Ben&Ben shares stories behind 'Upuan' and 'Magpahinga'

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 4) — Count on Ben&Ben to provide respite from pandemic exhaustion.

The local folk band has released its new tracks called 'Upuan' and 'Magpahinga' to comfort fans during these trying times.

Some members of the nine-piece band, including lead vocalists Paolo Benjamin Guico and his brother Miguel Benjamin, spoke with CNN Philippines' New Day to share the stories behind their latest songs.

'Magpahinga' was written when the sister of the Guico twins caught the coronavirus a few months back.

"That was the experience talaga na kumbaga (that) really hit us hard," Paolo recalled. Thankfully, she recovered, he added.

"The outcome of what happened to our family, not everyone is that fortunate. That is why, for those who are going through worse, our song is our way of being there for them," he said.

Meanwhile, 'Upuan' is a "lively" song that "brings us back to earlier days wherein things were much simpler," Miguel said.

The musician also revealed how they came up with the unique song title.

"I guess it's a fun challenge to be reminded of something when you see a seemingly ordinary object you just take for granted," he said of 'Upuan.'

"As an artist, you have these ideas that come to life when your mind is crazy with creativity," he added.