Following a fruitful year of collaborations and hit songs, juan karlos treats fans with a holiday single, “Maligayang Pasko,” radiating the Filipino festive spirit. As the only country in the world with the longest Christmas celebration, the singer-songwriter-producer captured the essence of Filipino Christmas.

Festive Department Store Encounters 

juan karlos drew inspiration for “Maligayang Pasko”  from a poignant personal experience of spending Christmas alone.

He recalls: “With this new single, I’ve always wanted to do a Christmas song. I remember a very specific memory: spending Christmas alone for the first time in years, and I was in the department store of a specific mall. And I remember being in the Christmas section na puno ng mga Christmas trees tapos nagpapatugtog lang sila ng Christmas music nonstop.”
This seemingly usual experience formed the foundation for the single’s creation, emphasizing what juan karlos is known for—his commitment to authenticity and personal storytelling.

“So while I was there, I was really imagining to myself, ‘I would love to hear a song that I made being played in this department store.’ And that was honestly it! Went back to my place, got my guitar, and just started writing.”

Setting the Holiday Tone

After inspiration struck, juan karlos picked up his guitar and translated his ideas into lyrics.

“The song itself, there was really no reference used for the melody of the song. But production-wise, we really wanted it to be as close to having that festive feeling. So that’s why when it comes to the drums, for example, you have a shuffle-like vibe to the beat. When you hear it, you unintentionally move your head to it.”

They had to get a bit more creative when it comes to vocals.

“The vocals naman, I had to make a lot of different takes to make it sound like a crowd as much as possible. And that’s really it. You stack the vocals in different variations of the same take. Once you stack all those, it will sound like different people, and you get a choir or a crowd!”

All in all, juan karlos best describes the single as a feel-good anthem, aiming to give listeners a sense of joy and warmth.

“When you listen to the song you just feel like “Oh, it’s nice.” That’s really just it. I mean, I can only do so much in the creation of the song, but I don’t really control anymore where the song will go or how the people will feel about the song. Hopefully, people will feel a little bit lighter.”

A Christmas Message

“Hello to all my listeners and to people who have been supporting me nonstop or on and off: I just want to greet you all a Merry Christmas. I also want to thank you for all the love and support you guys have been giving me, especially with the latest release that we put out. All of these songs wouldn’t be anywhere without you guys. I really appreciate it. Thank you for watching my shows on TV, for live performances, and for listening to my music. And hopefully, andiyan pa rin kayo next year kasi marami pa kong gagawing pasabog!”