Using one’s music as a platform for awareness isn’t a new thing for singer-songwriter Gabri Panlilio. In fact, she is focused on pushing a particular theme in her advocacy. With a new music video out, Gabri is again championing mental health awareness.

Gabri was first featured in this space almost a year ago when she came out with her single “Calm” – a hymn-like song dripping with melancholy featuring Gabri’s theatre and musical-tinged singing. Listening back, “Calm” is like Disney music with a prescription to visit a therapist. Her message in a nutshell: “vulnerability can be a source of strength.” And quoting the classical music-leaning vocalist further, Gabri said: “I realized sharing my struggles can resonate and create connections. I can inspire others who have gone through a similar experience as I have.”

And now she’s back, pushing another song about staying strong in the most challenging of times. Titled “Sick and Tired,” it is “about reaching that moment of emotional and mental burnout, where pretending to be okay is no longer an option.” Gabri adds that her most recent single reflects on being overwhelmed by expectations, labels, and the pressure to constantly hold oneself together. “At its core, ‘Sick and Tired’ is an admission of vulnerability and a reminder that acknowledging pain is not a weakness, but the first step toward healing.”

“Sick and Tired” still reflects Gabri’s musical influences. Sonically, it’s upbeat and almost pop-ish, but the tune plays like it's part of a larger libretto (which it does relative to “Calm”), and Gabri’s obvious theatrical delivery doubles down on the “musical” feel.

As it is with her previous release, “Sick and Tired” was inspired by Gabri’s own experience with emotional exhaustion and its effect on her mental health. “There was a season where I was so overwhelmed and realized that my feelings cannot be simply ignored,” said the singer.

One stanza goes, “You played with my heart like it was a game / Thought you’d lift me up, but you brought me shame. I’m working my way through / It’s hard to let go, it's driving me insane.” Someone’s being wronged, and that someone isn’t taking the abuse anymore.

Pushed to her breaking point, the dam broke, and out came a torrent of lyrics, and it reads like a journal entry. Another stanza goes: “thought you were a good friend, but you showed me your true side/everything I gave you, still you treat me like this / sick and tired of bullshit, I’m done with the strain / trying to find my peace breaking free from the pain.”

There’s more, of course, as Gabri laid down a litany of abuse, shaming, and 2020s-era style of gaslighting on “Sick and Tired.”

Another message on Gabri’s latest is quite plain: "Don’t take the abuse." Stand up against it. Like what Gabri did when she trills, “You made me feel lost, but I’m finding my light / with every step forward, I’m ready to fight.”

An official music video for “Sick and Tired” was dropped this weekend, and it’s an interesting watch. Actors Malou Canzana and Cheenie Tantangco appear in the supporting cast, as does a cameo by Maria Ozawa, who plays best buds with Gabri Panlilio.

One more message from Gabri Panlilio. “While faith can offer strength and grounding. Healing also requires action. Seek professional help. Set healthy boundaries and prioritize both mental and emotional well-being.”