Lola Amour hints at more international collaborations

April 10 ------ Lola Amour, one of today's leading OPM bands, collaborated with Australian singer-songwriter Oliver Cronin for "Maria (feat. Lola Amour)." The OPM band rose to fame with their original songs "Fallen," "Pwede Ba," and their phenomenal hit "Raining in Manila," which also garnered international recognition. For their latest single, the group held an exclusive listening party at Dinalan Coffee, Malate, where they performed their latest collaborative track live for the first time in front of their fans and the media.  

Rather than sticking to their usual sound, Lola Amour explored a different direction for "Maria (feat. Lola Amour)," with track co-writer and producer Eric Ng's signature style shaping the track. The piece combined Oliver Cronin's smooth pop-R&B style with Lola Amour's rich and soulful sound, producing a profoundly sentimental ballad. The result is an emotional ballad that tells the story of two characters unknowingly enamored with the same woman — Maria — who hides a more deceptive nature 

Members Pio Dumayas, David Yuhico, Zoe Gonzales, Jeff Abueg, Angelo Mesina, and Raffy Perez (Manu Dumayas was not present at the listening party) shared with Music Geek that they first met Oliver Cronin at a songwriting camp in July 2024. Grateful for the opportunity provided by Warner Music, the group recalled how the camp introduced them to several admirable artists. For the first time, they co-wrote songs from scratch alongside other artists and a producer — an approach they have since embraced. 

Describing how "Maria" was crafted, the band began with broad discussions on vibe and structure before dividing responsibilities like music and lyrics. Dumayas and Cronin worked closely on the writing, explaining how they would step away to develop lines independently before regrouping to ensure cohesion. They highlighted the importance of ongoing communication to maintain a unified direction.  Creating the song also came with lighthearted moments. The group recalled how they found joy in in-between moments of work and laughter with a large production. "They're not used to having so many people in a session and people shouting over each other," they added. 

The band described a typical day in the studio often involving lively discussions, usually led by Pio Dumayas and David Yuhico. "In the rehearsal room, we don't have earphones or in-ears. We have sections — rhythm section, chord section, vocal section, and guitar section. We all talk while we play instruments, so it's all shouting." The band jokingly added, "There are probably 17 conversations between 8 people, and everyone's shouting. Nothing's getting done, and then suddenly there's a song." 

Since Lola Amour started making music together in high school, music has always been part of their lives — from practicing as a hobby after school to performing on grand stages as a full-time career. Reflecting on their growth as musicians, the band shared how attending a songwriting camp changed their perspective. "We used to be so against producers, but producers can bring out the best since they're the editors. They select the best ideas and add on to it," they admitted. Essentially, recognizing the importance of working with a producer also helped set higher standards for their music. 

Source: inquirer.net