MANILA -- Singer-songwriter Jolianne and R&B star Arthur Nery joined forces for a new single titled "Palayo Sa Mundo," which "paints a picture of romantic love that is strong enough to make the world wait."
Released under Sony Music Entertainment, the soulful track is out now on all digital music platforms.
Jolianne and Arthur Nery. HandoutThe new track marks the two artists' second collaboration following “Lullaby,” from Nery’s 2024 album "II: The Second."
“Working with Arthur came so naturally,” Jolianne said in a press release. “For one, we’re both Bisaya, so that was an effortless connection. Musically, we also speak the same language. We share a lot of the same influences, and we’re both deeply rooted in R&B.”
Written during a songwriting camp with producer Luke April (James Reid, Playertwo), the song evolved from an English concept titled “The World Can Wait” into an emotionally arresting Tagalog piece that pays homage to classic OPM romance.
“Arthur is a real poet,” the rising newcomer recalled. “And he wrote the song so quickly. It felt like a masterclass watching him in his element.”
Nery reveals that the song wasn’t intentionally written as a love song at first.
“Joli wanted a track about self-reflection or identity crisis,” he said. “The direction of the song changed after I wrote the first two lines. While Luke let us listen to his guitar sample and production, I wrote and arranged the lyrics freely and we just let the song take us to where it is now. It was a fun experience.”
"Palayo Sa Mundo" reflects the bittersweet nature of love that persists even when fate intervenes.
“This song is about that bittersweet feeling of loving somebody you know loves you too,” Jolianne explained. “But sometimes fate has its own plans, and things don’t turn out as we hope. Still, love in its purest form is worth offering, because love isn’t about guarantees. It’s, I love you because I do, not because I expect it back.”
The track’s stripped-down but warm arrangements highlight the duo’s vocal chemistry while retaining the melodic pop appeal of the material.
“We paid homage to ‘Lullaby’ by going the acoustic pop route. We wanted something that felt intimate and timeless. When Arthur and I sing together, it’s never a sing-off; it’s a duet,” Jolianne said.