MANILA -- After overcoming his anxieties amid the pandemic, actor and singer Marlo Mortel turned to music and produced a new single this 2021, “Bituin,” which he hopes can provide peace and stillness to listeners.

In a virtual press conference on Wednesday, Mortel revealed that he wrote the song for his best friend who now lives in Vietnam.

“We have always found peace in nature. It's all about noticing that light amid the darkness. You know that feeling you get, when at the end of a busy day or when life throws a lot at you, you look up to the sky, and you'd feel better. Stars give hope and a sort of calmness to us human beings,” the singer said.

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“Just like stars, kahit ano mang mangyari, madilim man minsan, they will always be there. The good thing is, we can always decide right now if we want to be happy and just have peace in our lives,” he added.

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Not only did Mortel write the song, he also co-produced “Bituin,” putting all the lessons he learned in life, as well as from studying music and voice technology.

According to him, he was very hands-on with the arrangement, final mix, and vocal techniques.

“Lahat 'yun blood, sweat and tears and I believe that it’s gonna be worth it once you hear it kasi we’re gonna have ‘similar joy’ and it really comes from within,” the actor said about his second single, under PolyEast Records.

Mortel further explained that “Bituin” was a product of overcoming his personal battles last year -- which in the process, he realized how important self-care is.

“Hindi ko pala natututukan kung ano 'yung nagma-matter the most which is our self, our inner being. After ko maranasan 'yung anxiety, it went on for months. Nahirapan talaga ako. I stopped my vlogs. I stopped releasing songs. Napagod ako,” he quipped.

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“The best thing to do is to learn from it and move on from that situation and become a better person. That's what happened to me.”

In April 2021, he also released his debut single “Mahina” which he hoped listeners would find a source of strength as it is about an honest look at how most people navigated life during quarantine.

Mortel also said that the process of creating the two songs acted as therapy for him during uncertain times.

"Music has played a huge factor. Because through songwriting and music, I get to let out all my thoughts and emotions. It is natural therapy for me as an artist," he said.

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Watch more in iWantv or TFC.tv

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Watch more in iWantv or TFC.tv