This Band sings about “the one” in their first song collab, “Higit Sa Sapat”’

Since breaking big with “Kahit Ayaw Mo Na” back in 2018, This Band has never looked back. In fact, the group—composed of lead singer Andrea Manzano, songwriter and guitarist Euwie Von Loria, bassist Miccael Galvan, drummer John Macaranas, lead guitarist Reymart Gubat, and keyboardist Melvin Carson—has never let up on the pace they set.

Proof of this is that even after a quarter-of-a-billion streams for “Kahit Ayaw Mo Na,” they still managed to follow up that monster hit with two more hits “Hindi Na Nga” and “’Di Na Babalik” that same year.

Suffice to say that This Band is really good at what they do. That’s why a This Band song is always highly anticipated. And this includes their latest release, “Higit Sa Sapat.”

New song also means new approach for This Band. And while the new single comes in an all too familiar package, ergo, relatable themes that come wrapped in memorable melodies and hook choruses rendered in that distinct pop-rock ‘banda’ sound, something new is afoot.

“This is the first song of This Band na sinulat ng group,” declares Euwie.

Andrea adds: “Each band member is putting effort in writing their own songs now. I really didn’t before but it’s a positive change for me in the band.”

“Higit Sa Sapat” was written just this year. The debut product of their songwriting sessions. “Nakakatuwa dahil lahat nag-participate sa concept writing,” said Carson.

“In the songwriting process, Andee and Mikki [Galvan] suggested a love song. I started it with the chorus & some verse part of the song while playing instruments with Gubs [Reymart]. Then Euwie and Andee added the verses and bridge. John [Macaranas] proofread the song. So it really became a team effort.”

The resulting effort is the heartfelt and catchy piece that’s seemed written to be a wedding song—“Higit Sa Sapat.”

Kicking off with a big dramatic Carson piano intro to support Andee’ yearning voice in the beginning, it eventually builds up as Euwie, Miccael, and John comes in on the rhythm section. And when Reymart joins in with his fills at its crescendo, it becomes this big power ballad, which, as Andee describes, becomes a bride’s POV.

“Imagine that you are walking down the aisle, you’re feeling the love, and finally facing ‘The One,’” she says.

And while This Band is known for their ‘hugot’ pieces, their new song is a first for the group in that it is their first love song. And fans have noticed it, too. During the first day of release of “Higit Sa Sapat,” their fans’ main reaction was along the lines of: “Wow! Hindi na mapanakit ang This Band.”

It was an inevitable change for This Band—going from “hugot” to “forever”—because they all went through the experience.

As the guy who wrote This Band’s the biggest songs, Euwie is open to mixing it up when it comes to crafting tunes.

“For me writing-wise, mas [gusto ko] mag-explore ng iba’t-ibang ways ng pagsulat ng songs.”

Hence, the big team effort to write a song.

“For the past years, I’ve been writing songs related to my relationships, either my experience or ng partner ko,” said Euwie.

“This song is very special to me,” adds Andee , “because I participated on the songwriting. We actually set a day to really write a song together.”

Guitarist Reymart notes that the song was an amalgam of experiences of past relationships of his bandmates. “The story of ‘Higit Sa Sapat’ is that after all the pain and failures, we can still find someone who can be satisfied and who will stay with us, despite of everything, nothing more, nothing less.”

“The lyrics tells a story of how thankful we are in finding true love and being saved by this great love,” waxes bassist Miccael. “Before having our greatest love, we first had our own shitty relationships. I think we needed to experience that to find our ‘Higit sa Sapat.’ Personally, I think that Euwie has the most hugot, since he writes all of our sad songs, but as I’ve said we all had experienced relationships that ended up in break ups.”

“Our new single is a combination of three minds: Carson, Andrea and Euwie for the lyrics,” drummer John points out. “Then came the whole band for music. What makes it different from our past releases is that we made the song together inside the studio, inupuan na talaga namin ’di tulad ng dati na need pa namin ng demo from Euwie and Andrea. This time lahat nag-pitch in talaga.”

And for whom is the song exactly?

“We dedicate ‘Higit Sa Sapat’ to our respective loved ones,” says Carson.

“It’s for my future wife and our baby girl [Amarah],” affirms John. “My own ‘Higit Sa Sapat’ as I already found mine.”

“Of course, it’s for the love of my life [Edralyn Gealogo]. She is the puzzle piece that completes me. She helps me to be a better person,” Miccael beams.

“I dedicate it to my girlfriend and soon-to-be-wife. Siya ’yung nasa line ng kanta na ‘Ikaw ang sagot sa mga panalangin.’ Dahil s’ya ’yung bumuo sa pagkatao ko,” says Raymart.

“I already found ‘The One’ and I think I want to sing this to him every day,” adds Andrea.

“And s’yempre d’un sa mga taong kahit nasaktan na, nag-hope pa rin sa love. Dahil naniniwala kami na laging darating ang tamang tao para sa atin sa tamang panahon,” Carson rationalizes.

“Higit Sa Sapat” as Andrea puts it, is “a big positive change for sure, but as a whole band, we’re still the same. We’ll stick together and make more beautiful, inspiring music.”

“Higit sa Sapat” is now available on all digital streaming platforms and is released under Viva Records.

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