Off to Neverland! channels ‘Say Anything…’ in latest single ‘Boombox’
Romance, come adulthood, becomes less of an uncontrollable feeling, and more of a careful decision-making process that considers compatibility, finances, the boring adult stuff—before love itself.
But if there’s one thing hopeless romantics will always do, that is to keep falling for people they have no business being with. Love is the point for these people, and everything else will follow, just as long as you first take that blind leap of faith.
A boombox on the shoulders
Rising OPM band Off to Neverland! channels that longing in their latest single, “Boombox.” Inspired by John Cusack’s iconic serenade in 1989’s “Say Anything…,” the song captures that classic movie moment of someone standing outside with a boombox on their shoulders, hoping love answers the door.
While that moment of waiting—with your heart in your hands—also connotes some level of anxiety, “Boombox” is a feel-good anthem that blends funky guitars with an upbeat tempo. Moreover, with lyrics such as “Come on down, you can talk to me. You can open up your heart, and we can see where we can be,” it keeps an optimistic spirit despite the uncertainty.
But outside romance, the band explains that the new single also represents their reintroduction to both their fans and new listeners.
“‘Boombox’ is about inviting that person over to come and meet you. In a deeper sense, it’s us inviting our fans to come meet us and go on a journey with us,” shares Timothy Goño, the band’s main vocalist.
Riding off to Neverland
Off to Neverland! consists of Goño on vocals, Vince Balmes on lead guitar, Mikey Calugcugan on bass, and Ian Ropal on drums. The band first made waves in 2023 with “You Look So Pretty!,” a slow-dance-worthy serenade with 80s-inspired synths and lyrics straight out of a hopeless romantic’s soul.
The band’s name takes inspiration from the world of Peter Pan, where aging is nonexistent, and children remain youthful forever. According to Goño, they specifically chose this name because it represents timelessness. “It is our goal in making music.”
Ropal further describes themselves as a “genre-fluid band.” “We each have unique tastes, and it reflects in our music, pulling from different genres and ideas.” Among the different influences and inspirations they listed during our interview were Rage Against the Machine, Michael Jackson, James Taylor, and The 1975.
Goño also recounts that a jazz cafe near his house led to the creation of Off to Neverland! Because he was inspired to play on the stage, he began finding members for the band—starting with Balmes, whom he’s been friends with since high school, followed by Calugcugan, and then later Ropal, whom they met after the pandemic.
We’re all in this together
While the road to Neverland took its time, according to Balmes, it’s their unique and vibrant chemistry that’s allowed them to hit it off both as bandmates and friends. “Kahit dahan-dahan kami na buo, other than us being together in the band, we have such good chemistry as friends.”
Starting as an unlikely combination that simply wanted to create music together, the group soon found themselves on stages such as Cozy Cove and eventually on Street Kōhī for the launch of their latest single. These are all achievements they never expected to come so soon. But for the band, they hope their ongoing story serves as inspiration for aspiring musicians to keep on pursuing their craft—no matter how niche or out-of-the-ordinary it may be.
Calugcugan adds, “Kung tayo lang na mga normal na bata na nangangarap ay kinaya ito, paano pa kayo? Sobrang daming musicians na magagaling. You just have to really push on.”
