SYNC honors parents in first EP, 'Box: Outside'

Rising P-pop group SYNC (Simple Yet Not Common), composed of Clyn, Sevi, Pen, and Jai, is all out with its first-ever EP titled, Box: Outside.

In their premiere on Saturday, 20 June, the group described how their journey has not been easy since their debut in 2024. As a self-produced independent group, they are actively in charge of the artistic aspects of their musical performances—from songwriting and composing to choreography.

Featuring the songs Balang Araw, Paglipas ng Ulan, Hi, Knock Out, and Break, the entire soundtrack is a reflection of who they are as dreamers, their bond as a team, and their fights and breakthroughs.

As the EP was released in the month of June, just in time for Father's Day, the group told DAILY TRIBUNE how the soundtrack serves as a profound gift to honor the ones who always support them—their parents.

For Pen, he believes that being an artist is something innate to him, a gift tied closely to his roots. "I just think that I'm just born for it. just born for it," he said, relating it to the skillset he got from his parents, which was honed as he grew up.

Distance has not lessened that parental bond. "Kasi yung parents ko po kasi, wala sila dito sa Pinas, pero every time na nag-update po ko sa kanila, doon sila nag-video call at nagre-react na parang, 'naiyak ako, gusto ko manood'. Yung mga ganun nila. Doon ako natatouch kasi parang feeling ko, every after nung may ginagawa kami, may ganun akong aabangan (Because my parents aren't here in the Philippines, but every time I give them an update, they video call me and react like, 'I'm tearing up, I want to watch.' Things like that. That's where I get really touched because it feels like every time after we do something, I have that to look forward to)," Pen shared.

The group all agreed that the track Balang Araw stands as their ultimate message to their families.

"Balang araw would be our tribute to our parents na laging sumusuporta sa amin. Kasi alam namin na yung mga magulang namin hanggang ngayon may pangarap, hindi lang para sa amin, kundi pangarap para sa sarili nila (Balang Araw [Someday] will be our tribute to our parents who always support us. Because we know that even up to now, our parents still have dreams—not just for us, but dreams for themselves as well)," the group's leader, Clyn, said.

"Yung family ko, grabe ang trust nila sa akin; sa gusto ko, sa talent ko, sa craft ko. Grabe, I mean, like, wow! Someday, kapag nangyari na yung gusto kong mangyari, gusto kong magbigay sa kanila someday (My family, their trust in me is incredible; they trust what I want, my talent, and my craft. It's just amazing—I mean, like, wow! Someday, when what I want to happen finally happens, I want to give back to them)," Jai emotionally shared.

"Sa akin kasi, malayo kasi yung family ko, nasa Ilocos Plus, nasa Cagayan. Gusto kong ico-connect yun kasi, lahat kami may balang araw, lahat. Parang, para sa acho, ito yung balang araw ko [SYNC] (For me, because my family is far away—they're in Ilocos, and some are in Cagayan. I want to connect that because all of us have our own 'someday,' everyone does. It's like, for me, this is my 'someday.')," Sevi added.

With this milestone release, the group emphasized their desire to show their fans and the general audience that independent artists can truly thrive in the industry with raw talent packed with unwavering perseverance.