August 18, 2025 — Paham has always been about sincerity. The indie/alt-rock five-piece — Cymon (rhythm guitar), James (lead guitar, vocals), Kian (keyboards, vocals), Yuan (bass), and Ryen (drums) — started out as classmates swapping chords in school hallways, slowly shaping a sound they now call their own: modern-day harana, poetic and guitar-driven. They’ve come a long way since those first jams, racking up over 2 million streams on their breakout single “Hiraya”, landing on Spotify’s Viral 50 and OPM Rising, and, earlier this year, releasing their self-titled debut album under Off The Record (Sony Music Philippines). The 12-track record earned them the cover of Spotify’s Tatak Pinoy playlist alongside SB19 and BINI — a milestone built not on hype, but on years of busking, bar gigs, campus tours, and Wish Bus stops.
Their new single “Duwag” is maybe their most vulnerable yet. It’s a soft, steady confession set against the glow of Manila City Pop — retro grooves meeting modern warmth. The song hangs on that moment before you tell someone how you feel, when your chest is tight and your words get stuck, not because you don’t care, but because you care too much. It’s based on a real story from a close friend, but the feeling is universal: the skipped heartbeats, the long stares, the quiet “what ifs.”
With shimmering synths, warm guitars, and a rhythm that sways between nervous energy and quiet hope, “Duwag” bottles that feeling of wanting to say “Gusto kita. Wala nang iba” but not quite finding the courage. It’s a song for anyone who’s been there — standing on the edge of a confession, hoping the other person feels the same.