Are you better off letting go or holding on?
2025 was one for the books for Earl Agustin. His 2023 single “Tibok” shot up the charts and dominated the airwaves following its inclusion in the hit series “Ang Mutya ng Section E.” He also released his debut album, “Himig at Pag-ibig,” which featured similarly successful songs such as “Dalangin,” “Dito Sa’kin,” and “Pag-ibig ng Ikaw at Ako.”
In a span of a year, Agustin cemented himself as not only one of the industry’s next big icons but also an OPM figure that fans can associate with, thanks to deeply resonating love songs.
“I want to be known or remembered for writing songs about love that are real and honest—the kind of songs people struggle to find the words for,” said the singer-songwriter on our July 2025 cover story for Scout.
Looks like he did exactly what he set out to do—and with “Di Na,” his latest single, he’s looking to up the ante in the hugot scale.
Sonically, “Di Na” takes on a heavier weight than his previous releases. Brass sits lower and is accented by a reed piano that highlights Agustin’s vintage charm. Meanwhile, its tempo is akin to more of something your grandparents would slow dance to in the living room—though, its lyrics wouldn’t exactly be something that should warrant a romantic dance.
In a press release, Agustin shares that he made a demo with specific drum and string patterns for specific sections just to evoke the feel he wanted the song to have. He adds that he tried to be more open with the pain this time and “letting it [the track] sit on the melodies and the chords that I chose upon composing the song itself.”
Moreover, “Di Na” puts into words the internal struggle born from agonizing over a relationship that is fundamentally fractured.
With lyrics such as “Akala ko mas madali na kalimutan ang lahat at magkunwari” and “Pa’no kung kaya pa palang ipaglaban, ‘di kaya mali palang ika’y binitawan,” he craftily weaves between his confidence and assurance to leave, and the anxieties and hesitance encouraged by his lingering affections and remaining hope to fix what they have.
But ultimately, with lines like “‘Di na tayo babalik sa dati, isuko na natin,” he chooses peace over persistence, even at the expense of ultimately hurting his partner.
“I was focusing solely on the idea of having to let go [of something or someone] as a last act of love. I think that this [situation] does not get talked about a lot, so I thought it was an interesting thing to write about,” Agustin explains. He also reflects on how the song opens the idea of surrendering, “a surrender to things that are completely out of our control; an acceptance that sometimes it is okay to be the one who lets go, especially when the relationship no longer serves the both of you.”
Because in the end, Agustin conveys that while holding on indeed can result in making it work, forcing himself into a situation he doesn’t truly want to be in will only cause more pain between the two of them. Now isn’t that something we could all learn from?
