JVKE’s ‘golden hour’ Glows Anew with SB19 Remix

‍

American singer-songwriter JVKE has enlisted P-pop giant SB19 for a bilingual remix of his global smash, “golden hour.”

The new version of the song, which features Filipino lyrics given life by the quintet’s sublime vocals, came after the track hit one billion streams on Spotify.

Originally released in July 2022, “golden hour” captivated listeners with its irresistible melody marked by sweeping piano and string sounds. It became viral on TikTok and has earned JVKE (Jake Lawson in real life) a Top 20 Billboard Global and a Top 10 Billboard Hot hit. The swoon-worthy piece also took the top spot on the Global Spotify viral chart.

‍

‍

According to the Rhode Island-based act, the song “feels like a pause in time, with all your attention on that special someone. The sun is shining… it’s your golden hour.”

“I wanted to capture the emotion that you feel when you see something beautiful. That feeling is golden hour,” he further shared, describing what might just be the favorite song he’s ever written.

As praised by Jason Lipshutz of Billboard, the song “has a winning formula: semi-rapped verses full of romantic observations and modern music references, boiling into an enormous, crooned-from-the-gut chorus.”

Adding a Filipino touch

‍

In the remix, Pablo, Stell, Josh, Ken, and Justin lent their voices and showcased tight harmonies to add a Filipino touch to the song. Not only were the new lyrics written in the vernacular but they also highlighted the Filipino tradition of harana or courting.

“Paggising sa umaga/ Siya agad ang gusto na makita/ ‘Di ako marunong kumanta/ Pero para sa kaniya/ Harana, harana/ Teka lang/ Bakit ba parang ‘la sa tono ‘tong aking gitara?/ Gusto ko lang naman sabihin/ Na mala-maharlika’ng ‘yong ganda/ Malaya, ‘di magwawakas tila parilala/ Oh, jusko! ‘No pa nga ba’ng masasabi ko?,” they sing in the second verse.

“We, as members of a group, collaborate with each other. But it’s something else when there’s a collaboration of two cultures… It’s really special how the embedded culture in each of us affects how we write songs and how we portray our experiences in a song, and we’re glad that we’re able to include some parts of our Filipino culture in this song,” SB19 spoke of the project in a collective statement.

In the same press release, JVKE meanwhile called SB19 “crazy talented.”

“As an artist, when I open my art to others so they can add their own interpretation, I never know how I’m going to feel about what they contribute. With SB19, I was just blown away. I hope this isn’t the last time we work together,” he continued.

JVKE has previously collaborated with superstar producer Max Martin for an orchestral version of the song

Stream JVKE’s “golden hour,” featuring SB19, below:

‍

‍

READ NEXT: SB19’s ‘PAGTATAG!’ Era: Upcoming World Tour, Big Announcement

Written by Emmy Borromeo