Zack Tabudlo returns to OPM roots in new single ‘Manloloko’

Zack Tabudlo. Images: Handout photos

Zack Tabudlo returned to his OPM roots with his new single, “Manloloko,” almost a year since his last Filipino track.

“Manloloko,” which was dropped on April 30, is a pop-punk ballad that centers around the pain of betrayal, moving forward from heartbreak, and finding emotional healing. Tabudlo initially teased the track sometime in 2024, although he opted to have it released a year later.

The song contains the lyrics, “Pakialam ko sa’yo / Hindi ako apektado / Hindi mo na masisira puso ko / Kahit pa anong gawin ninyo / Buti nalang manhid na ko / Pero hindi t*r*nt*do,” showing a glimpse of how the singer-songwriter navigates through heartbreak.

“The track is a song for those who have had their hearts shattered by people they trusted—those who’ve been cheated on, and those who’ve been betrayed, not just in romantic relationships but also in friendship and other aspects of life,” the song’s release read.

The track comes two months after “Diving,” a full English song crafted by Tabudlo himself. The singer-songwriter also made waves after serving as the producer-composer of the hit song “Tanga,” sung by P-pop girl group KAIA.

Tabudlo signed with the US-based record label Mercury Records, which is also the label of popular artists Zayn Malik and Post Malone.