James Reid reconnects with mellow-pop roots in new single ‘Sandal’

Following the resurgence in popularity of his OPM smash “Randomantic,” James Reid returns to his mellow, pop-leaning roots with the release of “Sandal,” his new single under Sony Music Entertainment and Careless.

Stripped down its core with acoustic elements and smooth vocals, “Sandal” recreates the magical pull of his earlier records with a balance of accessibility and finesse.

As expected, Reid demonstrates his keenness to turn a simple gesture of romantic affirmation into a sterling piece of work.

“I just wanted to reconnect with my roots in music, blending my past music with my new sound and writing style,” the award-winning singer-songwriter and label mogul admits. “It’s also been a long-time request from my fans. Most of the songs in my new EP are written in Filipino.”

Sanctuary

The recording superstar wrote the track together with Luke April of the Davao-based hip-hop and R&B group, Playertwo. Both Reid and April wanted to create material that aims to easily comfort someone going through a tough time. As the former pointed out in his press statement, “The idea is that love is strength and vulnerability, and that I will be your sanctuary.”

Reid adds, “This song means a lot to me personally. I wrote it for my girlfriend when she was having a terrible day. I wanted her to know that no matter what she’s going through, she can always lean on me.”

“Sandal” is also produced by Tim Marquez, who has helmed tracks for eclectic Filipino acts such as Ena Mori and Zild, and previously worked with James on the piano-driven ballad “Hurt Me Too.”