Now, the Filipino singer-songwriter finds his way back to love with his new single, “ngayon at kailanman,” a deeply personal gift for his wife. The song eventually became the surprise bridal march at his own wedding, transforming a private promise into a powerful musical statement that reaches beyond its personal beginnings and becomes a romantic serenade that listeners can make their own.
Serving simultaneously as a wedding vow and a love song, “ngayon at kailanman” reflects the hope of finding a relationship that remains steadfast amid life’s uncertainties. Inspired by the serene simplicity of songs such as Johnoy Danao’s “Ikaw at Ako,” Ebe Dancel’s “Cuida,” and TJ Monterde’s “Palagi,” the track is dedicated to anyone longing for a love that feels reassuring, genuine, and enduring.
Through the song’s release, the folk-pop newcomer hopes listeners will discover a kind of love that allows them to grow alongside one another.
“I want my listeners to feel like they are in a warm, tight embrace whenever they hear the song. I also hope my listeners learn through the song that love and relationships are never perfect. We are all people, and we all go through our own stumbles and challenges. But we try to choose each other even when things are difficult. Because I think we also become better individuals when we find love that is assuring and earnest.”
True to its heart, the stripped-down track is ultimately about the conscious choice to stay. Rather than portraying romance as a perfect or absolute feeling, “ngayon at kailanman” acknowledges the flaws, uncertainties, and challenges that naturally come with relationships—and the significance of continuing to choose each other despite them. It is, at its core, a warm embrace rendered into song.
The track’s intimacy also played a defining role in its production and overall sound. Cabangon and producer David Lina embraced a deliberate “less is more” approach, drawing inspiration from the vulnerable and soul-baring musicality of Joseph Solomon. The arrangement keeps the instrumentation understated, allowing the lyrics to take center stage and carry the emotional weight of the song.
“I always imagined ngayon at kailanman as a wedding vow being done in a very private, intimate space, so I wanted to preserve that vision by keeping the production very simple with more emphasis on the lyrics,” he adds.
Originally created without plans for a public release, much like his earlier song “Pieces,” the track eventually found its place in Cabangon’s highly anticipated EP. Its inclusion completes another chapter in a broader narrative about learning how to love again—whether after heartbreak, emotional distance, indifference, or the loss of something once deeply cherished.
Cabangon reveals, “The upcoming EP is really going to be about going through the process of falling out of love and finding our way back to the things that we were once passionate about. Based on the first couple of songs that my listeners have experienced, I think my audience can expect that introspective singer-songwriter feel that’s very common with a lot of the tracks.”
Following “Pieces,” “Kama,” and “Ikot Ulit,” the forthcoming EP continues Cabangon’s evolution as a singer-songwriter, tracing a journey from falling out of love toward rediscovering passion, hope, and the courage to love again—whether the subject is love, life, or everything in between.
With “ngayon at kailanman,” Cabangon offers perhaps his most tender song yet: a simple and heartfelt promise that, even in an uncertain world, choosing one another can still be an act of faith.
