Sino (song)

Last updated

"Sino"
Single by Unique
from the album Grandma
Language Tagalog
English titleWho
ReleasedAugust 6, 2018 (2018-08-06)
Genre
Length4:40
Label O/C
Songwriter(s) Unique
Producer(s) Unique Salonga
Unique singles chronology
"Midnight Sky"
(2018)
"Sino"
(2018)
"Lamang Lupa"
(2019)
Music video
"Sino" on YouTube

"Sino" is a song by Filipino singer-songwriter Unique Salonga. It was released as a digital single from his debut album Grandma on August 6, 2018, through O/C Records. Written by Unique, it is an indie rock track that can be interpreted as a love story about a man who is uncertain about his future partner, and may also be about a man who is a rock, unaware of the support he receives.

Contents

Background and release

In May 2018, Unique departed from IV of Spades, seeking to pursue "personal endeavors", much to the dismay of fans. [1] On July 13, Unique released his first single, "Midnight Sky", accompanied by a black-and-white music video. [2] The following month, he released his solo debut album Grandma , transitioning his genre from disco to psychedelic rock. [3]

Composition

"Sino" is four minutes and forty seconds long, composed in the key of B with a time signature of 4
4
, and has a tempo of 105 beats per minute. [4] [5] The track is the album's catchiest and most accessible track, featuring a dreamy, romantic bass-driven groove, reminiscent of IV of Spades' "Mundo". [3] Written by Unique, it is an indie rock track that can be interpreted as a love story about a man who is uncertain about his future partner, and may also be about a man who is a rock, unaware of the support he receives. [6]

The song originally featured guitars but was removed, added piano, and removed again. Despite multiple attempts, the song was ultimately decided against as it didn't need anything else. Unique said, "Yun na siya eh," implying that sometimes muting is necessary. [7]

Music video

Directed by O/C Records founder Kean Cipriano, it features Unique performing mundane tasks in an abandoned building. The music video maintains Unique's monochrome aesthetic, but breaks the fourth wall by singing directly to the viewers. [8] [9] Unique initially had a different concept, but it didn't work out. The director and his team decided to stick with a simple, random shot of him in random places, aiming for a "symmetrical" vibe for self-exploration. [10]

Commercial performance

After nearly seven years of its release, "Sino" debuted at number 79 and peaked at number 34 on the Billboard Philippines Hot 100 chart. [11] It also peaked at number nineteen on the Official Philippines Chart. [12]

After the return of IV of Spades in July 2025, the song peaked two Billboard Philippines charts, peaking at number twenty-five at Philippines Hot 100 and debuted at number twelve at Top Philippine Songs the following month. [13] [14]

Charts

Chart performance for "Sino"
Chart (2025)Peak
position
Philippines (IFPI) [12] 19
Philippines (Philippines Hot 100) [13] 25
Philippines (Top Philippine Songs) [14] 12

Accolades

YearAwardCategoryNotable WorksResultRef.
20216th Wish Music Awards Wishclusive Rock/Alternative Song of the Year"Sino"Won [15]

References

  1. Cupin, Bea (May 4, 2018). "Unique Salonga exits IV of Spades". Rappler . Archived from the original on January 26, 2025. Retrieved July 25, 2025.
  2. "Unique surprises fans with solo debut album Grandma". bandwagon.asia. August 13, 2018. Archived from the original on May 17, 2025. Retrieved July 25, 2025.
  3. 1 2 Hofileña, Emil (August 16, 2018). "'Grandma' sees Unique Salonga carving his own musical path". Rappler . Retrieved July 25, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. "Sino | Track Analytics | Songstats". Songstats. Retrieved July 25, 2025.
  5. "Tempo for Sino - Unique Salonga". SongBPM. Retrieved August 5, 2025.
  6. Caña, Paul John (September 12, 2018). "What's So Unique About Unique: The Rise of a Once-in-a-Lifetime Musical Talent". Esquire Philippines. Retrieved July 25, 2025.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. Bodegon-Hikino, Kara (August 15, 2018). "Unique's solo debut album Grandma: a track-by-track guide by Emil Dela Rosa". bandwagon.asia. Archived from the original on March 18, 2025. Retrieved July 25, 2025.
  8. O/C Records (March 17, 2019). Unique Salonga - Sino (Official Music Video) . Retrieved July 25, 2025 via YouTube.
  9. "Unique's "Sino" is a more intimate look at his life". Philippine Daily Inquirer . Archived from the original on August 14, 2024. Retrieved July 25, 2025.
  10. Bodegon-Hikino, Kara (March 19, 2019). "Behind the Lens: Unique's 'Sino'". bandwagon.asia. Archived from the original on January 21, 2025. Retrieved July 25, 2025.
  11. Saulog, Gabriel (February 26, 2025). "Unique Salonga Marks His First-Ever Billboard Philippines Hot 100 Entry With "Sino"". Archived from the original on March 18, 2025. Retrieved July 25, 2025.
  12. 1 2 "The Official Southeast Asia Charts – This Week's Official Philippines Chart Top 20 from 07/18/2025 to 07/24/2025". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry . Retrieved July 29, 2025. [Select 2025 Week 30]
  13. 1 2 "Philippines Hot 100 (Week of August 2, 2025)". Billboard Philippines . July 23, 2025. Archived from the original on July 30, 2025. Retrieved August 5, 2025.
  14. 1 2 "Top Philippine Songs (Week of August 2, 2025)". Billboard Philippines . July 30, 2025. Archived from the original on July 30, 2025. Retrieved August 5, 2025.
  15. "6th Wish 107.5 Music Awards: Complete List of Winners". Wish 107.5. October 23, 2020. Retrieved July 25, 2025.