Among the songs in CALISTA‘s EP ‘FOUR,’ ‘Wag Na is my favorite because this song was an earcandy through and through. It blends a yearning for love yet positively anticipating its reciprocation; it reminds me of the Tagalog kundimans, if not for the structure but for the message and strong emotion embedded within its lyrics, making it a promising OPM classic. It must be emphasized, though, that this is a hidden track and is the fifth on the setlist of the EP.
CALISTA’s vocal prowess and lyrical precision are emphasized in this song, with vocal nuances drawing an emotional response. For me, this would have been a great number two or three on this listing, although I can see why it was placed last as it gives a relieving sigh, making the listener more appreciative of the vision of the EP.
I review songs and albums in my free time, and though this may sound technical, this is just my first impression of this song. Find my other song and album reviews here, mainly from P-Pop groups.
[lwptoc]
Lyrics and Message
The song comprises two verses, a pre-chorus, and a chorus, a relatively simple yet cohesive take on P-Pop hits. The word choice may sound simple, but it incorporates Tagalog vocabulary that would still sound familiar to non-native Tagalog-speaking Filipinos. However, it is more emotionally driven in its delivery and structure. Also notable is the inclusion of the English word “please” in its pre-chorus, which is used three times in the whole song. This is striking as the lyrics are entirely Filipino.
I am writing this as a native speaker of Hiligaynon who has learned Filipino in class since grade school. Though the lyrics themselves may not be as “deep” as other songs, they give off a serious vibe, giving me an impression of a modern kundiman. This technique is effective, providing a more meaningful association with the song despite some playful parts.
The first stanza tries to paint love as something uncertain or challenging to decipher or guess, pointing out that it might be hard to find. The singer then points out that when one sees or feels love, one should not let it go because this may be the only chance to take it.
I remember stories about unrequited love and the oh-so-common modern concept of the-one-that-got-aways, making this an emotional stanza, though by plain inspection, it may just be a few words emphasizing this. The singing style and voice, notably used by Anne and Dain in this part, elicit a mournful response, though the breathy and emotional twangs are somewhat assuring in their form.
Skipping to the second verse, Denise starts with the line, “Kung takot magkamali ay hindi karin tatama,” where a chorus of voices joins in. I love the use of figures of speech here: being afraid to make mistakes could hinder you from doing what is right. THis is followed by the line, “Pa’no na kung sa huli tayo pala’y itinadhana.” The song again plays on the trope of lovers who are meant to be but have differences, which either leads to unfulfilled love or late realization of love.
The gist of the second verse solidifies what the song introduced in the first part, that love must not be let go if one thinks that they already found it. The next line gives a playful nod to a simmering love as the singer asks the object of love not to be grumpy and that the singer saw them smiling, thus emphasizing that the love connection is already there.
Moving on to the pre-chorus, the word please is casually placed in the first line. Perhaps one might find the verses having deep Filipino; the pre-chorus realigns the listener that this is a modern pop song, using borrowed words to emphasize a point. While I mentioned earlier that the word please is English, I think in its usage in this part, it has become a borrowed Filipino word, more so that Filipinos use it casually in daily conversations across different local languages.
The yearning here, which is borderline desperation, asking the subject of love not to stop themself from feeling the emotion, letting themself free, acknowledging the feelings, and accepting the love of the singer. I could pin this pre-chorus as central to the kundiman feels and make the song effective. There is an evident cry or plea, and while it displays desperation, it still provides the recipient of the message the idea that they are still free to think for themselves and that accepting the love would be a step toward the connection.
The chorus, perfectly started by Elle, uses the title’s ‘Wag Na phrase, although in a different form. The lyrics embedded above, which were lifted from Genius, use the formal spelling huwag. Still, upon close listening, it is evident that the singers and the writer intended to use the simpler and shortened ‘wag here. The word only has one syllable and rolls freely on the tongue, showing Filipino or Tagalog’s versatility.
The singer tells the recipient not to do the following: magdahan-dahan (slow down), mag-alinlangan (think twice), and matakot mabigo (be afraid to fail or to be hurt). The chorus says the listener must not do these since the singer promises not to hurt them. Instead, the subject must take the risk with the singer for their love to meet, that is, to fulfill the love connection.
I love how the negative wording (the use of ‘wag na or do not) is used here in parallel to positive things that might happen because of that. It is a nice display of modern Filipino poetry, which still emphasizes deep emotional impact, blending with the controlled and nuanced voices of the CALISTA girls.
I undeniably love this song lyrically, and I think it resonates well with Filipino culture. Often, our culture is noted as not being frank or straightforward in letting someone know what we feel. There might be variations as this topic is subjective, yet it uses the torpe logic in its modern Filipino context.
One might argue that since the singers are women, the way of expressing love here is typical, but I think it is just a playful use and that the intentionality in expressing the feelings is apparent. Since the significant audience of CALISTA would be the Filipino youth, I think that this is relatable and that the cultural experience is making it open to various interpretations, thus, as I said, making it possible to be an OPM classic.
Musical Composition
Produced by Ken Ponce and written by Joseph Ponce, this song presents itself as a soulful ballad which again brings out its Filipino love song potential. It is strikingly different in style compared to the other four main tracks, which comprise common P-Pop themes in music, instrumentation, and presentation.
But I think the song highlights the plasticity and beauty of modern P-Pop as though the artists try to find their brand of music, they are free to explore other styles and even excel in non girl group or non boy group styles of music.
Since FOUR is CALISTA’s statement of finding their unique rhythm, the song is hauntingly beautiful, carrying their voices flawlessly and blending so well with the keys of Jhay Alicayos. It is a great masterpiece, and though CALISTA must and fittingly uphold their P-Pop girl group image, songs like these would significantly enhance their skills and musicality.
Kudos to the producers and writers that blended and mixed this song so well. Since I started listening to P-Pop songs last year, I can think of five or six songs I wish I had produced or written just at first listen. Since I have been fanboying about the song since the beginning of this post, it shows that ‘Wag Na has been added to that mental list.
I want to add that the emotions in the voices of the girls shine throughout the song. Though their voices are already noteworthy even in percussion-heavy tracks, their ability to express emotions in the song is heartwrenching. It is so good to hear that this song is easy to listen to and message-heavy. Even without the usual P-Pop elements, it boasts a traditional Filipino love song formula, and I look forward to more people melting over its lyrics.
Final Thoughts
Pop culture and mass media have instilled a universal feeling or reaction toward situations most Filipinos might identify with. The message of this song, the borderline yearning and possible unrequited or unfulfilled love, is somewhat personal despite my slightly different experience compared to the song’s story.
This universality, at least in Filipino culture, makes the song relatable and easy to remember. The simple lyrics and catchy melody make it even more experiential. It made me feel somber yet somewhat hopeful and romantic. The last line of the chorus, “‘Wag kang matakot mabigo nang uso nati’y magtagpo,” scratches your heart about sacrificial or risk-taking heart, giving me a message that taking the risk with the possibility of being heartbroken is an experience worthy to have as long as love is central to that feeling.
The song made me look back to how kundiman songs were written before. That is why I think this song pushes the right amount of boundaries, including being sung by a modern P-Pop group, presented with a possible feminine voice, and included in an extended play album featuring other songs that strike differently from this song.
It is a fresh take, remembering other releases of CALISTA. Still, it honors the tradition of strong women, Filipino love songwriting, and voice chakra that you can find with this girl group.
What do you think of the song? Do you agree that this is one of the best tracks on the EP? Will this become your favorite, too? LMK (let me know). 😂