From catchy dancefloor-ready bops to slow-burning confessions, Southeast Asia’s boy and girl bands are here to awaken your inner fangirl. This vibrant lineup of tracks dives into everything from playful crushes and summer romances to self-empowerment and emotional reckoning. Each song brings its own flair—blending genre, attitude, and language, proving that the region’s rising pop acts know exactly how to soundtrack every feeling.
SB19 - 'DAM'
‘DAM’ is a fierce pop anthem by the beloved Filipino pop group SB19. It burns with the signature confidence of the bold members, Felip, Stell, Justin, Josh Cullen, and Pablo. The name of the track is derived from the word “Pakiramdam,” which means feelings. The song aligns with the meaning of the title as it talks about preserving your morals and staying true to yourself—overcoming any enticing desires or obstacles that steer one away from their journey.
UN1TY - 'Coba Cintaku'
‘Coba Cintaku’ put Indonesian boy band UN1TY on the map with its slow and jazzy influences that set the track apart from the usually high-paced and upbeat tracks that pop bands would go for. The layered soft vocals give the track a soft and easygoing vibe.
The lyrics paint a beautiful picture of the feeling of silent devotion and acute desperation to be with the one that you love when it comes to courting a significant other, with lyrics that say, “You haven't fully tried my love,” perfectly emphasizing the story of the song.
BGYO - 'Divine'
‘Divine’ is a sweet summery track by the Filipino band BGYO that presents as a retro groove incorporating elements of funk and upbeat dance pop to create the perfect track to crank up at a pool party in the middle of summer while slurping a sugary slushie. The lyrics describe the beauty of the girl and how all her qualities make her divine, infusing a sense of reverence into this peppy and fun track with lyrics like, “It’s like I see heaven in your eyes.”
Insomniacks - 'Sempurna'
Let’s take a break from the cheery upbeat tracks and take a turn toward ‘Sempurna’ by the Malaysian band Insomniacks. The track is a quiet confession of the mistakes that one wants to take back while they beg their significant other to stay, with fluttering guitar breaks introducing a pleading indie pop ballad that sways listeners by tugging directly at the heartstrings.
The lyrics twist the knife as they say, “Oh God, I can't go on without her, this girl is my love, my forever, I'm begging You, please don't take her away from me.”
PROXIE - 'คนไม่คุย (Silent Mode)'
‘คนไม่คุย (Silent Mode)’ is a playful track by the Thai boy band PROXIE that uses a groovy bassline with an addictive melody, making listeners almost forget that the track is about promising to get over red flags and work on them.
The lyrics emphasise this theme by saying, “It took me long to text back, I had nothing to talk about, you must be so tired of being with me, who always acts like I'm in a daze.”
4EVE - 'วัดปะหล่ะ? (TEST ME)'
‘วัดปะหล่ะ? (TEST ME)’ is a slow pop beat by seven-member Thai girl group 4EVE. The track captures the yearning for a specific person who seems to be infatuated with somebody else. The soft and demure yet addictive beat of the song drills the competitive nature to love the person more than anyone could.
The lyrics cement this sentiment, saying, “Baby baby baby babe I need your love, I just want to be loved. Just being in love with you, how much does he love you? I love you more,” capturing the fierce need to prove to the person they love that they are better than anyone else ever could be.
no na - 'shoot'
‘Shoot’ is a sassy Y2K-inspired pop track by Indonesian girl group no na that has a smidge of an R&B flair. The jerking bass with the layered and airy vocals give the track a dreamy and airy sound that makes the song catchy. The twinkling synths give listeners a throwback to the sonic style of early 2000s girl bands.
The track follows the bold confident theme of being absolutely irresistible to anyone that lays on them, making them fall in love like they were shot with Cupid’s bow. The cheeky lyrics say, “Straight for the heart, you never seen a sniper lookin' this cute, my favorite part, I get to look you in the eyes when I shoot.”
V1RST - 'Malu Malu'
‘Malu Malu’ is a playful track by the Indonesian seven-member group V1RST that captures the carefree energy of youth and happiness with its upbeat and quick beats, together with soft vocals and harmonies in the chorus. The bridge packs an addictive melody and spreads infectious happiness. The track talks about the innocent act of being shy when first pursuing a relationship with someone or talking to them about being in a romantic relationship together.
The lyrics, “When our eyes met I was embarrassed, I'm afraid that I'll freeze, when you talk and keep quiet I'm embarrassed, oh, I'm embarrassed, but I want to, help me I'm embarrassed,” talk about needing to overcome that shyness to establish a connection with the person you’d like to be with.
DOLLA - 'DAMELO'
‘DAMELO’ is a bold and unapologetic track by the Malaysian girl group DOLLA. The track has a dance-pop and electronic style with a blend of reggaeton influences, including a few Spanish lyrics such as “lo que dice mi voz (What my voice says).” Blending light Latin American lyrical influences with thumping beats, the tune is capable of getting audiences in a trance to stand up and dance.
BINI - 'Pantropiko'
‘Pantropiko’ is the perfect summer anthem to scream out while feeling the summer wind in your hair when you’re out the sunroof. The track by the eight-member Filipino girl group BINI talks about spending summer with the one you love, blending sweet and warm vocals together with cute and charming lyrics to really capture the essence of spending a whirlwind summer with someone you love.
With lyrics such as, “From following your footprints in the sand, to walk with you on this island, guided by the grip of your hand, I can feel you're holding my world, what does it feel like? oh, shucks, is it love?”.
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