A Christmas-themed Tagalog ballad penned due to separation anxiety, and its heartfelt recording delivered by a voice that deserves to be heard by the public, resulted in a must-heard digital single called “Sana Kapiling Ka.” 

The heartfelt track released last November 15 and distributed by the highly revered ABS-CBN’s Star Music is the debut single of guitar playing singer NEON, a discovery being touted by select music insiders as a pop artist to watch out for.  

The new record is produced by marketing expert May Manuel, with NEON (a musical director and record producer himself) and his music proficient buddy Chi Capulong taking care of its mixing and mastering.    

“Heto na ang panahong pagninilayan ang kahapon/ Sa tuwing humuhuni’ng mga ibon,” expressed the opening line of the song written by composer and music journalist Yugel Losorata.

The music columnist, book author, and recording artist was staying at his mother’s place in Southern California, USA at the time he wrote the piece.

NEON has been busy producing and gigging around since the pandemic restrictions were lifted. Music critics including Atty. Marivic Benedicto, head of music publishing and new media at ABS-CBN Productions, compared his singing prowess to that of the likes of Ariel Rivera, Erik Santos and Daryl Ong. 

“Sana Kapiling Ka” is a moving ballad anchored on neatly sentimental lyrics, an embracing tune, a gallant mix of acoustic guitar, violin, and NEON’s sweeping vocals.

Both NEON and Yugel have been friends for quite some time, with the former arranging a previous release by the latter’s band affiliation The Pub Forties where he used to be its chief songwriter playing bass guitar. Their camaraderie led to a collaboration agreement in which Neon would record songs penned by Yugel. 

The music scribe wrote “Sana Kapiling Ka” amid his emotional struggle being physically away from his wife and kid after he flew to the US for personal reasons in 2022. After spending several years honing his craft in the Philippine band scene, he is currently making waves in the US, having become the recipient of an Outstanding Journalist and Author award from Filipino-American Press Club of California (FAPCCA), and after he was included among the 75 Most Influential Filipino Americans (MIFA) released by Blogtalk with MJ Racadio for its 2024 edition. His latest book, the music memoir “And For The Record,” was published by Penguin Random House South East Asia last August. 

Yugel released his own version of the said song under its original title “Hosanna Kapiling Ka,” which was distributed by the Los Angeles-based NSFU.    

NEON’s “Sana Kapiling Ka” is being projected as a Christmas ballad which OFWs, its families, and lovers engaged in long-distance relationships should find relatable. Expect the new voice in town to make the rounds singing the song he gave justice through excellent musicianship, care for a friend, and belief in its message and melody.