The emotional, heart-wrenching ballad “Untold” is sensational Filipino-British artist Rian Dela Cruz's debut release via Kumu and it has us all tuned into the singer-songwriter's radar. It's got a lovely, soulful vibe reminiscent of artists like fellow British singers James Arthur and Tom Odell, the simplicity of its structure allowing the emphasis to be on the lyrics and emotion. Rian Dela Cruz's husky, deep voice is the star of the show, bringing the lyrics alive.

The story of the song entails heartbreak, the struggles with overcoming a breakup, and the pain of moving on, a topic that resonates with so many people. It was written by Rian Dela Cruz's friend, Filipina singer-songwriter Jillian Adriano. He mentions how they (Adriano and Dela Cruz) “would go back and forth on how it sounded and try to tweak it”, making it a truly collaborative experience between the two. “I decided not to compose your average run-of-the-mill acoustic song and instead opted to make it more lofi chill hop-inspired”, he also states about the creative process of “Untold”.

“Releasing my first single was definitely a nerve-wracking experience, seen as though it was brand new territory for me and I was a little anxious about how people would receive the song, but after much deliberation, I decided to just bite the bullet and see where it would take me. Much to my surprise, many people enjoyed the song, which would then open opportunities for me, such as performing the song on Wish USA's live stream and hosting MYX Global via Kumu once a week for a whole month.”

Rian Dela Cruz through this whole experience learned to just bite the bullet and step out of my comfort zone because in doing so you can only improve and reap the rewards of your hard work.

"It's gonna take me some time,
why was loving you such a crime.
Should I take my final bow?
What did this ever mean to you,
When I told you I loved you?"

Although relatively new to the game, Rian Dela Cruz is already making big moves in the music industry, including being featured on BBC's popular segment BBC Music Introducing and receiving national airplay. Thanks to his growing popularity on the live streaming app Kumu, the debut single has accumulated over 40,000 plays on Spotify, which continues to climb. Additionally, he was MYX's Kumu Stream monthly guest.

It's a small taste of the rising singer-songwriter’s success and a show of his true artistry and potential, which we're all eager to watch grow. We're keen to see what the artist continues to make, as his first song has truly shown us what he's capable of, and that’s its just the tip of the iceberg. You can listen now the track “Untold” on all major music streaming platforms.

About The Author

For Stephanie Belle, her passion for writing has always been there. Over the years, it transcended into her love for music. As a singer-songwriter and avid listener of a multitude of genres, Steph’s got a keen eye for spotting the best current music. She is now a presenter for The Chosen Dozen and a resident host of Beat This Philippines and currently makes music with the pop electronic band SYLAS.