The release of “Babae,” a ’80s-inspired ballad with warm, analog-sounding synths and love lyrics, Filipino singer-songwriter/producer Ace Banzuelo seeks to carve out a unique path in pop music. The retro-infused track acts as the official anthem for Sony Music Philippines’ #BabaeAko campaign, which aims to highlight women and female artists on the label’s roster through a variety of online and promotional events in March 2022. In the zoom meeting that was held we were astonished at how Ace Banzuelo delivered his song. He indeed possesses that great quality of voice that will surely hook a lot of the listeners. And we are greatly amazed by him as he shows his talent during the virtual event.
According to the Alive hitmaker, it’s an honor to lend his platform to an important cause that empowers women in creatives who have long been deprived of equal opportunities.
“Babae was already finished months ahead and it was set to be released earlier than the target date,” says the 21-year-old artist. “When the team approached me about the possibility of using my song as part of a women-focused campaign, I immediately said yes. I’ve worked with many talented women all my life, and it’s about time that we recognize their legacy and how they have contributed significantly in pushing the culture forward. They are as great or even as better than their counterparts if truth be told.”
The music video of “Babae” is in fact, helmed by Katrina Arciaga, a budding female director who has worked with Ace on several projects before. “We’ve worked on small projects as independent creatives before, but this time without a doubt I knew we could pull off my vision and bring it to life.”
The visuals tell a story of a person earning someone’s trust. In Ace’s words, it’s a “sweet, magical and mysterious” metaphor on the various stages of liking someone, including the challenges that come with it.
“I came up with the playful concept last minute actually,” the eclectic pop phenom shares in a statement.
Aside from its interesting music video concept, Ace also takes pride of writing a multilingual song that highlights the poetic beauty of Tagalog and Cebuano, with a generous sprinkling of English, Japanese and Spanish.
To make this happen, the skilled newcomer enlisted the support of friends and family in penning the song’s lyrics, which required precision and proper word usage. “I’ve always thought that adding those little language changes to the track would add an interesting layer.”
Ace Banzuelo’s “Babae” is the follow-up to his sparkling bop “Alive,” which ushers in his new era with genres ranging from K-Pop to city pop, ’70s disco to dance music. Ace has amassed over 12 million Spotify streams to date and is set to release his full-length first album later this year.
“Babae” is currently available on all digital music platforms across the world. Watch the music video here. The song is part of Sony Music Philippines’ International Women’s Month celebrations, which begin on March 17 with a curated playlist including Sony Music’s local and international female artists, as well as a series of videos/online performances from the label’s roster of acts. For more information, visit Sony Music Philippines’ Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages.
No Comments