"Sa Susunod na Habang Buhay" (English: "In the Next Life Time")[a] is a song by the Filipino folk-pop band Ben&Ben. It was released as a single on February 28, 2020, through Sony Music Philippines. Written by lead vocalists and twins Paolo and Miguel Benjamin Guico, the track explores a romance that has faded, emphasizing the promise to love and choose one's beloved in another life. The music video was directed by Jorel Lising, portrays as a couple who are trapped in a time loop after one dies, with one retaining painful memories from their past relationship, played by KathNiel stars. The track is also subjected to the breakup of KathNiel. Additionally, the track was featured as the theme song for the 2023 Filipino film Rewind.
The song received critical acclaim from critics and audiences alike, describing it as "heartbreaking" and "gut-wrenching". Nearly four years after its release, the song peaked at number three on Billboard'sPhilippines Songs and number 66 on Philippines Hot 100 in 2024. The track has many accolades, with winning Best Ballad Recording at the 34th Awit Awards, Mellow Video of the Year at Myx Music Awards in 2021, and Wishclusive Contemporary Folk Performance of the Year at 7th Wish Music Awards in 2022.
After the critical and commercial success of the band's debut album Limasawa Street and the tour of the same name, the track was released as a standalone single and lyric video were released on media platforms and YouTube respectively on February 28, 2020.[3][4][5]
The song was written by lead vocalists and twins Paolo and Miguel Benjamin Guico and produced by Jean-Paul Verona and Ben&Ben.[6] The track explores a romance that has faded, emphasizing the promise to love and choose one's beloved in another life.[4]
The mellow track addresses common questions about a lover, such as "Hindi ba, pangako mo nung una / Tiwala'y iingatan?" (transl.Didn't you promise to treasure my trust before?) It also portrays a complex relationship, yet the persona remains optimistic through the line "Baka naman sa susunod na habang buhay." (transl.Maybe in the next lifetime.)[4]
A few minutes after its release, Miguel Benjamin Guico, the band's lead vocalist, expresses his feelings after writing a song, stating that it felt good to heal the wound he had been unaware of and hopes that the same healing time comes to others.[7]
Music video
Released on December 14, 2020, the music video was directed by Jorel Lising, with screenplay from Gaya Sa Pelikula creator Juan Miguel Severo and appearances from Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla.[8] The appearance of the pair, popularly known as "KathNiel", is considered as a "dream collab" by the band. KathNiel stars in the music video as a couple who are trapped in a time loop after one dies, with one retaining painful memories from their past relationship.[9][10] The music video starts in a scene where the sea and waves break our focus, revealing Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla intertwined in pink and orange. The forces of nature work to pull back the water from the sandbar, while Kathryn and Daniel walk against a backdrop of pink and orange. Despite their backs turned, they seem calm and content, a visual that complements their oral overture. The story ends without a happy ending, as Kathryn and Daniel faces a situation beyond their emotional capacity, possibly beyond the narrative of Juan Miguel Severo.[11]
Severo and KathNiel discuss the song's theme of the possibility of another life for love success, with the writer referencing a couple stuck in a time loop.[9] According to the band's lead vocalist, Miguel, he describes the music video's creation as a dream and a serendipitous sequence of events, involving an exchange while the band's keyboardist Patricia "Pat" Lasaten was working on Juan Miguel Severo's Gaya Sa Pelikula. When the band offered their song "Ride Home" to the series, Juan Miguel offered to write the script and pitch it to KathNiel. The band were surprised by the artists' willingness to work with them, despite their busy schedules.[12]
When KathNiel broke up in December 2023, the song and the music video gained a resurgence in popularity.[13]
And then around late December 2023 to early 2024, this song was used in a trailer and the soundtrack, as well as the official theme song of the 2023 Metro Manila Film Festival entry entitled Rewind starring Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera, which further skyrocketed the song's popularity resurgence in early 2024, following the KathNiel breakup.[15][16]
Reception
The song received critical acclaim from critics and audiences alike. Angelo De Cartagena of Nylon Manila described the song as "heartbreaking" and also described Kathryn and Daniel in the music video as "their most grown up yet".[11] Cha Lino of Philippine Daily Inquirer praised the song for making the Filipino fans "unload their feels".[4] In less than a day since the music video's release on YouTube, it garnered over two million views.[17] Jacqueline Arias of NME called the song "most personal, painful song so far".[8] Amrie Cruz of Preen.ph praised the song, and describing it as "gut-wrenching" and "recipe for a cryfest".[18]
In 2021, the song was nominated and won several awards, including the Best Ballad Recording at the 34th Awit Awards, and Mellow Video of the Year at the Myx Music Awards.[24][25] At the same year, it won three awards at Canadian Cinematography Awards, including Best Song and Best Music Video.[1] In 2022, it won the Wishclusive Contemporary Folk Performance of the Year at the 7th Wish Music Awards.[26]
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