Ben&Ben | |
|---|---|
 Ben&Ben performing in 2018 | |
| Background information | |
| Also known as | The Benjamins (2016) |
| Origin | Manila, Philippines |
| Genres | |
| Discography | |
| Years active | 2016–present |
| Labels | Sony Music Philippines |
| Members |
|
| Website | benandbenmusic |
Ben&Ben are a Filipinoindiefolk-pop band fromManila. They were formed in 2016 by twin brothers Paolo and Miguel Benjamin Guico (lead vocals and acoustic guitars), calling themselves The Benjamins. A year later, they expanded into anensemble and settled on the current name, adding Poch Barretto (electric guitar), Keifer Cabugao (violin), Patricia Lasaten (keyboards), Toni Muñoz (percussion), Andrew de Pano (percussion), Agnes Reoma (bass guitar), and Jam Villanueva (drums). The band's musical style has garnered praise for its anthemic quality and emotional engagement that appeals to a broad audience, while their lyrics focus on subjects including loss, heartbreak and relationship, and the journey towards self-love.
The band's first effort, a self-titledextended play (EP), was released in 2016. The EP's singles, "Leaves" and "Kathang Isip", helped raise Ben&Ben to prominence. UnderSony Music Philippines, the band released their debut studio albumLimasawa Street (2019) to critical and commercial success; the single "Pagtingin" earned them theAwit Award for Best Performance by a Group Recording Artist. Their second studio albumPebble House, Vol. 1: Kuwaderno (2021) received acclaim for its reflective lyricism and sociopolitical themes. It won the Awit Award for Album of the Year and was named byNME as one of the 25 best Asian albums of the year.
Ben&Ben have receivednumerous accolades, including anAsia Artist Award, anAliw Award, aNME Award, twoMyx Music Awards, threeStar Awards, and sixteen Awit Awards. In 2020, they placed 29th on theBillboard Social 50 chart. Having amassed more than two billionstreams thus far, Ben&Ben have been named the most-streamed Filipino artist of all time onSpotify. Beyond music, they promote causes such as mental health, environmental awareness, and digital well-being.
Twin brothers Paolo and Miguel Benjamin Guico were members of a high school cover band, Deadline, formed during the 2000s.[1][2] They started playing as part of an "after-school culture", performing music from groups such asParamore,Yellowcard, andUrbandub, and joining several amateur band competitions. After graduating high school, the brothers attendedDe La Salle University. Their inherent familiarity with music devices, such as fixingloudspeakers, led them tomajor inengineering. They had been interested in a career in music and thought that this would prepare them for opportunities to pursue it at the same time.[1] While at De La Salle, they auditioned for aBattle of the Bands contest but failed to make it past the first round. Disillusioned by this, the brothers decided to take a hiatus from music altogether to focus on their studies. During this period, they became more involved withextracurricular activities; Miguel was part of an events and production group, while Paolo was a member of thestudent body.[3]
Around that time, Paolo answered an advertisement onFacebook forElements Music Camp, a songwriting workshop mentored by Filipino musicians, includingGloc-9,Noel Cabangon,Joey Ayala, andRey Valera. They considered their participation a "cathartic experience", adding that it prompted a transformative shift in their perspective on music and life.[1] Elements Music Camp was influential in shaping the brothers' musicianship; in addition to honing their songwriting process, it gave them confidence as singers.[1][2] They graduated from De La Salle in 2016 and formed the Benjamins,[4][1] taken from their second given names.[5] In the same year, they began songwriting and took part in thePhilippine Popular Music Festival,[2] becoming the youngest finalists at age 21.[4] They wrote "Tinatangi", a song about "life's different phases" which infusedfolk music and featured lyrics rooted inkundiman.[6] A collaboration with singersBayang Barrios and Cooky Chua, the piece won third place and was awarded Best Music Video.[2]
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During this time, the duo worked with several different sound engineers and songwriters, including tribal leaders as sources of inspiration; they subsequently took the name Ben&Ben.[7][8] In partnership withWarner Music Philippines, Ben&Ben released their first effort, an eponymousextended play (EP), on December 17, 2016.[9][7] Although the two recorded their material with the aid oflayered sound andaudio mixing elements, they faced challenges replicating this in a live setting. Prior to their stage debut onRappler's Live Jam, the duo invited a small group of musicians to perform with them, adding Poch Barretto aselectric guitarist, Jam Villanueva asdrummer, Agnes Reoma asbassist, Patricia Lasaten askeyboardist, Toni Muñoz and Andrew de Pano aspercussionists, as well as Keifer Cabugao asviolinist.[2] Six of the additions have previously studied music; Muñoz, Lasaten, and Reoma majored in music composition, Barretto and Villanueva earned music business management degrees, and De Pano is a graduate of music education. Conversely, Cabugao is the only one to have a non-music major, having attended business school.[1] The group continued playing live performances together for several months,[1] and on May 10, 2017, Ben&Ben were officially formed as a nine-member ensemble.[7] "Leaves",Ben&Ben EP's single, helped the band rise to prominence after it had beenstreamed more than one million times onSpotify.[10] Their next release, "Kathang Isip", was heralded byBillboard Philippines as a "game-changer", highlighting its "melodramatic crooning ... heart-tugging instrumentals ... [and] soaring, cathartic chorus".[11] It was nominated for Song of the Year at theMyx Music Awards.[12] At the 2018Aliw Awards, Ben&Ben were named Best New Artist – Group.[13] That same year, the band featured on several soundtracks, performing "Susi" for the biopicGoyo: Ang Batang Heneral, "Maybe The Night" for the romantic dramaExes Baggage, and "Balik-Balikan" for the television seriesCoke Studio Homecoming.[7]
In the first half of 2019, Ben&Ben signed a record deal withSony Music Philippines and began work on their debut studio albumLimasawa Street.[14] They first paired with British producerSteve Lillywhite, known for his work withU2 andDave Matthews Band, for the album's title track. The song, heavily influenced byrock, drew its stylistic inspiration from Lillywhite's production with U2'sthe Edge. The band found Lillywhite to be very encouraging and creative; Paolo cited that working with the producer had significant impact on the album's output overall. The record also fused elements fromMotown andsoul music, among others.[15]
Preceded by the singles "Araw-Araw" and "Pagtingin",[16]Limasawa Street was released on May 10, 2019,[17] to critical acclaim;[18] Karla Rule ofThe Philippine Star praised the themes represented on the album for its emotional engagement to a wider audience,[19] while a reviewer from theManila Bulletin concluded, "WithLimasawa Street, Ben&Ben not only proves they are one of the premier bands of the day, but they have enough creativity and depth to be in this for the long haul".[20] To promote the album, the band embarked on their Limasawa Street Tour which ran from May to August 2019, encompassing 12 shows.[21] The album wascertified 4× platinum by thePhilippine Association of the Record Industry.[22] Ben&Ben won multiple accolades for their work; it was named Favorite Album of the Year at the 2020Awit Awards, and "Pagtingin" earned the awards for Best Performance by a Group Recording Artist and Favorite Song of the Year.[23] The single "Araw-Araw" was curated for the soundtrack of the romantic filmLast Song Syndrome (2019), and won aStar Award for Movie Theme Song of the Year.[24] At the2020 MTV Europe Music Awards, the band were nominated forBest Southeast Asian Act.[25]
Following the outbreak of theCOVID-19 pandemic, the band members lived together and conceived their second albumPebble House, Vol. 1: Kuwaderno.[26] The title was inspired by the house they resided in, and the album found the band experimenting with different narrative standpoints on the production. Conceptually, "kuwaderno" (lit. 'notebook') is an allusion to the music created from ideas chronicled in their "shared life under quarantine". Filipino musiciansChito Miranda,KZ Tandingan,Moira Dela Torre,Juan Karlos Labajo, andZild appeared as guest performers.[27] The completed album garnered critical praise upon its release in 2021,[a] withNME listingPebble House, Vol. 1: Kuwaderno as one of the "25 best Asian albums" of the year.[32] Rick Olivares ofABS-CBNnews.com found its introspective essence timely for the pandemic and regarded its sound as a bold reinvention of Ben&Ben's artistry,[28] while a critic from theBusinessMirror lauded the album's experimental production, emotional weight and reflective songwriting.[29] The album's release was followed by alivestreaming concert which was filmed at theAraneta Coliseum and broadcast on December 5, 2021, via the web-based platform KTX.ph.[33] At the 2022 Awit Awards, the album and its singles received 21 nominations and earned multiple wins, including Album of the Year.[34][35] Ben&Ben were named Best Band from Asia at the 2022NME Awards, in addition to a Best Album by an Asian Artist nomination.[36]
Also in 2022, Ben&Ben headlined their first international tour which commenced inSan Francisco, followed by a series of dates across North America.[37] In early 2023, the band performed at several music festivals, including theAurora Music Festival inPampanga, three editions of1MX Music Festival—London,Toronto, andSydney—and theClockenflap in Hong Kong.[b] Amidst their touring activities, the band were honored with the Best Choice Award at the2023 Asia Artist Awards, alongside musicians such asKang Daniel andNewJeans.[43] Later that year, they debuted the songs "Autumn" and "Courage",[44] and were featured on the soundtrack of the drama filmRewind, performing the single "Sa Susunod na Habang Buhay".[45] On March 9, 2024, Ben&Benopened forEd Sheeran's+–=÷× Tour at theSMDC Festival Grounds inParañaque, where Sheeran later invited Miguel and Paolo Guico on stage to perform "Maybe the Night" with him.[46] Ajukebox musical adaptation of the 2007 romance filmOne More Chance featuredBen&Ben's songs and premiered in April 2024 at thePETA Theater Center.[47] In October 2024, Ben&Ben announced their third studio album,The Traveller Across Dimensions, set for release on November 29.[48]
Ben&Ben have named British rock bandColdplay as their main influence and biggest inspiration. They admire how the group have diversified their sound and explored many musical styles throughout their career, including "the breadth of themes they tackle in their songs, to the contrasts of their musical palette, all the way to making the most of music as a holistic experience".[22] The brothers grew up listening to folk, rock, and jazz musicians, including Urbandub, Paramore, Joey Ayala,Johnoy Danao,Cynthia Alexander, andFranco. Lyrically, they acknowledged Filipino songwriters such as Noel Cabangon, Jungee Marcelo, Jazz Nicolas, andEbe Dancel as mentors and primary influences for writing their early material.[6] Band members Barretto, De Pano, and Muñoz have all covered songs ofJohn Mayer, while Villanueva citesNirvana,Radiohead, andthe Foo Fighters as musical inspirations. Lasaten looks up to Paramore lead vocalistHayley Williams, whose "pop punk musical artistry" she wishes to emulate.[1] Cabugao was introduced to the music of formerthe Belle Brigade member Ethan Gruska through the latter's collaboration withBon Iver, drawn to its "calm moody sound".[6] In addition, the band are inspired by artists likeQueen andthe Beatles.[22]
During production ofLimasawa Street, the band cited influences from producer Steve Lillywhite's work with U2 and Dave Matthews Band, having collaborated with him on the album's title track and impressed by his "signature way of [audio] mixing" and creative treatment.[15] ForPebble House, Vol. 1: Kuwaderno, they drew inspiration from musicians who are also band members such as Chito Miranda ofParokya ni Edgar, Zild Benitez fromIV of Spades, and Juan Karlos Labajo from hisnamesake band, all of whom appeared on the album.[30]
Ben&Ben's music has been described asindie folk,folk-pop,folk rock,pop rock, andPinoy pop.[c] In 2016, during the brothers' participation in the Philippine Popular Music Festival songwriting competition, their work had characteristics of kundiman intertwined with folk-pop, which they asserted as an "all-out experimentation". Subsequently, a similar style was implemented into their first EP.[6] Their first studio album,Limasawa Street, featured distinct song identities which were described as "folk-infused pop sound", "jazz-pop strains", and "world music-tinged".[20] WithPebble House, Vol. 1: Kuwaderno, Ben&Ben further diversified their style; "Sabel" featured "sparse instrumentation, harmony, and handclaps",[28] which incorporated melodic chants.[30] Meanwhile, "Lunod" was considered to be inspired byrock opera.[30] Later in their career, the band ventured into various music genres, exploring elements and melodies rooted incity pop,electronic music, andtropicalismo.[51] A media critic from ABS-CBNnews.com commented that it "signal[ed] a new chapter of musical growth and evolution" in their career.[51]
Ben&Ben's musical style is noted for its anthemic quality and emotional engagement that appeals to a wide range of audiences.[d] Juli Vivas of theManila Bulletin opined that their "poignant lyricism and unique musicality" are rare among their peers, underscoring that the band "changed the landscape of Filipino pop for the better, ushering in what potentially could be the second golden age of the local music industry".[7] The band's lyrics are known for their deep sentimental and emotional undertones, focusing on themes of loss, heartbreak and relationship, and the journey towards self-love.[e] They delved into the cathartic nature of life on their EP,[11][58] and embraced romance and positivity onLimasawa Street.[59] In a review of their live performance, the critic Rito Asilo from thePhilippine Daily Inquirer wrote that the song "Pagtingin" capitalized on the "lead singers' soaring, soothing vocals and radio-ready musicality", while he lauded "Paninindigan Kita" and "Araw-Araw" for expressing "earnest devotion fueling their thematic content".[60]Pebble House, Vol. 1: Kuwaderno was a departure from the dominant subjects of its predecessor.[54] Influenced by the isolation during quarantine, Ben&Ben diverged from "typical romantic narratives in favor of social commentary", exploring themes ofescapism, social issues,mental health, andfeminism. The songs generally ruminate around a set of distinctive characters, such as empowered women, emotionally troubled individuals, and the ruling class.[18]Esquire deemed the album to be "diverse yet surprisingly compact that expands the Ben&Ben sound".[54]
Regarding their songwriting process, Ben&Ben explained that the foundation to their songs is attributed to "10% of writing and 90% listening". They stated that identifying with various music genres helped broaden their perspective as songwriters, asserting that their material are often drawn from life experiences.[6] In an interview withEsquire, the band acknowledged a collaborative approach among its members: "It usually starts with a song idea from a single songwriter ... It could be as bare as a single line, or a fully written piece ... After everyone hears it, if the songwriter doesn’t really have any specific ideas for how it’ll be arranged, each person brings in their own ideas to the table".[54]
Ben&Ben's music—including collaborations with other musicians—has been known to address issues concerning mental health, feminism,social justice, andindividualism.[54][51][18][61] In 2021, the band favored writing songs that promote public awareness: "Kapangyarihan" tacklesabuse of power, corruption, and police brutality,[51][62] while "Sabel" amplified women empowerment. In addition, songs such as "Lunod" and "Magpahinga" talks about struggles with mental illness.[18][61]
The band supports and have spoken out against the discrimination faced by members of theLGBT community, most notably criticizing inaccurate and sexistgender norms. On social media, Paolo Guico aimed to dispel "outdated prejudices" and voiced his support of "gender expression". In 2018, the band released the single "Maybe the Night", which was inspired by a lesbian couple and is a tribute to "celebrating all kinds of love".[62] Ben&Ben are active supporters ofrecycling and are opposed tosingle-use products; they advocate for eco-friendly musical instruments. In 2019, the band were namedNational Geographic Asia's ambassador for its Planet or Plastic campaign, in recognition of their involvement in therehabilitation of the Pasig River and reduction efforts toplastic pollution.[63]
In the aftermath of theABS-CBN broadcast cessation in May 2020, Ben&Ben donated proceeds from the sales of their single "Nakikinig Ka Ba Sa Akin" to employees affected by the subsequentmass layoffs.[64] Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the band organizedvirtualbenefit concerts to raise funds in support of frontline and healthcare workers, disadvantaged teachers and students affected by transition toe-learning, and efforts to provideCOVID-19 testing.[65][66] In December 2020, they participated as the Philippine representative at the ROUND Festival, a music event headlined by leading artists fromASEAN member countries which advances music and culture in the region.[67] In partnership withGoogle, Ben&Ben released the single "Mag-Ingat", which premiered in February 2022, and took part inSafer Internet Day to help promote digital safety and address online misinformation andcyberbullying.[68]
Ben&Ben are considered one of the most successful bands of their generation.[7][11][69] After their breakthrough, the band received the Aliw Award for Best New Artist – Group at the 2018 ceremony.[13] In 2020, their debut albumLimasawa Street won the Awit Award for Favorite Album of the Year. The single "Pagtingin" garnered the Awit Awards for Best Performance by a Group Recording Artist and Favorite Song of the Year,[23] and the Star Award for Duo/Group Artist of the Year.[70] The band were nominated for a MTV Europe Music Award in the same year. Their second studio albumPebble House, Vol. 1: Kuwaderno received a total of 21 Awit Award nominations, including a win for Album of the Year, at the2021 ceremony.[34][35] Having surpassed more than two billionstreams to date, Ben&Ben were named bySpotify as the most-streamed Filipino artist of all time, in addition to being the most-streamed Filipino artist in 2020, 2021, and 2023.[71]
Credits adapted fromBusinessWorld.[72]
| Year | Title | Role | Director | Producer | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Last Song Syndrome | Cameo | No | Yes | [73][74] |
| Studio albums | |
|---|---|
| Singles | |
| Lists | |
| Related articles | |
