Acclaimed OPM singer-songwriter and producer Zack Tabudlo takes the term delulu on a different meaning with his new single dedicated to hopeless romantics.
His latest song ‘DELULU,’ a wordplay for the term delusional, explores the idea of falling for someone, loving them from afar, and imagining being with them in too-perfect-to-be-true scenarios.
The 21-year-old artist revealed that his song is inspired by the fans he met online who experienced being delusional and hopeless in love.
“It’s pretty much based on their experiences so I thought of writing this song so they can relate to it,” he shared.
DELULU begins with a playful quip “nade-delulu na ako (I’m getting delusional),” then takes the listeners on the complicated journey of falling in love.
The first verse shows symptoms of unrequited love, combined with the confusion from receiving mixed signals from the one your heart beats for.
The mood somehow changes in the second verse, with the persona making a resolve to do anything to capture the heart of the object of one’s affection.
Finally, the song’s bridge takes listeners on a rollercoaster of emotions, quite like the feeling of falling in love: the push and pull between giving yourself completely to love, while looking for assurance that your love is returned.
“I’ve been writing and producing my own songs for years now and I evolved a lot in terms of how I produce my track, the inspirations behind each of the songs and it helps me create music that people can relate to, like DELULU. Most, if not all, of my music really comes from personal experiences,” Zack explained, detailing what guided the direction of the song.
Longtime listeners can look forward to Zack’s signature falsetto and synth-pop sound, with the song’s dreamy yet funky vibe that is evocative of the kilig that one feels every time they get a glimpse of the apple of their eye.
Becoming delulu
Zack does not really see being delulu as a particularly negative concept in his song.
In fact, he wants the song to serve as an inspiration for people, particularly the hopeless romantics, to work hard in getting the things they want in life—including love.
“Make it an inspiration, instead of a delusion. If you desire something or someone, work hard and make yourself worthy of it,” a message he shared for those who have gone delulu in love.
Zack is the youngest solo male Filipino artist to hit 1 billion overall streams on Spotify, known for his record-breaking tracks such as Binibini, Pano, and Nangangamba.
His recent single Gusto featuring Al James is currently #2 on YouTube Philippines’ Music Charts and #7 on Spotify’s Top 50 songs in the Philippines.
You can listen to his latest song DELULU here.
