StarPop singer-songwriter John Lloyd “Jel Rey” Reyes (stylized in uppercase) drops a new track on all music platforms, Lapit Layo (stylized in lowercase), as a spin-off of an alternate version that draws on the nostalgic sound of classic Original Pinoy Music (OPM) while keeping the emotional story of choosing between holding on and letting go.
The new single, penned and produced by him, was originally on his sophomore EP, released in January 2026, Southbelle 517, which captures the bittersweet realization that sometimes love means letting go, even when feelings remain.
Akala ko hanggang dulo tayo. Ba’t nasa dulo na tayo? That was what Jel Rey described about his single in a social media post.
The singer-songwriter, who joined StarPop in 2023, was known for his adventurous approach to music. He enjoys exploring different sounds and genres, incorporating elements of rock, hip hop, pop, and soul into his songs. His debut EP, Terapewtika (stylized in uppercase), previously landed its tracks on several Spotify playlists, followed by Naiilang, which entered the top 10 in the Spotify Viral Songs Philippines and has since surpassed 515,000 online streams.
Jel Rey also earned a nomination for Best Performance by a New Solo Artist at the 37th Awit Awards. As for the Southbelle 517 EP, its track, Gusto Kitang Pakasalan, was featured in the second season of iWant’s microdrama series headlined by Gelo Rivera and Alexa Ilacad, The Chambermaid’s Daughter, one of the leading iWant vertical dramas at that time, under the direction of Theodore Boborol.
Earlier, Jel Rey, together with Erghyll, joined the lead band The Red Strings for their ongoing series of live concerts led by ABS-CBN Music, the Live Sessions Tour, at which their appearances took place at SM City Bataan on September 20, 2026.
Meanwhile, up-and-coming Kapamilya singer and actor Justin Mclaire, known for several appearances in Kapamilya dramas Blood vs. Duty, Love Is Never Gone, and Sins of the Father, and the film Tirik, embraces his romantic side with another sophomore EP, Outloud (stylized in uppercase), a six-track collection that captures the excitement, comfort, and joy of falling in love, also out on all music platforms.
The EP, released under StarPop, was created with composers Dennis Campañer, WRIVE’s Russu Laurente, Rex Torremoro, Ron Pangyarihan, Trisha Denise, and Jonathan Manalo (Head of Creatives, Content, and Operations for ABS-CBN Music), and supervised by the label head, Roque Santos. It takes listeners through different moments of being in love, from falling in love to finding comfort and certainty in someone, to choosing to embrace the relationship, despite its ups and downs.
The EP opens with Click, a song about meeting someone who immediately feels familiar and with whom you can comfortably be yourself, followed by Sang Ayon, a story about being certain of the person they love, despite what others may say.
Other tracks in this EP include Pahina, which likens love to a book, with every chapter holding its share of happy and difficult moments, while choosing to stay and fight for the relationship; Tara Tara brings a feel-good vibe that celebrates the excitement of going anywhere as long as they are with the person who loves; Fave Notiff captures the simple thrill of waiting for a message from someone special; and Lilipad highlights the excitement of falling for someone and looking forward to being together.
Back in 2025, Justin joined ABS-CBN Music under StarPop and released his self-titled debut EP, featuring the tracks Bining Pantasya and Love Me Back.
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