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Manila Bulletin devider Entertainment devider Music and Concerts devider Danny O'Donoghue on Manila: 'It feels like coming home every time'

Danny O'Donoghue on Manila: 'It feels like coming home every time'

Published Jun 1, 2026 12:12 pm

For most artists, a tour stop is just another city on the calendar. For Danny O'Donoghue, Manila feels like something else entirely.

"It feels like coming home every time," the The Script frontman said during a packed media conference last week as he returned to the Philippines to promote the band's latest single, "Man in the Arena." 

It's a sentiment he delivered without hesitation.

After more than 15 years of visiting the country, O'Donoghue has watched The Script evolve from a successful touring act into something far more embedded in Filipino culture. Their songs have become staples at weddings, graduations, breakups, karaoke nights, and countless life moments in between.

Part of that connection, he believes, comes from how similar Filipinos and Irish people are.

"The Irish people and the Filipino people are one of a kind. We love music, we love drinking, we love heartbreak, we love songs, we love karaoke," he said.

His latest visit was a whirlwind.

O'Donoghue arrived on "Unang Hirit" aboard a jeepney, sampled Filipino breakfast favorites, performed acoustic versions of "The Man Who Can't Be Moved" and "Breakeven" on "It's Showtime," danced with the hosts, staged an intimate performance, explored Bonifacio Global City, and even filmed scenes for a reimagined version of "The Man Who Can't Be Moved" on the streets of Manila.

"When we're here, we're here to work," he joked.

Still, beneath the packed schedule was genuine appreciation for a fanbase that has remained fiercely loyal throughout the band's two-decade career.

"We only know now after a 20-year career that these songs are sticking around," O'Donoghue reflected. "To have songs that grannies like, moms like, kids like, everybody likes is incredible."

Asked how he hopes The Script will be remembered, his answer was refreshingly simple.

"To know that we've been the wallpaper to people's lives is a real honor."

That perspective also shapes the band's upcoming album, "The User's Guide to Being Human," which arrives as The Script continue moving forward after the loss of founding guitarist Mark Sheehan.

These days, O'Donoghue says he's writing from a different place.

"When you're young, you want to take on the world. Now I'm married. The next stage is family and building a good village around you."

Perhaps his most revealing moment came when he compared his own life story to Forrest Gump.

"I didn't finish school. I'm dyslexic. I didn't feel like I had much to offer the world," he said. "Then some magic happened with the music."

That magic eventually led to sold-out arenas, sharing stages with U2, meeting Paul McCartney, and building a lasting connection with audiences around the world.

But nowhere does that connection seem more personal than in the Philippines.

Asked why The Script's music resonates so deeply with Filipinos, O'Donoghue's answer was immediate.

"You're open. You wear your hearts on your sleeves."

For a band that built its career on doing exactly that, it's probably the closest thing to an explanation anyone needs. (Ian Ureta)

Related Tags

Danny O\'Donoghue The Script Danny O\'Donoghue Manila The Script Philippines The Script Manila The Script Concert 2027 Man in the Arena Danny O\'Donoghue interview The Script new music The User\'s Guide to Being Human
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