of the songs are titled “Autumn” and “Courage (full band version),” which will come out on November 24 and December 1, respectively.
The other single is a “special collab” with an artist that Ben&Ben has yet to reveal.
“These songs represent deep parts of our souls, emotions, and memories,” the band wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
The group hopes that the new singles would “speak” to their fans named Liwanag.
In October, Ben&Ben released “Courage” to give strength to those who are facing their battles. It was the second song the band released in 2023.
“We’ve gone through a lot to bring them to life, and each note, each detail you will hear is a product of many tears cried, many moments celebrated, and many struggles overcome,” added Ben&Ben.
This announcement thrilled fans who could no longer wait for the band’s major releases.
They have also started to guess which artist the band will collaborate with, with some suggesting Filipino pop rock band The Juans.
While there is no confirmation yet, the fans noticed that the “E” in the “special collab” is a three-horizontal line, like the logo of The Juans.
“@TheJuans_BAND ba kacollab niyo? ha ben&ben??? kase kung oo OMGGGGG TAPOS NA BA ANG PAGHIHINTAY KO????? base kase sa e its the dawans symbol(?) something like that so?????????” one X user said.
Other fans requested the band to release the Tagalog version of “Courage.” Ben&Ben’s twin vocalists, Miguel Benjamin Guico and Paolo Benjamin Guico, previously teased the Tagalog version of the song.
A part of the song’s lyrics goes: “May saysay ang mga hirap; May hanggan padayon ka nang may tapang; Andiyan na, iyong hiraya; Kapit lang padayon ka nang may tapang; Padayon ka lang; Padayon; Padayon ka lang.”
Ben&Ben also surprised its fans last month when it announced that it will open a fan-inspired hangout spot called Liwanag House in Robinsons Galleria in Ortigas.
The location will serve as a venue for their fans to hang out with each other and check out Ben&Ben merchandise. Events, seminars and workshops of the band’s Puhon Foundation will also take place in the Liwanag House.
The nine-member group is set to perform at Robinsons Antipolo for a holiday concert on November 24.
Three Awit awards
Meanwhile, Ben&Ben racked up three wins at the 36th Awit Awards, bagging Best Performance by a Group Recording Artist, Music Video of the Year and Best Pop Recording for their song “Paninindigan Kita.”
The band thanked Liwanag who have been its inspiration for its hit songs.
“[S]obrang malalim na pasasalamat palagi ang gusto naming ibigay. ‘Di namin deserve yung mga awards na ganito, pero huhusayan at pagbubutihin pa namin lalo, para sa inyo,” they wrote in an Instagram post.
Released in June 2022 to mark the end of Pride Month, the music video of “Paninindigan Kita” featured queer love between the characters of the band’s own Pat Lasaten and Agnes Reoma.
