Filipino singer-producer JMKO returns with “Malibu,” a warm and emotionally resonant coastal-pop record that marks the beginning of a new era in his artistry. The single serves as the first glimpse into an upcoming body of work that explores themes of love, identity, longing, and self-discovery through the perspective of a Filipino artist navigating life between cultures, cities, and stages of growth.
Known to millions through his viral “Popcorn Duets” series on TikTok, JMKO has spent years building his voice both online and off, evolving from a reality singing competition winner in the Philippines to a songwriter, producer, and performer, ultimately refining his craft in Los Angeles.
Now, with “Malibu,” he offers his most personal release yet. Written by JMKO and Ryan Antooa, “Malibu” explores how certain places become attached to the people who once occupied them. Blending cinematic pop production with emotional R&B influences, the track captures the feeling of revisiting a place and realizing it still carries the emotional weight of someone who was once deeply important to you. It’s a song about memory, longing, and the quiet ways places can preserve moments long after they’ve passed.
“Malibu is about how places can hold pieces of people,” says JMKO. “Sometimes you think you’re remembering someone else, but you’re really remembering a version of yourself that existed during that time. That’s what this song feels like to me.”
The release also marks JMKO’s first major project under ABS-CBN Music International, which signed JMKO as one of the first artists under its newly launched international initiative dedicated to expanding the reach of Filipino music worldwide. With a renewed creative vision and a body of work shaped by years of personal and artistic growth, JMKO enters this next chapter with greater clarity, confidence, and intention than ever before. As the lead single from his upcoming EP, “Malibu” serves as both an introduction and an invitation, a first look into an artist who is no longer just finding his voice, but fully stepping into it.
“More than anything, I hope people see themselves in these songs,” he says. “We’re all trying to make sense of where we’ve been, where we’re going, and who we’re becoming. If my music can help people feel a little less alone in that, then I’ve done what I set out to do.”
“Malibu” is available now on all major streaming platforms.