"Bulan" (, is a song by Filipino singer, songwriter, and producer Felip also known by his stage name Ken, released on May 28, 2022. He wrote the song and produced it with Joshua Daniel Nase. It is a R&B, hip hop-produced song which contains Bisayan word, makes a commentary on modern life through the myth of the

Bicolano Bikol or Bicol usually refers to: *Bicol Region, the administrative region in the Philippines Bikol or Bicol may also refer to: Languages and people *Bikol languages, the languages spoken in the Bicol region in the Philippines **Albay Bikol lang ...

moon deity, Bulan. Felip uses the story of Bulan as a metaphor for crab mentality. It premiered on

YouTube YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...

on May 28, 2022. The music video features the sand dunes of Paoay and the Graciano Cliffs along

Cape Bojeador Cape Bojeador ( fil, Cabo Bojeador) is the northwestern tip of the island of Luzon in the Philippines. It is a headland on the South China Sea coast of the municipality of Burgos, Ilocos Norte some north of Laoag. The cape is best known for its ...

in Ilocos Norte as the backdrop for the battle between darkness and light, taking inspiration from the deities and

mythological creatures A legendary creature (also mythical or mythological creature) is a type of fictional entity, typically a hybrid, that has not been proven and that is described in folklore (including myths and legends), but may be featured in historical accoun ...

of pre-colonial times. The "Bulan" MV takes us on a journey to this world as Felip uses ancient Filipino lore as a metaphor for how he chooses to respond to the negativity he receives.

Background and composition

Felip Jhon Suson wrote "Bulan" and co-produced it with singer-songwriter and producer, Joshua Daniel Nase. Thyro Alfaro mixed the song and also did the mastering and Gino Madrid performed the live guitar. His fellow

SB19 SB19 is a Filipino boy band that debuted in 2018, the pentad—consisting of members Pablo, Stell, Ken, Justin, and Josh Josh is a masculine given name, frequently a diminutive (hypocorism) of the given names Joshua or Joseph, though since t ...

member,

Stell Stell is a name for a deep pool in a river where salmon rest and are fished, such as that found at Amble in Northumberland, England. Fishing using stell nets was made illegal by the Tweed Act Tweed is a rough, woollen fabric, of a soft, op ...

recorded the intro vocals. "Bulan" is two minutes and twenty-nine seconds long. It harnesses Felip's influences in hip hop and

rock music Rock music is a broad genre of popular music that originated as " rock and roll" in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s, developing into a range of different styles in the mid-1960s and later, particularly in the United States an ...

while adding aggressive beats, rapping vocal line and a rhythmic ethnic elements into the mix. Compared to the smooth and sexy R&B groove of "Palayo," "Bulan" has a more experimental and aggressive sound, reminiscent of hip-hop tracks that are often used in

krumping Krumping is a style of street dance popularized in the United States, described as Afro-diasporic dance, characterized by free, expressive, exaggerated, and highly energetic movement. Dancers who started krumping saw the dance as a means for the ...

Release and promotion

The track was originally scheduled to release a week earlier May 15, to coincide with the rare blood moon occurrence. In a statement on May 10, however, Felip revealed that he delayed its release due to the Philippines being at the “forefront of an important, historic event that will shape our future” – alluding to the country’s

Presidential election A presidential election is the election of any head of state whose official title is President. Elections by country Albania The president of Albania is elected by the Assembly of Albania who are elected by the Albanian public. Chile The pre ...

. On May 23, the album preview was posted on Felip's Superior Son social media account the release "Bulan" physical CD and limited edition of vinyl. On July 5, Felip performed his newest single, "Bulan," at The Recording Academy

Grammy's The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...

online series Global Spin, which celebrates global music, international artists, and the world's sounds. He is the first Filipino act and P-pop artist and the first Pilipino Music featured on the Grammy's Global Spin live series.

Music video

"Bulan" highlights Filipino deities and mythology of pre-colonial times. The lyrics play off this theme by mentioning figures like the moon goddess Haliya, serpent-like water dragon

Bakunawa The Bakunawa is a serpent-like dragon in Philippine mythology. It is believed to be the cause of eclipses, earthquakes, rains, and wind. The movements of the Bakunawa served as a geomantic calendar system for ancient Filipinos and were part of t ...

, and Felip performing as Bulan. Felip uses the story of Bulan as a metaphor for crab mentality. The lyrics tell us not to be consumed by others' negative reactions when we gain success in life.

Credits and personnel

Credits are adapted from

Tidal Tidal is the adjectival form of tide. Tidal may also refer to: * Tidal (album), ''Tidal'' (album), a 1996 album by Fiona Apple * Tidal (king), a king involved in the Battle of the Vale of Siddim * TidalCycles, a live coding environment for music * ...

and the song's music video. * Felip – main vocals,

writer A writer is a person who uses written words in different writing styles and techniques to communicate ideas. Writers produce different forms of literary art and creative writing such as novels, short stories, books, poetry, travelogues, p ...

, producer * Stell – intro vocals * Joshua Daniel Nase – producer * Thyro Alfaro – mixing and mastering * Gino Madrid – live guitar * Jay Joseph Roncesvalles – choreographer * Chapters PH, Bea Charlyn Laino – music video producer

References

{{Authority control 2022 songs 2022 singles Songs in Tagalog