Filipino singer-songwriter syd hartha addresses her personal battles in life on gabay, her debut EP under Sony Music Entertainment.
In touch with her own fragilities, syd hartha digs deeper into her experiences with trauma, heartbreak, pandemic stress, and healing on an EP that feels more than just a warm balm.
According to the young musician, gabay is crucial in reclaiming her identity as it helps her confront emotional truths in a way that is freeing and empowering. The folk-pop act explains, “My new EP is a compilation of different stories from my adventures and misadventures as a young woman. It mainly talks about healing and taking control over your own destiny; letting go of the past, and getting to know yourself again.”
Produced by Brian Lotho, gabay features an esteemed list of collaborators and guests, including Pat Sarabia on drums, Raisa Racelis on bass, and Bea Fabros for the lead guitar parts in “kung nag-aatubili.” Incorporating delicate melodies and deceptively simple arrangements with her folk-pop sound, syd hartha leaves listeners mesmerized on gabay, a record that recognizes the importance of asserting creative agency while inviting meaningful collaborations into the fold.
The 6-track EP was originally intended for an earlier release, but due to circumstances beyond her control, syd had to start from scratch and rethink things through. “My band and I were already scheduled for the recording of the whole EP in March 2020,” the paruparo singer-songwriter shares. “The pandemic happened, and it caused significant disruption to our plans. But everything happens for a reason. It gave me room to explore and grow at my own pace.”
syd hartha’s gabay spins tales from a confessional standpoint, moving into gloomier territory when needed and finding light and hope amidst the arduous process.
The 22-year-old artist reveals, “pakay, kung nag-aatubili, and 3:15 are songs I wrote years ago when I was in a dark place,” she said. “gabay and lipad were written during the pandemic, a time where we were all stuck inside four corners, seeing ourselves every day. I reached a point where I saw myself in the mirror and realized I didn’t recognize her anymore. I knew I was sick of treating and talking negatively to myself and started to decide I wanted to create a new life for myself. I realized that I had to zoom out of my little box of self-loathing and see things through from a different perspective. During those moments, I realized that I wouldn’t even be alive forever, I might as well just have fun in this whole life thing, right?”
syd hartha’s debut EP, gabay is out now on all digital music platforms worldwide via Sony Music Entertainment.
