After a “Backburner” Era, Maki Is Now Pushing His Luck in Love

Maki is painting the town a new shade of pink, and fans are wondering: is the resident yearner stepping into his lover boy era?

A little over a month ago, the OPM singer-songwriter had Zushis in a chokehold over the release of what he called his pink song, habangbuhay pansamantala. The track, dubbed a “backburner anthem,” delves into the painful reality of being kept on the sidelines and treated as a second option. 

That era now seems to be winding down — or, perhaps, it’s still too early to tell, especially for an artist who is always full of surprises. All we know is that Maki seems to be ready to roll the dice with Luck. Judging by the snippets, the track is already sounding like his most vibrant yet, not just sonically, but also emotionally. It exchanges yearning for certainty, wrapping lyrics about beating all the odds just to be with someone in his trademark pop sound. It’s quite a refreshing pivot from other songs in Maki’s KOLORCOASTER album, which is defined by his usual style of dressing heartbreak in upbeat music. 

And just when fans thought he couldn’t lean any further into his lover-boy side, the OPM star has taken everyone by surprise once again by collaborating with Mr. Randomantic himself, James Reid, for his upcoming single. The latest teaser features Reid’s signature vocals, making it clear that his earlier spin on Maki’s open melody challenge wasn’t just a coincidence, but a clever hint all along.

Luck will find its way to Zushis by the end of the month, with the official music video dropping on July 30, followed by the lyric video on July 31. From its very first teaser, the track has sparked excitement among fans—from casuals to long-time followers—who were quick to notice its parallels to habangbuhay pansamantala. A number of users on X had pointed out the lyrical shift from, “Hindi ba ‘ko kasugal-sugal? (Am I not worth the risk?)” to, “Just bet on my love,” and, “Whatever the odds, we’ll beat ‘em.” If these lyrics point to anything, it’s that the artist who once questioned whether he was enough may have finally found his answer.

Maki has yet to show us all his cards, but one thing’s for sure: he meant every word when he said his pink universe would be all about that unapologetically soft, yet strong, kind of love.