In March, Switchfoot came to Manila to perform at Bonifacio Global City, but aside from their performance, they also performed on the streets of Tondo without fancy stages, lights or sound systems.
(RELATED: Spotted: American Band Switchfoot Rocks It Out in… Tondo?)
Well, guess what? It turns out they filmed their latest music video “Float” there! Watch the video here:
On their official website, switchfoot.com, the band had this to say:
Looking on the calendar, our trip to Manila and back made very little sense. Why fly all the way to Manila and back and not play even one other show in all of Asia? Besides, it was the week before our album was due. So, with a storm of other pressing needs, we set out for the Philippines, not sure of the timing of the trip.
But yesterday, standing in the middle of an intersection and one of the poorest areas on the planet – everything seems to make sense. We were singing about rising above a painful season, singing about hope. And yet, here in the poorest streets of Manila, hope was shining so bright. It was as if I were instantly aware of a script that I had never dreamed of writing, far better than the one I had written, coming to life right there in front of me. What happened in Manila was the living representation of what we were hoping to sing into being with our song “Float.” In fact, the title of our album, “WHERE THE LIGHT SHINES THROUGH” came to life while we were filming the music video.
But another way, this trip to Manila was the only fitting way to end one era and enter into a new one. We had always hoped that Manila would be one of the stops included in Fading West, but this was even better. Jump-starting a new record with living proof of hope, life, joy, and light rising above the darkness. Two days in Manila was certainly not enough time – and if we hadn’t had the pressing needs and deadline of the new record upon us we probably would’ve stayed longer. Filming the music video for “Float” in Manila solidified the purpose and meaning behind these songs, and why we sing.
We sing because we’re alive, we sing because we’re looking for resolution, we sing because we’re thirsty for more, we sing because hope deserves an anthem.
And a special thanks to the incredible people at Young Focus, bringing hope to kids on the streets of Manila. Check out youngfocus.org.
-jon, tim, chad, drew & jerome
Thank you for shining even more light in our hearts, Switchfoot! <3
