Considered
as one of the most promising acts in contemporary Philippine hip-hop, SCYE
has successfully established himself as a rapper with incisive songwriting
style and undeniable talent. This year alone, the acclaimed rookie has enjoyed
prominent attention with the release of his single “Aking Kabanata,” which
received praises from industry veterans such as Gloc-9, and with a
participation on the hip-hop remix of Olivia Rodrigo’s chart-topping hit
“drivers license,” featuring the biggest music acts in Def Jam Southeast Asia.
Now
ready to conquer the insurmountable, the Bulacan-based rapper returns on
triumphant terms with a new song centered around the importance of tackling
mental health and depression with an open mind. Released under Def Jam
Philippines, SCYE’s latest single “Paru-Paro” is a four-minute urban opus that
tells the story of someone battling the demons inside his head.
“The
intention of ‘Paru-Paro’ is to connect with people who are struggling with the
traumas they've been going through since childhood that cause them to drown in
depression, panic attacks, anxiety and suicidal attempts,” rapper SCYE says in
a statement. “This song also aims to remind their relatives and friends to give
at least a little time to talk to them and listen to their struggles about
their mental health issues.” According to SCYE, the song also wants to give
people who are making fun of the struggles in and out of social media, a matter
of perspective in debunking the stigma, and hopefully, normalizing
conversations about mental health issues.
Driven
by lush strings and soaring instrumentals, “Paru-Paro” also features the vocals
of Chin Detera of pop-rock quartet CHNDTR. Chin delivers powerful vocals in the
chorus, asking relevant questions that deserve to dominate the public
discourse: “Ang buhay ba'y nagbibiro? ako'y nalilito / takbo ng oras, 'di ba
hihinto?”
The
track is produced by Dennis Cala, whom SCYE started working with last January
2021. “We’ve experimented a lot in terms of sounds and music details, but we decided
to take direction to something more cinematic,” SCYE reveals. “We want the
production to complement the bigness of the storytelling, and with Chin’s
haunted vocal delivery adding more emotional weight to the overall appeal of
the track, I just couldn’t ask for more.”
About
The Artist
26-year-old
John Orlan Padilla Lopez, also known as SCYE, was born in Malabon but hails
from Bulacan. Raised into the world of pop-inclined local inspirations between
the likes of the Eraserheads and Parokya ni Edgar to AJ Rafael, he transitioned
into the world of hip-hop in his teen years by way of Eminem and Gloc-9. These
inspirations informed his songwriting, which borrows elements from a variety of
genres within and beyond hip-hop. He took his name from the PC games he grew
into; in fact, he’s confident in being a good video game player. Over time, his
storied childhood and adolescence lead him to reflect on his life—a quality
he’s kept until now. He tackles relationships and politics in his lyrics
naturally.
SCYE’s
“Paru-Paro” is out now on all streaming and digital platforms worldwide via Def
Jam Philippines and MCA Music Inc.
Follow
SCYE on his social media platforms:
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