There were moments they almost didn’t make it. Misunderstandings, exhaustion, and the weight of staying together as nine individuals with different lives could have pulled folk-pop band Ben&Ben apart. But year after year, song after song, they found their way back to each other.
“We enjoy having meetings. We feel the responsibility to really discuss everything so that we’re complete at least once a year, we call it like a retreat,” said Miguel Benjamin, one of the band’s vocalists.
Now eight years into their journey, the band continues to evolve, not just in how they relate to each other, but in their music. Their latest work features bolder electronic sounds, something they’ve gradually leaned into over time.
“For this album, we wanted to try really embracing it and making it more obvious for some of the songs in this album. And it’s okay because even with the electronic sounds, we can still play it live. We can still be the ones creating the sounds. It helps the song. It still serves the song. And we really put a lot of emphasis on that,” said Poch Barretto, who plays the electric guitar.
Though often called a folk band, they’ve never felt confined to a single genre.
During the press conference for their upcoming world tour The Travellers Across Dimensions, the group talked about that conflicts still come up between them—usually small things like time management or creative differences.
“But like, small things, it just comes naturally. Because even if we’ve been together for eight years, we’re still individuals. We’re still people with our own particular quirks and things that are important to us,” explained Ben&Ben’s violinist Keifer Cabugao.
But what keeps them together is not just patience, but a deep commitment to listening. And behind them is a team—crew, management, and family—who’ve stood with them through highs and lows.
They point to their song “Saranggola” as one that captures the heart of where they are now.
“Even if you’re unsure about the future, while we’re still here, it’s not bad to celebrate,” Miguel stated.
Burnout remains a challenge, especially when performing the same songs over and over across different cities. “It’s probably the first and only time that [the audience] will experience it… but for us, we play it again and again.”
On May 24, Ben&Ben is set to begin The Traveller Across Dimension world tour, kicking off in Davao, followed by stops in Iloilo, Cebu, California, and Singapore—bringing their most personal and ambitious live production to fans across the globe.
