The new anthology brings together a collection of reimagined favorites and new song “Harinawa,” offering a reflective look at the band’s evolution and the road ahead
For nine years, Ben&Ben has grown from a promising Filipino folk-pop collective into one of the Philippines’ most accomplished OPM acts. With billions of streams, major awards, sold-out concerts, and acclaimed performances on international stages, the nine-piece band has built a catalog of heartfelt anthems that resonate deeply with audiences at home and abroad. This year, the band adds another feather to their cap with the release of Nine, an anthology album that looks back on the music, memories, and experiences that defined Ben&Ben and shaped them into what they are today while opening doors to what comes next.
Rather than a straight retrospective, Nine serves as a musical time capsule of Ben&Ben’s first nine years: a collection that captures where the band has been, who they have become, and what they are still becoming. Gathering nine tracks that convey key moments in their story, the 9-track record lives at the intersection of nostalgia and discovery, comforting enough for longtime Liwanag (the group’s fanbase) to recognize the impact of every reworked note, yet fresh enough to offer new listeners an entry point into the band’s expansive sonic world. Apart from simply looking back, Nine honors the longevity of a friendship and creative partnership, reflecting a shared musical life that continues to unfold with brighter results ahead.
“We celebrate the love we have for one another and the bond we have built through the years,” says violinist Keifer Cabugao. “We’re just deeply grateful, not only for everything the past has taught us, but also for the gift of being present with one another today.”
Also worth mentioning is how Nine doubles as an act of revisiting—or, for simpler context, reimagining. The anthology features some of Ben&Ben’s most important songs through the perspective of musicians who have lived with them for years. The band returned to the original recordings, revisiting the instruments, arrangements, performances, and even the people they were when the songs first came to life. In doing so, the members discovered not only how much their music had changed but also how much they themselves had changed alongside it. The resulting songs retain the emotional DNA that first connected them with listeners while reflecting the experience and maturity of a band that has now spent nine years creating together.
“Reimagined, for us, is letting the songs grow up with us,” explains lead vocalist and acoustic guitar player Paolo Benjamin. “Our Liwanag, and we the band too, were molded by life a lot in the past nine years. Hindi biro ang mga karanasang humubog sa aming pagkatao nitong halos isang dekada na ang lumipas, parehong yung mga maaliwalas at yung mga madilim na yugto. And from all these combined, there was a burning desire to update the songs with our deeper, more nuanced perspective in the present.”
The evolution is evident in the album’s production and musical direction. Instead of radically reinventing the songs for reinvention’s sake, Ben&Ben reimagined each track from the vantage point of who they are as musicians in 2026. The arrangements reflect a band that has spent years performing together, while the instrumentation and production let familiar melodies move in new ways. Integral to the process was the intention to bring the chemistry and immediacy of their live performances into the studio, balancing stage energy with the precision and detail of a recorded work. The result is an album that feels both lived-in and renewed: recognizably Ben&Ben, but shaped by nearly a decade together.
“The influences and inspiration we truly channeled in producing ‘Nine’ were literally our nine years of experience in doing what we do—from our live show moments on stage and with Liwanag, to the close relationships we’ve built with each other in the band,” shares lead guitarist and backing vocalist Poch Barretto. “We really wanted to bring our live music experience and musical chemistry into the studio. It was a fun challenge for us to balance the energy of what we play live with the refinements of a studio recording.”
The album also highlights the collaborative relationships that have shaped Ben&Ben’s music over the years. JP Verona, who has worked with the band since its first album and across much of its recorded catalog, brought an understanding of the group’s core musical identity. At the same time, producer Ziv contributed a newer perspective that pushed the band toward fresher sonic possibilities. Poch led the album’s full production, balancing the different creative directions and ensuring that the recordings captured the band as it exists today. The project also features the contributions of Luke and Eo on drums for songs recorded during Jam Villanueva’s recovery from injury. Photographer and visual artist Sara Erasmo translated the album’s themes of memory and journey into its artwork and accompanying imagery.
Among the collection’s pivotal moments is its focus track, “Maybe the Night (Reimagined).” The song played an important role in the band’s history, as it was the first song the members worked on from beginning to end as a nine-piece, arranged collectively in Jam’s attic in 2017. Reimagined nearly a decade later, “Maybe the Night” becomes both a return to the beginning and a reflection of how far the nine musicians have traveled since then.
“Maybe the Night was the first song we collaborated on from start to finish as nine,” shares bassist Agnes Reoma. “Binigay namin lahat ng puso namin sa kanta na ‘to and it opened a lot of opportunities for us, from our first ever Paskuhan, first official movie soundtrack, to our first band trip abroad. This new album is a testament to our journey, and ‘Maybe The Night (Reimagined)’ reflects how we have grown as individual musicians and as a collective since that attic session.”
Alongside the reimagined songs, “Nine” introduces a brand-new track, “Harinawa,” giving the anthology a forward-looking conclusion. Written and completed in 2026, the band’s ninth year, it holds a specific place in the album’s chronological sequence. If the reworked songs serve as vignettes of Ben&Ben’s past nine years, “Harinawa” serves as the link to whatever lies beyond them. Carrying a spirit of positivity and good energy, the song closes the anthology not with finality, but with anticipation for the band’s next chapter.
“We hope for these nine songs to accompany [Liwanag and our listeners] wherever they’re at in their lives right now,” says percussionist and backing vocalist Toni Muñoz. “Hope comes in many forms, and we wish for our music to be even just a glimpse of one of them.”
Ben&Ben’s new anthology album, Nine is out now on all digital platforms worldwide via Sony Music Entertainment.
