For OPM indie pop-rock collective Last Song Bea, obsession has a name, a laugh, and a knowing stare. On their latest single "Tita," the group trades Manila Sound nostalgia for a funkier, dance-floor pulse to honor the ultimate crush — ang fren ni mommy.
She’s hot, fierce and feisty. She’s the thirty-something Filipina in her prime — unapologetically single, undeniably magnetic, on top of her game and owning every room she walks into.
“She’s hard to ignore,” the song seems to say. And Last Song Bea leans all the way in.
Frontman and bandleader Richard Parcia traces the song’s DNA to two enduring muses.
“Actually, we got our inspiration from two iconic personalities: Alice Dixson and Maui Taylor,” he shares.
It’s more than infatuation. For Parcia, "Tita" is a portrait of a woman who has lived, loved, scarred, and stayed soft anyway.
“The song is about a strong and unapologetic woman who’s seen it all and has scars that she doesn’t hide. She welcomes love but will not beg for it. She’s quite in touch with her femininity but is equally capable of punching someone in the face if the situation warrants it,” he says.
“‘Her subtle ways command obedience,’ as the movie line goes. Tita is our ultimate crush.”
From riff to reverie
If "Tita" feels like a slow burn turned dance-floor release, that’s by design — and by jam.
“The music was composed by our guitarist, Anton (Atengco). It started with his riff. Then, we asked Sean Cedro to help us out to push it forward as we were stuck. I wrote the lyrics with him, and the rest of the guys threw in their ideas and notes,” Parcia recalls.
“It was a fun song to record. Nimrod did all of the arrangements and acted as producer too, together with the ultra-talented couple, Gani and Mic-Mic Palabyab of Monostery,” adds keyboardist Nimrod Laquian.
The rough tracks were laid down in 2025, taking full form only in March 2026. Initially released in May and re-released in July due to a digital distribution mix-up, "Tita" now arrives with its groove intact.
It’s a conscious shift, but not a calculated one. Compared to their earlier releases that nodded to Manila Sound, "Tita" leans funkier, groovier, more danceable.
“We never had a template. We just wanted to do it because it felt right. There was no deliberate attempt to change genre. We were exchanging ideas and this was the one that we ran with, partly also because of the videos that Alice and Maui shared on their respective social media pages,” Parcia explains.
“It’s a fun song. They can dance to it. That’s the general reaction. A certain demographic relates to it. There’s one celebrity who heard it while we were recording it and we got the impression that she likes it. Nakakatuwa daw,” he adds, laughing.
Live, "Tita" is a different beast — falsettos, tight backing harmonies, and a groove that has to land.
“Yes, it requires proper vocal prep. The challenge is to make the groove relatable to the audience. Fortunately, the elements are there. There’s a consensus though that, like our other songs, the live version will evolve,” Parcia admits.
Riding coattails, earning stripes
In the last two years, Last Song Bea has shared stages with OPM veterans — Paolo Santos, Freestyle, South Border, MYMP, Neocolours, among many others. For a band born in the early pandemic years, it’s been both anointment and apprenticeship.
“It’s a massive honor, but at the same time, it’s a challenge. We ride the coattails, but we’re no passive riders. Every opportunity in sharing the stage is an opportunity for us to learn from them, particularly their ways of connecting with their audience,” Parcia says.
“And at the same time, we are always grateful to the people who give us the opportunity. For this, we thank Mr. Ian Tan and his wife CJ of Gig Music Hall. They trusted us to be amongst our heroes. We will never forget that.”
The lineup has evolved, too. New blood now includes guitarist Anton Atengco, and respected session musicians Glenn Bondoc on bass and on drums Joe Apilado.
“Glenn and Joe are respected session guys. Anton, of course, is a guitar legend on his own. But more than the level of competence, it’s their natural tendency towards ensemble playing that counts. The members take the musicality seriously, but they don’t take themselves seriously. However, we still think all the former members contributed to where we are right now. It’s been a journey of tears and joys,” Richard beams.
By day, they are accomplished professionals — Parcia himself ranks among the local tech industry’s globally-recognized CIOs — but by night, they return to the communion of the gig.
“We are real people and no different from our listeners and followers. That’s our source of inspiration and sincerity. Our day jobs allow us to connect with our audience because we are not different from them. So, the live gig becomes a ‘communion’ of sorts. We might be their escape. But so are they to us. We can relate because we are them,” he reflects.
It’s that sincerity that makes even their revamped OPM classics and retro hits hit harder — audiences waxing sentimental, sometimes teary-eyed mid-set.
“Just for us to know that we’ve connected with our audience gives us the validation that we yearn for as artists. Nothing else can feel more genuine,” Richard says.
After a brief respite, Last Song Bea is raring to return to the stage for Q4 2026 — with another love song in the pipeline and possibly, a reimagining of a foreign classic.
For now, "Tita" does what the best crush songs do: it lingers, it teases, it makes you dance.
Check out "Tita" on Last Song Bea’s official Spotify and YouTube channels.