So, you’re single as fuck.
Your messaging app is filled with unread text spams and automated promo offers—and the only *real* people sliding into your DMs are delivery riders, friends you’ve ghosted for months, and distant relatives who enjoy random chain messages a little too much.
The things that can make you feel kilig aren’t tied to IRL experiences either. Your dose of romantic thrills comes from films and series, your fave OTPs, and those X/Twitter AUs you consider bedtime stories.
And your kind of steamy night? Well, let’s just say it involves whatever Y/N scenarios your big brain comes up with. (That, or glaring—and cursing—at a malfunctioning air conditioner while being alone in bed with sweat-soaked sheets.)
Yup, “being delulu is the solulu” has practically become your battlecry—and we’re here to further that agenda. If you’re on the lookout for a new addition to your arsenal of delulu-inducing pleasures, here’s a rec: local R&B artists. They can’t magically bring a lover to your doorstep, but they can absolutely spice up your Y/N fantasies and add a sultry BGM to your escapades.
These artists don’t just sing—they croon, seduce, and make you want to be the subject of their melodies. They got the (ultimate) Filipino rizz that even Jake from Enhypen couldn’t resist.
DENȲ
An independent and needy woman, a bad bitch, or a shy lovesick girl… who are you going to be tonight? With DENȲ’s music as your backdrop, you can easily be all of the above, or literally anybody you damn well please. Going through her songs is like having an aural choose-your-own-adventure book where you get to flip between chapters at will.
“Gusto With Ya” is for the girlies in their Disney princess era—empowered, but also longing to be swept off their feet. Feeling torpe? DENȲ has a track for that persona, too: “Mahiyain.” Now, if you’re stuck in a complicated love affair with your (imaginary) partner, “Like Me” is your sign to end things with them.
P.S. For more delulu-fueling songs, you can check out DENȲ’s recent drop “LOVES7AGE.”
Angelo Rudy
People say music hits differently when they’re written in your first language. So, to our Bisaya fellas out there—heavy on those who got attached so fast (maybe even fell in love) with someone they’re stuck in a strict situationship with—Angelo Rudy is your guy.
In a nutshell, his discography resonates with the brokenhearted. It can take you on a journey through the messiness of modern romance: “Way Label” for those who recently ended their no-label relationships, “Higugma” for the dreaded unrequited love scenarios, “What If Ako?” for when your long-time crush asks for a song rec, and “Ikaw Gihapon” to fire up your what ifs even more.
Kindred
Imagine a universe where every passerby is a potential love interest, every eye contact sparks a slow-motion montage of romantic tension, and every coffee shop encounter is a meet-cute waiting to happen—that’s exactly the kind of vibe Kindred brings to the table.
This Sharon Cuneta-approved boy band is the sonic embodiment of “green flag rizz,” with a fresh discography as if written in the POV of someone with perpetual heart eyes. Kindred doesn’t really limit themselves to R&B, but all of their releases (so far) fall under the genre: “Lambing,” “Say I Love,” and “Switch On U!”
Illest Morena
On days when you’re feeling horny and up for a wild ride, Illest Morena can be your ultimate accomplice. This up-and-coming R&B singer doesn’t beat around the bush; she speaks to your most daring desires with her raunchy tunes and lyricism that leaves little to the imagination.
Case in point: “Soul Ties” and “Pick Up.” These tracks from her repertoire would make you want to embrace the sexy (and low-key rebellious) version of yourself even in the most mundane moments. Illest might as well be that unapologetic friend encouraging you to celebrate the uninhibited, own your sensuality, and explore the steamier side of life without shame.
But the singer doesn’t stop at igniting your sensual cravings. She also has music for a variety of Y/N situations, like “Amnesia Haze” for when you’re committed in a forbidden relationship in your head, and “It’s You” for when you’re (finally) done with obsessing over red flags.
Cean Jr.
Now, let’s talk about a reco that has a seal of approval from Enhypen: Cean Jr. His song “YK” made waves on TikTok (and YouTube) largely because it makes a great theme song for many AUs and fanfiction, and partly because Jake jammed to it during a live broadcast. According to the K-pop idol, “YK” is “such a good song.”
Besides this hit, though, Cean Jr. has a few more tracks that can fuel your delulu-ness as much as “YK” could. “Hirap O Sarap” captures the essence of the first night after the wedding—if its seeming reference to the “sa hirap at ginhawa” line in a typical Filipino wedding vow is anything to go by.
Meanwhile in an alternate universe where your S/O is whipped as heck for you, “Binibini” and “Cold2Gold” can be your go-to jams.
Read more:
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Art by Ashley Valdenarro
Photos from Kindred, DENY, and Cean Jr. via Spotify