From Math to Music: Singer-songwriter Amiel Sol’s Spotify equation for success
Contributed by Sandy Cagurangan
With his emotional ballad “Sa Bawat Sandali,” 26-year-old Philippine folk-indie singer-songwriter Amiel Sol is definitely making waves in the OPM scene. The song has now reached number one on the Spotify Philippines Daily Top Songs chart. With 24.5 million streams on Spotify, the song has left a captivating mark on fans, marking a milestone in Amiel’s music career.
According to Amiel, “It really took time to be successful, and perseverance and passion do pay off,” reflecting on his journey from independent releases to becoming one of the top OPM artists today.
“Sa Bawat Sandali” is a heartfelt ballad whose lyrics capture love, yearning, and the beauty of cherished memories. With its poetic lyrics and soft melody, the song has become perfect for reminiscing about love and life.
This song is also the official soundtrack of Viva One’s hit series “Ang Mutya ng Section E,” starring Ashtine Olviga and Andres Muhlach. Additionally, the music video, featuring the lead actors, significantly impacted fans and accumulated over 2.3 million views, trending at number three on the platform.
Amiel shared his songwriting process, “I feel like it came naturally; I didn’t really formulate it in a sense. It’s just what naturally comes out of me. When I write a song, I don’t have a specific style I always imitate. It’s just what naturally flows from my creative juices.”
With these unexpected outcomes, Amiel expressed his gratitude, “I’m really thankful they were game to be a part of the music video. They’re both very kind. I’m also really grateful to everyone involved in ‘Mutya ng Section E’ for making ‘Sa Bawat Sandali’ part of the OST,” Amiel said.
Before “Sa Bawat Sandali,” Amiel had been building momentum with his previous hits. His release, “Ikaw Lang Patutunguhan,” received massive streaming love with 16.8 million Spotify streams and landed at number seven on the Viral Songs chart in the Philippines on Spotify, while his first-ever released song, “Di Na Akin,” garnered over 2.5 million streams.
But nothing happened overnight for Amiel. He started competing in contests as a high school student and later worked on his songs through open mics and small gigs at food parks. “During the pandemic, that’s when I really started writing and releasing songs on my own, independently,” he says.
While studying, the rising star juggled his music and graduated with a degree in BS Mathematics from UP Diliman this year. By the time he secured a gig as a data analyst at TaskUs, he had made the daring decision to embrace full-time music with his rising popularity. “A lot of us in the music industry wait for our big break. I think this is it. I might regret it if I don’t give it my all now. Because, honestly, I can always go back to work anytime.”
He also mentioned that he is currently writing songs in collaboration with several artists. “I’m writing with other artists, but we haven’t planned when to release them yet. I’m writing with Keanna Mag, with Earl Agustin, and with Janine Teñoso.”
Amiel remains humble after his achievements. “Actually, until now, I can’t fathom it—4.7 million monthly listeners. But I really just want to be grateful for everything that comes with big or small blessings.”
More music, more shows, and an ever-expanding fan base likely set Amiel Sol up as one of the major names to watch out for in the OPM scene of this generation. And as he puts it, “Now that the iron is hot, I’ll give it everything I’ve got.”
