Starting a new year is like opening a new book to start a new chapter, full of possibilities and still unwritten stories, it's a chance to look back and take a glance on what has happened to the past year for us to learn and set new goals to reach.
2024 was a quite challenging year for Gerald Santos, the 33-year-old winner of the second edition of Pinoy Pop Superstar back in 2005 has made huge revelations last year, admitting that he was once a victim of sexual harassment by a predator in showbizness.
It took a lot of courage for Gerald to do that and it was a brave and bold move for his camp to admit such a thing, he became the voice and representation of several artists who were afraid to speak up and lose their careers.
Welcoming 2025, Gerald has opened a new chapter in his life and his career with the help of his manager Rommel Ramilo, he is now ready to reintroduce himself with a new single entitled Hubad.
The song “Hubad”, is quite far from the usual ballads that we hear from Gerald, the song is quite sensual and soulful, it’s a different music, it was bold, it was courageous, perfect for his comeback in the music scene.
“Because of what I went through last year I think you know maraming nagsasabi that was courageous and at the same time prang hubad kumbaga I was naked in public, dahil when I told about what happened to me I really felt na hubad ako sa publiko kaya talagang yung dalawang words na yan (yang courage at hubad) perfectly defines me right now” Gerald said when he was asked how significant the words Courage and Hubad for him now during his press conference held last January 10.
The song “Hubad” came just in the perfect time for Gerald’s metamorphosis, something new and unorthodox, definitely a new music he could offer to his listeners. Getting this song, Gerald considered it as a work of destiny, he shared that he just randomly saw the message of composer Feb Cabahug while randomly checking his messenger.
“Nakakatuwa kasi nagkaroon kami ng same vision kung ano yung gusto naming kalabasan nung song. Kasi I think, funny enough tatlong arrangers ang nilapitan namin for this song and dun sa dalawang unang arranger medyo hindi siya nag vibe, hindi sya naging fit dun sa gusto naming kalabasan nung song, buti na lang si Jason Cabato came up and binigay namin sa kanya and he did the job. Eto yung gusto naming kalabasan nung song.” Gerald shared how he and composer Feb Cabahug collaborated for the song.
Composer Feb Cabahug lives and works in Cebu, that’s why collaborating for the song needed extra effort and Gerald shared that he and Feb kept in touch just through messenger, the two merely haven’t seen each other personally and yet they still manage to create and pull off a really good music and song in “Hubad”.
“Ang pinakagusto kong part jan (is) yung ending eto “Ako’y hubad sa’yo”” Gerald said that the song depicts a love that is willing to give it all and ready to go all out in loving someone.
Hubad is out now on Spotify, iTunes, Amazon Music and Youtube Music, you can listen to the song below;
Hubad serves as a prelude to themes of vulnerability and strength that will take center stage in the upcoming concert Courage, happening this January 24, at the SM North EDSA Sky Dome.
