Bamboo Returns With ‘Alon,’ His First New Song in 11 Years: ‘I Didn’t Want to Miss These Moments’
BAMBOO – OPM rock icon Bamboo Mañalac is back with new music after 11 years, and he made it clear this week that the long silence was a choice he made for his family. The singer launched his comeback single “Alon” before members of the media on Monday, October 26, 2026, and opened up about the break in interviews released on Tuesday, October 27.
“It’s just 11 years passed because it’s just about my life, right? I had priorities with my family. It told me that I have to sort of slow things down and focus on that,” Bamboo said.
“Because with having a family, you only get to live these moments once, right? I didn’t want to miss these moments. I thought they were crucial for me,” he added.
The former Rivermaya frontman said the time away from recording also changed him. “And so that made me, I hope, a better person, right? Giving that pause away from work and whatever, and just finding the time to be back,” he shared.
“Alon” was written by composer and keyboardist Ria Osorio and is released under filtered music, a sub-label of PolyEast Records, the label Bamboo first worked with in 2004. The track is now on major streaming platforms.
“When Ria first gave me the song, she had said that she had me in mind when she had written it,” Bamboo said.
Even with its haunting sound, he does not treat it as a sad song. “I accept it as a song as if I’m resisting sadness,” he explained.
He also admitted his own manager questioned the timing. “It’s about an emotion, what I feel. For me, it’s about riding your own wave, right?” Bamboo said. “And it’s a kickoff to what’s going to happen next year.”
The singer said the song also reflects what he sees happening in the country. “So I’m hoping this song finds that emotional tie with people. That they can find that they’re not alone in this,” he said.
Bamboo’s last solo album, “Bless This Mess,” came out in 2015. He has since stayed in the public eye as a longtime coach on “The Voice” franchise.