Singapore-based Pinoy artist Marian Carmel releases new single

MANILA, Philippines — In contrast to her “melancholic tendencies” in her previous releases, singer-songwriter Marian Carmel took on a more cheerful tune as she dropped her latest single take what i can get. The track explores “unrequited love in a cheeky light.”

Marian is an indie pop artist born in the Philippines and now based in Singapore. Her take what i can get is her first solo release since 2021.

“After releasing my debut album in the tailend of 2021, I wanted to focus on promoting that album for the months after that,” she told The STAR in an e-mail interview.

“I also released nine collaborations with other artists during that in-between period. While that was all happening, I was secretly working on this EP and collecting songs that fit the theme of this project. take what i can get is the first solo single in three years, but also the first single of the upcoming EP that I’m very excited about,” she added.

Marian penned the ditty in 2021 and started recording it with her producer Charlie Kurata in 2022. “We wanted to try something different and something that felt true to who I was at the moment! I was listening to a lot of indie-pop, so that’s why you’ll be able to hear a lot of Dayglow and Valley’s influences in the track.”

take what i can get is a song that Marian wrote “about falling in love with a friend of mine.”

“Back when I wrote it, I was trying to make sense of all the conflicting emotions that I was feeling — the excitement and the rush of falling in love, the frustration of its unrequitedness, but also the acceptance that it’s okay to stay friends,” she shared.

“I realized that I just loved being around this person, and I was truly okay with having them in my life in whatever capacity that might be — lovers or friends, I’ll take what I can get. Although, I do think that there is beauty and so much value in platonic relationships. We’re a lot more patient with our friends!”

Her debut album was to you, to me launched in 2021 with Pause + Reset as the key track.

On why she decided to opt for more upbeat sounds this time, she mused, “The simple answer is that I am just much happier now, hahaha! I’m in a place where my music really reflects my personality. The previous album was quite melancholic because it was written about my first big break-up.”

“But I think if you listen to the singles between 2022-2023, you’ll be able to see the gradual increase in happiness and brightness in my songs. There’s more where that came from,” she added.

Marian’s musical influences include Laufey, beabadoobee, Olivia Rodrigo, NIKI, Lizzy McAlpine, and boygenius. She was mentored by Filipino singer-songwriter Reese Lansangan (Levi’s Music Project 2022) and Singapore’s Young Artist Award recipient Charlie Lim.

According to the media release, Marian was featured as Spotify EQUAL’s cover artist of the month, representing women in Singapore and Malaysia. The feature paved the way for her to be on the New York Times Square Billboard and on the Spotify EQUAL Global Playlist.

She is also part of the Spotify RADAR Programme and has launched singles and collaborations last year. She is preparing for her sophomore project to be released within the year.

The emerging music artist was included in AOR Global and ABS- CBN’s Starpop PH music campaign with focus on mental health. Her track Wish That I Could Tell Me was produced and written with Jonathan Manalo. She likewise shared the stage with KZ Tandingan, Morissette, Moira dela Torre, Piolo Pascual and other artists during Manalo’s star-studded “20th Music Anniversary Concert” in 2022.

“I loved working with Sir Jonathan Manalo for Wish That I Could Tell Me! It was my first time writing with a Filipino songwriter and producer, and it really felt different in the studio. I think there’s something special in being able to express yourself in Tagalog. Even though the song itself was written in English, we were able to explore concepts and talk about the song in our mother tongue, which was something I had not done before,” she shared.

“Sir Jonathan Manalo is also a very patient and down-to-earth songwriter, so it was easy to open up about the story behind the song, which was about mental health struggles.”

She is looking forward to doing more projects with other Filipino artists. And how about future gigs in the Philippines?

“I can’t say anything for now because it’s a secret, but keep your July free,” she concluded.