{"id":46906,"date":"2023-11-26T17:10:48","date_gmt":"2023-11-26T09:10:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.teampcheng.com\/blog\/?p=46906"},"modified":"2024-07-24T08:43:11","modified_gmt":"2024-07-24T00:43:11","slug":"armed-with-a-new-name-and-new-music-sos-talk-about-their-journey-and-new-single-please-lang","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.teampcheng.com\/blog\/entertainment\/armed-with-a-new-name-and-new-music-sos-talk-about-their-journey-and-new-single-please-lang\/","title":{"rendered":"MUSIC \/ Armed with a new name, and new music, \u2018SOS\u2019 Talk about their journey and new single \u2018Please Lang\u2019\u00a0\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By: Ica Hontiveros-Cheng<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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SOS. Front row from left Roberto Se\u00f1a (vocals, guitar, synths), Anjo Silvoza (bass), King Puentespina (drums, synths), second row from left: Ram Alonzo (Keys, synths) and Andrew Panopio (guitar). <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

During the 2010\u2019s my husband Paul and I were active in the local music scene, our son Luke wasn\u2019t born yet, it was easier to see bands in bars and shows. She\u2019s Only Sixteen <\/em>– was one of those bands whom we\u2019d be happy to see in the line up. We last saw them in 2017 when they performed in the UP Town Center branch of Satchmi. That branch has since closed, (their Megamall branch is still very much open) the pandemic happened, and among the many changes was a name change for the band, who went from She\u2019s Only Sixteen <\/em>to SOS <\/em>(pronounced as Sows).    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fast forward to 2023 – six years later, I am rushing to a hole-in-the-wall- cafe in the middle of Pasig, after logging off my work shift for a press conference with SOS who will be releasing their latest single \u2018Please lang\u2019. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Catching my breath and in bad need of some caffeine, I arrived late with the interview done, but the quintet was nice enough to still accommodate me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I brought a peace offering, which was a physical copy of their \u2018Whatever That Was\u2019 album, that came out in 2017. It was a good opportunity for an ice breaker with the band. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There were reactions of \u2018Wow!\u2019 and \u2018Wild!\u2019 upon seeing the CD, which I\u2019m sure served as a reminder on the band\u2019s journey. Which was something that we would talk about during the intimate interview. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I now christen you SOS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

So first things first. Why the change in name? <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The change of name happened in 2022. Lead vocalist and guitarist Roberto Se\u00f1a explains. It’s easier to not<\/em> explain why our name is like that (She’s Only Sixteen) being older, compared to when we started (which was back in 2008- the band has been together for 15 years already). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s hard to change your band name so much, so we decided not to stray too far away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Me: Somewhere along the way you grew out of the name? <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yeah. It’s a good marker for us and where we\u2019re going and  of where we are in life in general, it’s very significant for us to make that change, and we’re five now. Says drummer King Puentespina, referring to the addition of Ram Alonzo on keys and synth to the band. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I did notice the change in the sound for \u2018Roses\u2019 (released in 2023 via Careless Music) there’s a change in the sound, it’s more electronic with a bit of an 80s vibe. Is it safe to say that this will be the direction of your music going forward?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNot really,\u201d Se\u00f1a says. between that (Roses) and this (points to their 2017 album ‘Whatever That Was’)  it’s been more collaborative between the band, there’s a lot of experimentation of sound, yes electronica, but not exactly 80s – some, yeah, but then, we’ve also had our first Filipino single last year called ‘Seryoso’ and then now our new single, ‘Please lang’ I want to say it was a shift in sound, like a manifestation of going through stages and learning how to make more kinds of music. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Me: You can’t stay in one sound throughout. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yeah and that was never the plan to begin with, agrees Andrew Panopio (guitars) it contributes to the longevity of us being in a band, it has to excite us, it has to be fresh, because the moment it doesn’t, it’s a sign of decay. And especially with adding Ram to the mix, it meant to explore new sounds, better arrangements, bigger live sound, he’s a very welcome addition. <\/p>\n\n\n

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New direction. Same old guys. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You guys are working with Careless Music now. What are you most looking forward to working with them?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We’ve been working on our own for the longest time and being an indie band to be honest has its limits and there is a lot of push that can happen and a lot of extra hands, helping you with every small step of the process like setting up shows, getting sponsors, all the clerical stuff, all the admin stuff, there’s a lot of push that a lot of extra hands can help with says Anjo Silvoza (bass). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We’ve been signed before with other labels so we know as a band we know what we need and we know what we want, it’s just getting people to help us make those things happen at least at this point. We know where we are, where we want to be, where we want to go he adds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We talked about this being a journey, so at this point in time what are you guys looking forward to the most?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apart from the single that we’re releasing, we’re releasing two EPs next year says King Puentespina (on drums) and that’s like the culmination of our experiences from the last EP. We all moved to La Union at one point, for this project, we locked ourselves in the studio and then we finished all the songs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Se\u00f1a explains: For context we opened a studio in La Union during the pandemic, there’s a popular coffee shop there called ‘Del Union’ and we built a music studio (Bavarian Studio) above their coffee shop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(And yes! This is also the same coffee shop that’s opening in Fully Booked BGC soon! So will definitely check it out! And maybe hopefully get to visit La Union soon!)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

So that’s where we make music now, it’s great because we get to enjoy creative freedom there, not just because there’s a beach but because it’s our studio, so there’s no hurry, no pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We’re also looking forward to getting to play in other countries, Se\u00f1a adds, since the pandemic lifted, we’ve played in Bangkok, Japan, twice in Singapore. And it’s always been our goal to be more recognized regionally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Deep Dive into ‘Please Lang’ <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What’s the inspiration behind the song ‘Please Lang’ and how excited are you to have your followers listen to the new song?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Collective experience. We all contributed to the lyrics. And then it’s funny when we were giving lines there was some sort of truth relationshipwise<\/em>, it was fun, really.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The last thing we wanted to write was a Tagalog hugot love song but what I liked about this it’s not about what could have been, rather what happened. It’s definitive, there’s no more hope there says Se\u00f1a. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Me: But the title ‘Please Lang’ isn’t it like asking for another chance?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yeah. That was the first half of the song. But it never goes back to the chorus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The song ends with these lines:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ayaw ko nang drama, ikaw lang ang tama<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

lumaban sa dulo, parehong natalo<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Listen to ‘Please Lang’ here! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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