For many artists, heartbreak inspires a song. For Singapore-based singer-songwriter and producer lullaboy, it became the foundation of an entire world.
With more than 200 million streams, a growing fanbase across Southeast Asia, and a reputation for writing deeply personal songs that resonate with listeners navigating love, loss, and self-discovery, lullaboy has quietly become one of the region’s most compelling independent artists. Born in the United States, raised in Singapore, and of Indonesian-Chinese heritage, the Berklee College of Music graduate has performed across Asia’s biggest stages and festivals, completed successful regional headline tours, and was chosen to close the official afterparties for all six Singapore nights of Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour. Through it all, he has remained committed to creating music rooted in vulnerability, honesty, and hope.
“‘Lullaboy’ comes from the words ‘lullaby’ and ‘boy,’ because writing songs was always a way for me to comfort my inner child,” he shares. “Even today, I write songs about love, life, and everything in between, and I hope they can bring comfort to everybody’s inner child.”
That mission began after his first heartbreak, when songwriting became an outlet during a time he felt no one could truly understand what he was going through.
“As I released more songs, people started sending me messages saying they helped them through difficult seasons, “ he says. “That’s when I realized sharing my own stories could make a positive impact on other people’s lives. I don’t just make music for fun anymore—I do it because I feel like it’s my purpose.”
That purpose lies at the heart of Hotels & Heartbreaks, his third studio album and the inspiration behind his ongoing nine-city Asia tour. More than a concert, the experience invites audiences to “check in hurt and check out healed,” guiding listeners through an emotional journey of heartbreak, reflection, and hope. The album’s 12 interconnected tracks and visualizers were designed as one continuous story, transforming personal experiences into something listeners can see themselves in.
The concept grew from a realization that success alone could not replace genuine connection. “I was staying in all these beautiful hotels while touring,“ he recalls. “At the end of the day, I’d lie on my bed and ask myself, ‘What’s it all for?’ You can achieve your biggest dreams, but if you don’t have love or someone to share them with, it does not necessarily bring happiness.”
For lullaboy, every listener has their own “heartbreak hotel” to walk through before reaching a place of peace. “This album is actually an album of hope.”
The Philippines holds a special place in that journey. Before returning as a touring artist, he first visited the country through mission work as a young worship leader. Those early experiences—and the warmth he received from Filipino communities—left a lasting impression. “I remember telling myself that one day I would come back here as an artist,“ he says. “Then last year, I finally did my first concert in Manila, and I was blown away by how much warmth there was from the people. They sing really loud, they have beautiful voices. I’ve been waiting for this moment. I think the Lullafam knows how much I love the Philippines.”
Now, Hotels & Heartbreaks brings him back to Manila on July 17 as part of his biggest Asia tour yet, with stops across Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore. Designed as an immersive live experience, the show blends music, storytelling, and interactive moments that invite fans to leave behind their own emotional baggage before “checking out” with a renewed sense of hope.
For newcomers wondering where to begin, boy recommends starting with “Someone Like You,” before moving into “Shortcut to Heaven,” and ending with “Heaven” —a progression that mirrors the emotional journey at the core of the album.
Ultimately, that’s the experience he hopes audiences leave with. “Heartbreak isn’t the end,” he reflects. “It’s something we all need to go through because it teaches us what truly matters. If I can get through heartbreak, anybody can.”
As lullaboy returns to Manila this July, Hotels & Heartbreaks offers more than a night of music. It is an invitation to step into a story of love, loss, and healing—and a reminder that sometimes, the hardest chapters in life become the ones that lead us home.
