Vlad Bunoan

Article (news)

Waltz drops new single 'Alitaptap'

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/178693594782665aa0478-e882-4eca-827b-9f27787cfd39.jpeg" style="width:633px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>OPM singer-songwriter Waltz. Handout</div>MANILA — For OPM singer-songwriter Waltz, fireflies are more than childhood memories. They are a metaphor for the people who appeared at just the right moment, offered a little light, and quietly moved on.That idea shines through in “Alitaptap,” his latest single inspired by his Bisaya-Waray roots and his childhood in Calubian, Leyte, where real fireflies once lit up his evenings. The song is now available on streaming platforms.Years later, after moving to Manila to pursue a career in music, Waltz found himself thinking about those fireflies differently. In a city that could feel enormous and anonymous, certain people would appear, briefly but exactly when needed, and then just as quietly move on. Friends who helped him through a hard stretch. “Marami akong na-meet na parang alitaptap sa buhay ko dito sa Manila,” Waltz said in a press release. “Hindi sila laging nandiyan, pero noong nandiyan sila, doon ako na-buo.&quot;That accumulated memory — of a childhood surrounded by real fireflies, and an adulthood surrounded by people who felt like them — became the foundation for the Tagalog song “Alitaptap,” which is released under Ant Savvy Artist Management (AS Creatives &amp; Entertainment Inc.) and distributed via Symphonic. The song itself is sung in Tagalog, a deliberate choice to reach as wide an audience as possible, but the image at its center came from home.The campaign around the single, #AkingAlitaptap, invites fans from any region to share the story of who became their light during their hardest days — an invitation Waltz said comes easily to him, having spent years collecting those same kinds of people himself, one alitaptap at a time.Waltz, whose full name is John Walter Dumagan, was only three years old when he started singing. Even without musical roots, he knew at a young age that he has a passion for music and that he loves to sing.In 2018, he joined the music industry as part of the singing group Down by 18. In 2023, after leaving his former band, Waltz reemerged as a solo singing artist and released the songs  &quot;Ikaw,&quot; &quot;Paano,&quot; &quot;100 Dahilan&quot; and &quot;Marahuyo.&quot; Last year, he released &quot;Cold Soup&quot; and &quot;Rediscovery.&quot;

“Alitaptap,” Waltz's latest single inspired by his Bisaya-Waray roots and his childhood in Calubian, Leyte, where real fireflies once lit up his evenings. The song is now available on streaming platforms.

“Alitaptap,” Waltz's latest single inspired by his Bisaya-Waray roots and his childhood in Calubian, Leyte, where real fireflies once lit up his evenings. The song is now available on streaming platforms.

Waltz turns childhood fireflies into a song about people who became his light

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

BINI

Sudoku

Word of the Day

Lotto

Horoscope

Music

Waltz turns childhood fireflies into a song about people who became his light

ABS-CBN News

Published August 17, 2026 11:13 AM PHT

Read More:

Waltz

singer

Alitaptap

ABS-CBN Newsletter

Your go-to source for the latest news, entertainment highlights, exclusive interviews, and updates on your favorite Kapamilya stars.

ABS-CBN Newsletter

Your go-to source for the latest news, entertainment highlights, exclusive interviews, and updates on your favorite Kapamilya stars.

Sign Up

I have read and agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy.

Haven't received our newsletter?

Check your inbox to verify and confirm your subscription. If you don’t see it, please check your spam or junk folder.

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.