Cover What began as a demo exchange in a tour van during James Reid and Maki’s joint July 2025 Canadian tour evolved into one of OPM’s most exciting crossover collaborations (Photo: Tarsier Records)
What began as a demo exchange in a tour van during James Reid and Maki’s joint July 2025 Canadian tour evolved into one of OPM’s most exciting crossover collaborations (Photo: Tarsier Records)
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From a chance idea in a Canadian tour van to a hit single, Maki and James Reid open up about their latest collaboration, the depth of Filipino romance and bringing Original Pilipino Music to the international stage
Even through the digital pixels of a video call from Manila, the natural rapport between two Original Pilipino Music (OPM) heavyweights is clear, rooted in a shared respect for creative liberty and a knack for artistic gambles.
On one side sits James Reid, the Filipino Australian actor and singer who famously stepped away from the traditional studio mould to establish Careless, a record label created specifically to foster creative freedom in OPM. On the other is Maki, the breakout Gen Z star whose emotionally raw pop anthems have raked a billion cumulative streams. Their meeting comes on the heels of the single Luck, a vibrant collaboration that blends alternative pop, city-pop and indie influences into a story about taking a leap of faith in love.
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Above ‘Luck’ is given a playful, sitcom-inspired treatment that captures the high-stakes gamble of rolling the dice on romance
The song’s origin story feels fittingly spontaneous, born in the back of a tour van during Reid and Maki’s joint Canadian tour in July 2025. Travelling through Winnipeg, Edmonton, Toronto and Calgary, the pair spent hours exchanging demos between stops. Maki played a track co-written alongside an international team of producers including Pontus Kalm, Shintaro Yasuda, Gaby Ramirez and Greg Shilling, whose collective résumé spans acts such as BTS, Ariana Grande, Le Sserafim and Bini. Sensing the song needed R&B vocal warmth and playful charm, Maki shared it with Reid.
“The second I heard the demo on our tour bus, I felt an immediate spark,” Reid recalls, running a hand over his slicked hair. “It had an infectious, international energy—I saw its potential to transcend borders while retaining a distinctly Filipino flavour in its lyrics and style. It felt genuinely global, yet deeply rooted in where we come from”.
That cultural anchoring lies in how Filipino romance is expressed in music and film, moving from lighthearted charm to deep, communal devotion. Maki channelled that nuance into Luck, weaving it into his pink era, a colour-coded creative phase focused on the softer, more vulnerable side of romance.
Following his single Habangbuhay Pansamantala, meaning a fleeting moment that feels like a lifetime, this phase explores softer and more uncertain forms of love, balancing the bold strength of his previous Dilaw (yellow) era with vulnerability, with lyrics like: “I’ll show all my cards, I’ll open your heart/ Whatever the odds, we’ll beat ’em.”
Above Expanding his conceptual pink era, breakout hitmaker Maki explores raw vulnerability and the uncertainties of taking a leap of faith on love (Photo: Tarsier Records)
Expanding his conceptual pink era, breakout hitmaker Maki explores raw vulnerability and the uncertainties of taking a leap of faith on love (Photo: Tarsier Records)
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“For me, songwriting is a personal journal for emotional release rather than a job,” Maki says. “With Luck, it was about leaning into the uncertainty of choosing someone despite not knowing the outcome. In our culture, love is deeply felt, and I wanted to translate that honesty into a song where taking a gamble on love feels worth risking everything for.”
This willingness to embrace risk mirrors a broader shift within OPM. Long viewed as a domestic market centred on traditional romance ballads, the industry is breaking out onto the international stage as global audiences tune into acts like Beanie, Cup of Joe, and five-member boy group SB19, fresh off their Lollapalooza debut in Chicago last month.
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Above SB19 took OPM to new heights on the global stage with a monumental debut performance at the four-day Lollapalooza music festival on July 30, 2026 (Photo: Getty Images)
SB19 took OPM to new heights on the global stage with a monumental debut performance at the four-day Lollapalooza music festival on July 30, 2026 (Photo: Getty Images)
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“Current artists are really standing on the shoulders of those who came before them, breaking down doors that used to feel closed,” Reid says. Maki experienced this crossover firsthand during this year’s Kolorcoaster tour across Indonesia and Singapore—and an appearance on the Indonesian comedy show Lapor Pak!—where non-Filipino crowds sang along word for word in Tagalog.
“Hearing non-Filipino audiences sing along in Tagalog gave me so much confidence,” Maki tells Tatler. “It proved that Filipino artists are thriving globally and representing our culture proudly on the world stage.”
For Reid, watching this new wave flourish brings validation after his own career evolution. Transitioning from mainstream rom-coms to establish an independent musical path in Los Angeles—collaborating with producers like The Stereotypes, known for working with the likes of Bruno Mars, Justin Bieber and Mariah Carey—unlocked his creative freedom. Today, he balances starring in the ABS-CBN primetime series Someone, Someday with releasing solo music like this year’s hit, Richest Man Alive.
Above Balancing television acting with independent music production, James Reid continues to pave the way for the global expansion of Filipino artists (Photo: Tarsier Records)
Balancing television acting with independent music production, James Reid continues to pave the way for the global expansion of Filipino artists (Photo: Tarsier Records)
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“I had to overcome a lot of scrutiny when I shifted from acting to independent music,” Reid says. “Now, coming back full circle to balance [the two], I feel I’ve finally found a healthy equilibrium”.
Behind the milestone achievements are two creators grounded by distinct rituals and tastes. Their current playlists feature Taylor Swift for Reid and Olivia Rodrigo for Maki, while their influences range from Michael Jackson to Michael Bublé and Bieber. When creative burnout sets in, Reid cycles to clear his mind, while Maki retreats to his studio to paint visual art.
Asked what wisdom they would pass down to their younger selves, Reid quips: “Check your inbox, because Maki had sent over early demos that I almost missed!” Maki offers a reflective sentiment that serves as an enduring compass: “Plant your heart where you know it can bloom. The moment you honour your own heart, your work finds the exact people it is meant to reach.”
Cyril Ip is the Features Editor at Tatler Hong Kong, where he shapes digital strategy, curates long-form features and drives trending cultural coverage across multi-platform digital experiences. He writes about culture, society and self-development. Having lived and worked across Hong Kong, mainland China and the UK, he brings a multifaceted background that spans media, music and publicity—including a four-year tenure as a culture and diplomacy journalist at the South China Morning Post.
