The internet proves itself to be a powerful tool for budding musicians- and for 22-year-old Arthur Miguel, it just propelled him to greater heights. If you’re wondering how this young artist accumulated 1.6 million listeners on Spotify, he started by covering songs on YouTube and Soundcloud at the height of the pandemic.
“When I was a kid, I always listened to music a lot kahit hindi ko pa siya naiintindihan, naeenjoy ko pa rin siya. Then one day, I tried covering a song and posted it on my social media,” he says. He then decided to write his own songs. “Biglang pumasok sa isip ko na magtry magsulat ng songs and it went well,” he added. With a guitar on hand and taking inspiration from personal experiences, he took courage and recorded his original music.
He notes one major influence for his songwriting: Taylor Swift. “Whenever I listen to her songs, I get inspired to write more stories for my songs.” Arthur Miguel now has over 974K subscribers on YouTube.
Because of his success on YouTube, he was signed under Warner Music Philippines in 2021, which landed him on a bigger platform as an artist. With the help of his new label, Arthur Miguel released “Ang Wakas,” shortly followed by “Dito, Sa Ilalim ng Buwan.” After these successful singles, he dropped his single “Leron,” which is a heartfelt track with long-time friend Trisha Macapagal. “I met Trisha on Facebook. Kasali kami sa isang fandom group then a friend introduced me to Trisha. She suggested that we should do a song cover, then we tried.”
This interaction led to them working together on songs Arthur deemed fit for her. “I know when I need Trisha on a song, nararamdaman ko agad if yung nasulat kong song is for a duet or a solo,” he explains. The reimagination of the Filipino children’s song “Leron Leron Sinta” eventually became a part of his debut album, "Pasahili."
A shortened term for “para sa hindi pinili,” “Pasahili” is an eight-track album that banks on Filipino hugot culture and dedicates it to everyone going through any form of heartbreak. “Even if they didn’t choose you, life must go on, and it just means it isn’t for you,” he describes.
Apart from “Leron,” a reimagined version of his hit single “Ang Wakas” is also in the debut album, to further suit its new sonic quality. With three music videos out already, two more songs from the album will have their official live performance videos in collaboration with critically-acclaimed director Dean Marcial.
Marcial, who was born in the Philippines, is a New York-based director most popular for his work for “The Green Guilleras,” and is the co-founder of CALAVERA USA, a Brooklyn-based production company who’s also garnered several awards from SXSW Film and TV Festival, Sundance Film Festival, and Tribeca Film Festival.
“I’m grateful to work with such an amazing, hardworking director. He’s really good especially when he creates stories,” he explains. The live performance videos for “Pasahili” and “Di Man” are set to premiere on Friday, November 25 on Warner Music Philippines’ YouTube Channel.
With immense talent at a young age, Arthur Miguel is also a part of Warner Music Group’s global showcase for 2022. He recently landed a collaboration with American R&B star Pink Sweat$ for the Asia edition of his hit “I Feel Good.” It’s a full circle moment for the young artist, who’s also an avid listener of Sweat$. “Working with Pink Sweat$ is such an honor for me. I’ve covered some of Pink’s songs, and now we have a collaboration. That’s crazy,” he says. With his rise in the OPM charts, Arthur Miguel sees no sign of slowing down in his music career. He has one goal in mind- to be a relatable and comforting voice for his audience.