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Growing up, I’ve always been enamored with people who could easily jump from one persona to another. I’m impressed by actors who play roles that look nothing like the previous ones they did and fiction authors who write characters of different backgrounds in the same universe.
It hits differently, though, when musicians do so, especially when it has become quite difficult lately to find songs (in mainstream media, at least) with lyrics that make sense—let alone songs that *actually* tell stories.
It’s been six years since “Stigma” by V of BTS was released, but it’s still one of my most played songs until now because nothing has yet to make me feel the same way it does. (Fine, maybe “Singularity” comes a close second.) It is a visceral description of the raw and uninhibited pain of V’s younger fictional self in the BTS Universe, with diaristic lines that allow listeners into his sacred inner world.
“It feels nice that I have newer fans now and more people are listening to my music. [The recognition from V] has opened up a lot of doors for me.”
But besides his emotionally charged songs, V is also known for listening to a lot of underappreciated artists across the globe. And it was honestly all thanks to him that I discovered Filipino musician Paolo Sandejas. He is still a relatively fresh face in the industry, having released his first single in 2018.
“It feels nice that I have newer fans now and more people are listening to my music. [The recognition from V] has opened up a lot of doors for me,” says the 22-year-old musician as I sit down with him for an exclusive interview. “It’s been really, really overwhelming, but at the same time, really exciting. A lot of things are coming up and it’s very motivating.”
Unlike many young artists nowadays who stick to generic pop with uncomplicated lyrics, Paolo makes an effort in crafting storylines for his songs. He takes his audience on an emotional world-building journey through his honest, often cathartic lyricism accompanied by laidback and nostalgic melodies.
This alone made me realize that he’s more than just “our kababayan” whose song V featured in his drive vlog, singing along to lyrics as if he had long memorized them. Paolo is an up-and-coming musician with lots of potential—someone truly deserving of a spot in the scene.
Paolo finds joy in storytelling. Writing lyrics—allowing his listeners to indulge in different perspectives and stories—is what he loves most about being a musician.
Paolo as a singer-storyteller
Paolo finds joy in storytelling. Writing lyrics—allowing his listeners to indulge in different perspectives and stories—is what he loves most about being a musician.
During the first couple of years of his career, he wrote songs solely based on personal experiences and feelings. For instance, “Sorry” came into existence when he went through a breakup. He used his pen to get everything off his chest and give himself the closure he needed at that time.
But Paolo has seemingly taken an interest in putting himself in other people’s shoes these days. In fact, the latest song he’s working on is inspired by an anime he just finished watching.
Paolo as a composer and a producer
Besides songwriting, he also finds music production interesting. “My process is incremental,” says Paolo. “It usually starts with a single melody, a riff, or a chord progression, and everything just eventually builds from there. Sometimes, I can finish a song in a day, other times in the span of a week or even a month.”
“Purple Afternoon” was a special case, though. According to Paolo, he did it in under 20 minutes as the ideas just kept on flowing freely. The song is about throwing grand gestures out the window and realizing that the small, mundane moments throughout your day can be precious too if spent with the right person.
But as with most creatives, experiencing a creative block is also inevitable for Paolo. He used to get so frustrated whenever it hit him, but he eventually learned an effective way to deal with it. “I overcome it by experimenting, messing around, and just being playful with my work,” the young musician reveals.
Paolo also found out that with each episode of a creative block comes new discoveries—and they usually manifest while thoughtlessly playing some random tunes. “I can now move forward from a block with a new tool in my producer toolkit that I can use later on for other songs.” (Say, a fresh chord progression or a production trick he accidentally discovers while playing around.)
Paolo as an artist with a vision
“At the end of the day, trends come and go. Musicians come and go. And after everything, all I’m gonna be left with is myself. So, if I can sleep soundly at night, feeling proud of the music I put out, trends or the pressure to emerge at the top of the charts don’t matter as much to me anymore.”
Apart from putting your name out there, establishing your identity as a musician comes off as a big challenge for artists. Most of them get baited to follow industry trends, hoping to gain an easy (but, let’s be real, mediocre) headstart. Thankfully, Paolo has a clear vision of the kind of music he wants to share with people: tracks with honest lyrics and dabbling in diverse genres. Knowing this helps him stay true to his identity.
“Of course, it’s tough to not think about the trends,” the singer-songwriter admits—sometimes he finds himself tempted to change his sound based on what genres are currently popular. “But at the end of the day, trends come and go. Musicians come and go. And after everything, all I’m gonna be left with is myself. So, if I can sleep soundly at night, feeling proud of the music I put out, trends or the pressure to emerge at the top of the charts don’t matter as much to me anymore.”
“I think for any person in any field, peers reaching out to you and saying that they like your music or that they appreciate what you do is already a feat in itself.”
As per Paolo, “Hide and Seek” is arguably the closest he has been to the sound he wants to move forward with. It has the vibe of those relaxing ’80s songs most local FM radios play on Sunday mornings.
Achieving a vision is one thing, and saying you’ve made it is another. “It’s really hard for me to measure success,” says Paolo. He sees his music career as a never-ending cycle of doing better and pushing himself farther, so his definition of success changes every time he reaches a goal. “Before, [success to me] is simply being able to release music. But at this point in particular, it’s having an opportunity to perform around Southeast Asia alongside established indie artists.”
But if he were to categorize his career milestones, small wins come in the form of compliments, especially from his fellow musicians or personalities he looks up to. “I think for any person in any field, peers reaching out to you and saying that they like your music or that they appreciate what you do is already a feat in itself. I’m already smiling just thinking about it.”
Big wins, on the other hand, usually come in the form of gigs. As someone who enjoys performing in front of a crowd, he feels another level of fulfillment when he gets invited as an opening act. (Full disclosure: He opened for Morissette Amon on the same day of our shoot with him.)
Paolo as a multitasker (and a time management king)
Although Paolo is currently finishing his degree in computer science and has strongly expressed his interest in practicing it professionally, music will always be a “core piece of his being.” “I want to pursue both careers,” he says, conviction evident in his words.
“In my first two years in college, it was so hard. I wished I could be in two places at once. I was constantly dividing my attention between making music and coding,” he recalls. Over time, Paolo was able to figure out how to block his schedule better and allocate his time more efficiently. “I’m still tired now, but at least I get to do what I love. That’s what matters,” he says.
Even as a solo artist, he acknowledges that making his dreams come true is a team effort. “My family also played a major role in my journey. They’re my rock,” he says. Paolo proudly shares that his parents and siblings have always been so supportive of his music and would show up to most of his gigs to cheer him on.
Now, what’s next for Paolo?
Paolo has been booked in gig after gig for the past few months—either as an opening act or as part of the official lineup, playing alongside other indie acts. After getting that stamp of approval from V, performing with idols closer to home feels like a possibility. If given the chance, he would love to do a collab with or even just be on the same stage as Zild Benitez, Unique Salonga, or Zack Tabudlo in the local music scene and Phum Viphurit in Southeast Asia. (He even has a poster of Phum in his room—that’s a real stan right there.)
Paolo gives us a hint of his current WIP: “I feel like I’ve grown a lot since 2018. With the new EP I’m working on, I plan on reintroducing myself to both my old and new listeners. It’s coming out really good and I’m happy with how it’s sounding.”
He tells us it’s going to be a mix of sad ballads that hit home and upbeat songs that will make you want to jive. Paolo is looking to take us all on a rollercoaster ride of emotions with this project, so better prepare a pillow to cry on… and maybe brush up on your twerking skills, too.
Produced and written by Kleo Catienza
Photography by Borgy Angeles
Creative direction by Yel Sayo