Ben&Ben Gives “Leaves” a New Chapter Through Forgiveness and Second Chances
Last Updated on August 27, 2026 by Franchelle Aguhob
Nearly a decade after “Leaves” became one of Ben&Ben’s most beloved songs, the award-winning band is giving the ballad a fresh emotional lens.
“Leaves (Reimagined)” keeps the heart of the original while adding a fuller sound and a more mature look at forgiveness, second chances, and the fragile parts of growing alongside someone.
Ben&Ben uses the new version to show how a song can change as its writers and listeners do. The result reflects the years that have passed since the original was released and the different seasons people face as they grow older.
A Familiar Song with a Deeper Story
“Leaves (Reimagined)” does not try to copy the first recording. The band reshapes its emotional world with orchestral elements that work alongside the group’s sound.
The added arrangements give the quieter sections more detail while letting the bigger moments to feel more moving. Ben&Ben shares the goal was to capture the changing emotional weight that comes with age.
“We wanted to highlight how much more dynamic life is emotionally when you grow up and grow older.”
For the band, the new arrangement also reflects a more lived-in understanding of life. The music carries both its softer moments and its emotional peaks without losing the tenderness that made “Leaves” resonate in the first place.
Growing with Their Liwanag
The new recording marks the passage of time between the band and its community, known as Liwanag. Over the past nine years, Ben&Ben and their listeners have experienced love, loss, uncertainty, and change.
The shared growth became an important part of the song’s new meaning. The band explains that living with someone for a long time, whether that person is family, a close friend, or a romantic partner, means learning how to give another chance.
“Since we have grown up—and so have our Liwanag—in the past nine years, we wanted to encapsulate what that experience is like through the lyrics of this song.”
“Leaves (Reimagined)” therefore looks beyond a single relationship. It speaks to the idea that lasting connections can require patience, understanding, and forgiveness.
A Different Creative Journey
Ben&Ben approached “Leaves (Reimagined)” differently from “Lifetime (Reimagined).” Instead of trying to recreate the feeling of the original track, the band allowed the song to develop in its own direction.
For them, reimagining a song can uncover new layers in its melody, lyrics, and music. “Leaves” became an opportunity to explore how its story could sound after years of growth and change.
“Leaves definitely demanded a different creative process,” Ben&Ben says. “One cool discovery we had was that even in the process of breathing new air into each song, continuing their respective stories leads into very different trajectories in many layers: melodically, lyrically, and musically.”
What Comes Next for Ben&Ben
The release arrives during another strong period for Ben&Ben. In June, the group was named Duo/Group Artist of the Year at the 17th PMPC Star Awards for Music, with the recognition highlighting its work on The Traveler Across Dimensions.
The band received several nominations at the 39th Awit Awards, including Record of the Year, Best Performance by a Group, and Best Pop Recording for “Saranggola.”
These milestones lead into Saranggola: The Concert, scheduled for October 2, 2026 (Friday) at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. The major show is set to celebrate music, friendship, and memories with the band’s community.
“Leaves (Reimagined)” is now out on all digital music platforms worldwide via Sony Music Entertainment.
What does “Leaves” mean to you today? Let us know in the comments what the song has come to mean in your own journey.
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