Apart from being the voice behind the viral hit “Tibok,” there’s more about Earl Agustin that you will find interesting.  

Astounded by his instant fame and success, Earl also had his rough days as a songwriter. 

“Five years ago, I was really hungry for growth in terms of being an artist, of being a songwriter,” he said in an interview with PUSH ABS-CBN.  

The singer-songwriter’s dream was just simple, but he was given something way beyond what he asked for.  

“Before, when I was just starting sa career na ito, ‘yung pinaka-pangarap lang talaga is ayun, makapaglabas ng maraming kanta and makatugtog kung saan-saan. When I was starting, ‘yun lang talaga yung pinaka-dream as a small musician,” he recalled.  

But he is not a “small musician” anymore. 

Landing a spot in the Top 50 of the Global Spotify Chart was a historic feat for Earl as he's first Original Filipino Music (OPM) artist to ever receive such prestige. He had the “biggest single-day streaming peak in Spotify Philippines’ history,” amassing 1.797 million streams for his song "Tibok." 

On top of that, he remains the leading OPM artist in Spotify PH after he surpassed two million daily streams, winning the hearts of many OPM lovers. 

”Sobrang saya. I feel super blessed sa mga nangyayaring ito,” he delightedly expressed.  

Keeping it personal 

Earl's approach to composing songs has always had a personal touch, reflecting his own experiences and emotions.  

According to him, “Tibok” was a product of a painful “ghosting experience” he had in the past.  

“The song [Tibok] is about this experience I had many years ago. Meron akong crush at that time. Ayon nag-uusap kami every day, tapos nag-subside ‘yung situation hanggang sa nawala siya and then it just turned into… para siyang ghosting experience,” he recalled.  

He added, “(I) thought of writing it as a song, para maibuhos lahat ng emotions and feelings I had at that time.” 

Despite keeping his songs on a personal level, Earl has his ways of cementing his relationship with his listeners.  

“Nagta-tap into personal experience ‘yung mga songs ko. Well, half of it. And then the other half is, I think of shared human experiences. And then, doon ko siya parang name-merge. Something personal to me, and then something that is shared by everybody,” he said, talking about how he draws inspiration when writing songs.  

Overcoming ‘huge transition’ 

Being compelled to move away from his comfort zone to fight for his dreams was a “huge transition” for Earl.  

“I feel like a fish out of water, kasi parang everything is different. Everything is much bigger. Cultural-wise din, siyempre 'yung mga differences. Ayon, malaking transition siya for me, pero I’m learning naman and I’m adapting to the way of life dito,” he said.  

Currently based in Laguna, he admitted that he also had fears of living independently in an uncharted territory.   

“Meron naman pong (takot), for sure. Parang, I think it’s a healthy type of fear. Na alam mo iyon yung pag-transition mo to a place na wala kang alam, wala kang relative,” he said. 

Visual artist, campus journalist  

Before diving into the realm of music, Earl was first a visual artist, also doing the same thing — transforming his emotions to art pieces.  

When asked about what he would do if his music career turned otherwise, he admittedly sees himself pursuing his first love.  

“I think I would’ve prioritized drawing lessons siguro. Pero definitely, I would’ve continued with drawing siguro or ‘yung mural paintings sa mga establishments siguro,” he said.  

Earl earned a degree in Creative Communications at the La Salle University in Ozamiz City, Misamis Oriental.  

Besides having an artist’s hands, he also had a heart for campus journalism back in high school, which he considers as his training ground for something he didn’t expect to happen.  

“I was already participating in campus journalism, so meron din akong parang background ng radio and TV broadcasting. So, somehow, meron na rin akong training sa boses, just not in singing, but more on like speaking,” he shared.  

In an interview with PEP.ph, Earl revealed that he once dreamt of becoming a news anchor, but he found himself living another dream. 

The rising artist added that despite the physical distance he has from his family, they are very supportive of his craft.  

Music as instrument of faith 

Aside from seeing it as avenue for self-expression, Earl has a deeper perspective towards music— it is an instrument of faith.  

“I found it very helpful for me and for my faith din,” said the singer-songwriter who also dedicates service to the church.  

He uses his talent and voice for a bigger purpose, even bigger than his own self.  

“I’m really really happy na I’m doing music right now. Parang hindi na siya for me pero nagagawa ko rin siya to glorify the Lord. Nagagamit ko siya in church [at] nakaka-buo din ako ng mga kaibigan kung sakali,” he stated. 

The Earl five years ago must have been very happy that he’s now enjoying what he envisioned for himself, he said. 

“Just keep doing what you’re doing,” he told his younger self.  

Originally released in 2023, his viral hit “Tibok” has gained traction as it has been used as one of the official soundtracks of the romantic comedy series Ang Mutya ng Section E.  

The song has gone viral on the social media platform Tiktok, capturing the hearts of its users. 

By Clarence Gillego