Moonlight (Ian Asher, SB19 and Terry Zhong song)

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"Moonlight"
The cover art for "Moonlight": A gray sphere with white and blue highlights on top of a backdrop of a space with square pattern walls topped with white overlay. The song's title is written at the bottom part of the image, while the artists' names are at the top.
Single by Ian Asher, SB19 and Terry Zhong
ReleasedMay 3, 2024 (2024-05-03)
StudioSony Music (New York City)
Genre
Length2:48
Label
Songwriter(s)
  • Ian McNelley
  • Terry Zhong
  • Jackson Lee Morgan
  • Lenno Linjama
  • Sophie Pauline Curtis
  • Nick Cozine
Producer(s)
  • Ian Asher
  • Terry Zhong
  • Lenno Linjama
Ian Asher singles chronology
"Touch Me"
(2024) 		"Moonlight"
(2024)
SB19 singles chronology
"Gento"
(2023) 		"Moonlight"
(2024)
Terry Zhong singles chronology
"Spring Snow"
(2024) 		"Moonlight"
(2024)
Music video
"Moonlight" on YouTube

"Moonlight" (stylized in all uppercase) is a song by the American record producer Ian Asher, Filipino boy band SB19, and Chinese record producer Terry Zhong. The song was written by Ian McNelley, Zhong, Jackson Lee Morgan, Lenno Linjama, Sophie Pauline Curtis, and Nick Cozine, with production handled by Asher, Zhong, and Linjama. An EDM and dance-pop song, it is about fantasizing romantic desires with their partner in a sensual lyricism. The song was released as a single via Liquid State and Sony Music Philippines on May 3, 2024.

The development of "Moonlight" began while the boy band embarked on their Pagtatag! World Tour (2023–2024) when they met Ian Asher during the North American leg of the tour. The single's accompanying music video was directed by Kerbs Balagtas, with Justin as the creative director. The video revolves around a concept of "craziness" and features the boy band in minimalist visuals, performing a choreography with backup dancers.

Background and release[edit]

A group photo of SB19 on stage, each holding a handheld microphone.
SB19 at the Pagtatag! World Tour (2023); they met Ian Asher while touring for its North American leg.

In 2023, the Filipino boy band SB19 released their second extended play (EP), Pagtatag!.[1] Its lead single, "Gento" (2023), was considered a "resounding success",[2] giving the boy band their first entry to Billboard record charts: World Digital Song Sales[3]—a first among Filipino groups[4]—and Philippines Songs,[5] peaking at numbers eight and eleven respectively. The band embarked on their second world concert tour to support the EP, Pagtatag! World Tour, visiting Asia and North America.[1] SB19 and the American record producer Ian Asher met while the group were on their North American leg of the tour; they were amazed at Asher's talent at a young age: "[We] met Ian Asher during our tour in the US, and we were surprised at how talented and prolific he is at such a young age."[6]

On April 22, 2024, the boy band posted a video visualizer through their social media accounts featuring a snippet of the song, announcing their collaboration with Ian Asher and Chinese record producer Terry Zhong, the song's title, and its release date. The song was made available for pre-save on digital streaming platforms on April 24, 2024, and SB19 began releasing several teasers associated with the record leading up to its release through a choreography video snippet, posters, and a music video trailer.[7] Liquid State and Sony Music Philippines released "Moonlight" on May 3, 2024, as a single.[8]

Composition and lyrics[edit]

"Moonlight" is 2 minutes and 48 seconds long.[9] Ian McNelley, Terry Zhong, Jackson Lee Morgan, Lenno Linjama, Sophie Pauline Curtis, and Nick Cozine were credited as songwriters. SB19 recorded the vocals for the song at Sony Music Studios in New York City, New York, with Brendan Morawski as the recording engineer. Record producers Ian Asher, Zhong, and Linjama handled its production. The latter programmed the track and played the keyboards and guitar. Serge Courtois mixed the song, while Matt Tilston mastered the recording at Wired Studios in London, England.[10]

Musically, "Moonlight" is an upbeat song composed with a fast-paced melody featuring an EDM and dance-pop production.[7][11] The boy band considered the song's musicality new for them and that their collaboration with Ian Asher and Terry Zhong gave them "room to explore and expand our horizons as artists". It is a love song[8] with sensual lyrics, discussing yearning for their partner and fantasizing romantic and intimate desires:[11] "Want you in every way / Want you to scream my name / With my hands around your waist / Yeah, I li...li...like / Doing what we do in the moonlight / I be loving you, baby, all night".[12][13]

Music video[edit]

Kerbs Balagtas directed the music video, and SB19 band member Justin served as the creative director.[10] The video was released on YouTube on May 3, 2024, the same day as the song's release.[6] The media described it as "minimalistic", depicting the boy band and their backup dancers wearing white button-up long-sleeves and light gray pants, dancing to the song's eclectic choreography.[13][14] Justin finds the song's lyrics "euphoric", in which he conceived a concept of having the video to be "crazy" and given the "out-of-this-world treatment".[11] Jay Joseph Roncesvalles conceived the choreography for the video.[12]

Credits and personnel[edit]

Credits are adapted from the song's music video.[10]

Locations

  • Recorded at Sony Music Studios (New York City, New York)
  • Mastered at Wired Studios (London, England)

Musicians

  • SB19 – vocals
  • Ian Asher – producer
  • Terry Zhong – producer, songwriter
  • Lenno Linjama – producer, songwriter, keyboards, guitar, programming
  • Ian McNelley – songwriter
  • Jackson Lee Morgan – songwriter
  • Sophie Pauline Curtis – songwriter
  • Nick Cozine – songwriter

Technical

  • Serge Courtois – mixing
  • Matt Tilston – mastering
  • Brian Lotho – vocal producer
  • Brendan Morawski – recording engineering

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Basbas, Franchesca Judine (May 2, 2023). "SB19 to Return with New EP Pagtatag!, Announce 2023 World Tour". Bandwagon. Archived from the original on November 11, 2023. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  2. ^ Policarpio, Allan (July 18, 2023). "Stell on SB19's 'Nerve-wracking' Leap to Self-manage Career: If Not Now, When?". Inquirer. Archived from the original on August 5, 2023. Retrieved August 5, 2023.
  3. ^ "SB19 Chart History (World Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 26, 2023. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  4. ^ Bautista, Rafael (October 18, 2023). "6 Times SB19 Made Billboard History". Nylon Manila. Archived from the original on January 25, 2024. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  5. ^ "SB19 Chart History (Philippines Songs)". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 26, 2023. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  6. ^ a b Angan, Kara (May 3, 2024). "SB19 Mark a New Era in Their Sound with 'Moonlight' – Listen". Billboard Philippines. ISSN 2984-9861. Archived from the original on May 4, 2024. Retrieved May 4, 2024.
  7. ^ a b Go, Mayks (April 22, 2024). "SB19 Team Up with Ian Asher and Terry Zhong for 'Moonlight'". Billboard Philippines. ISSN 2984-9861. Archived from the original on April 28, 2024. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
  8. ^ a b del Rosario, Pauline (May 3, 2024). "SB19 May Bagong Track na 'Moonlight', Ito Kaya ang Next Dance Craze?" [SB19 Have a New Track Titled 'Moonlight', Will This Be the Next Dance Craze?]. Bandera (in Tagalog). Archived from the original on May 4, 2024. Retrieved May 4, 2024.
  9. ^ "'Moonlight' – Single by Ian Asher, SB19 & Terry Zhong on Apple Music". Apple Music (PH). May 3, 2024. Archived from the original on May 3, 2024. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
  10. ^ a b c SB19 Official (May 3, 2024). Ian Asher, SB19, Terry Zhong 'Moonlight' Music Video. Archived from the original on May 4, 2024. Retrieved May 4, 2024 – via YouTube.
  11. ^ a b c Mallorca, Hannah (May 3, 2024). "SB19 on New Single 'Moonlight', Expanding Horizons with Ian Asher, Terry Zhong". Inquirer. Archived from the original on May 4, 2024. Retrieved May 4, 2024.
  12. ^ a b Galang, Saihjee (May 3, 2024). "SB19's New Single 'Moonlight' Is Out Now". The Philippine Star Life. Archived from the original on May 4, 2024. Retrieved May 4, 2024.
  13. ^ a b Purnell, Kristofer (May 3, 2024). "SB19 Releases New Summer Track 'Moonlight'". The Philippine Star. Archived from the original on May 4, 2024. Retrieved May 4, 2024.
  14. ^ "SB19 Grooves in 'Moonlight' Music Video". ABS-CBN News. May 3, 2024. Archived from the original on May 4, 2024. Retrieved May 4, 2024.
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