What if you’re in love with your best friend?
It’s not the most shocking thing to hear, especially if you watch Filipino romantic movies. It is one of the most popular tropes in Philippine cinema, having your two main characters as best of friends and one of them falls hard for the other one.
Kean Cipriano’s latest single Tayuman or Tayo Man, raises the bar in storytelling when it comes to how they want the song to be presented. A visually-engrossing presentation that complements the song, the lyrics and the feel of the music.
Tayuman starts with a mystery: who are these two characters played by Khalil Ramos and Gabby Padilla and what are they arguing about? You’d probably guess that the two are lovers in the short story slash music video but as the story progresses, it turns out the relationship between the two is far more complex and more painful for one of them.
I think what makes the music video even more emotional is that it takes us back to how the two developed as good friends and how the character of Khalil had grown deeper feelings for the character of Gabby Padilla. The simple things, the mundane activities that turn out to be memorable. And how the color of the music video sets the tone of the story.
Kung sino man ang para sa’yo, sana’y ako. Sanay naman ako. Sana’y ako naman.
The song gave me the same feels when I first heard 3D’s (Danao, Dancel, Dumas) Burnout in the film I’m Drunk, I Love You. From the intro of the instruments, you know that it’s going to be heartbreaking. But the lyrics, the words, you know they’re telling a story. A sad but hopeful story. And you’re interested in how the story ends, whether it’s via the music or via the music video.
Directed by ER Alviz, starring Gabby Padilla and Khalil Ramos, the official music video presents a particular statement about love–– how such emotion denotes its truest core at all times, no matter the odds.
Tayuman is available for streaming on digital music platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube. The track’s lyric video, official lyric visualizer, and official music video are also available on OC Records’ Official YouTube channel.