Marga Jayy Releases “Buhul-Buhol,” a Neo-Soul Single 11 Years in the Making
Last Updated on November 13, 2026 by Don Werner Salas
Filipino neo-soul singer-songwriter Marga Jayy released “Buhul-Buhol” on November 13, 2026, bringing a song she started writing in 2015 to streaming platforms. The track combines R&B-style vocals, organic instrumentation and jazz-leaning arrangements.
Its central idea is just as layered as the music. Jayy writes about familiar people and patterns that seem to keep returning, imagining connections across different lifetimes and universes.
The release also marks her first co-production with longtime collaborator Gabe Dandan. Behind the scenes, a Grammy-winning mastering engineer and a Filipino visual artist helped complete the project.
Marga Jayy’s “Buhul-Buhol”: Quick Details
- Release date: November 13, 2026
- Artist: Marga Jayy
- Sound: Neo-soul, R&B and jazz influences
- Co-production: Marga Jayy and Gabe Dandan
- Mixing and mastering: Enrique Santamaria and Gerard Hairston
- Cover artwork: RS08
- Release partners: Liga Artist Group and Ditto Music Philippines
A Song That Began at a Career Crossroads in 2015
Jayy wrote the first version of “Buhul-Buhol” while considering a major change in her working life. She was weighing the possibility of leaving her corporate job to devote more attention to music. Australian band Hiatus Kaiyote was a major influence during that period.
The song stayed with her long after that decision-making stage. Rather than treating it as a finished piece from the past, she continued working toward a recording that matched what she wanted to express.
“It took over a decade to finally get the song to where I wanted it to be,” Jayy said in the release announcement. The time between the first draft and the final track gives this comeback a specific story beyond a new release date.
What “Buhul-Buhol” Sounds Like
The press materials describe a mix of soulful R&B vocals, organic instruments and jazz-informed arrangements. Those elements place the track in neo-soul territory, with a looser approach than a conventional pop ballad.
Jayy points to Hiatus Kaiyote as a key influence. The Australian group is known for moving between soul, jazz and rhythm-heavy arrangements, a useful reference for listeners getting to know Jayy’s musical interests.
The song also takes its time with a bigger idea. Rather than relying on a straightforward relationship story, Jayy uses an unusual premise to talk about familiarity, chance encounters and connections that do not seem easy to untangle.
The Meaning Behind the Song’s Recurring Connections
“Buhul-Buhol” draws on the idea that certain people or situations may cross someone’s path repeatedly, even across imagined lifetimes. It is a spiritual framework for the lyrics, not something listeners need to believe in to follow the song.
Jayy has said she grew up in a conservative Catholic household and did not initially believe in reincarnation. Reading Brian Weiss’s book Many Lives, Many Masters later led her to reconsider that position. Those questions about memory, recognition and unseen connections eventually entered her songwriting.
During the pandemic, anxiety also prompted her to look into different approaches to wellbeing. She has spoken about watching accounts involving past-life regression, although she has not said she underwent the practice herself. In the song, that curiosity remains personal and artistic, rather than a medical claim.
How Gabe Dandan and Gerard Hairston Shaped the Recording
Gabe Dandan is not a new name in Jayy’s musical circle. He previously played guitar on some of her releases, but “Buhul-Buhol” is their first project together as co-producers. Jayy describes him as a longtime friend and hopes they can work together again.
Enrique Santamaria handled the mixing, while Gerard Hairston mastered the track. Hairston has a Grammy Award to his name. The Recording Academy credits him on the winning 2004 gospel album A Wing and a Prayer.
Those credits put several people behind the final sound, but Jayy remains central to the writing and concept. The song began with her own questions in 2015 and reached listeners after years of revisions and collaboration.
RS08 Created the Cover Art by Hand
The release pays attention to the visual artist, too. Filipino illustrator RS08 made the single’s artwork by hand, an approach Jayy wanted to acknowledge as AI-generated imagery becomes more common.
She has specifically asked that the person behind the artwork receive recognition. For a music release shaped over many years, the illustration adds another human contribution alongside the writers, musicians and audio team.
Where to Stream Marga Jayy’s “Buhul-Buhol”
“Buhul-Buhol” is available on digital streaming platforms. The single was released in partnership with Liga Artist Group and distributed through Ditto Music Philippines.
Listeners can stream “Buhul-Buhol” on Spotify now. The release is a focused introduction to Jayy’s mix of neo-soul music, personal reflection and a decade-long songwriting process.
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