Singer Paolo Sandejas says BTS V’s vlog a big boost to his career: ‘I‘m just grateful to him’
In just three days, Filipino singer Paolo Sandejas’ career and social media presence got a big boost, thanks to BTS member V who used his song “Sorry” in his road trip vlog.
In an interview with Manila Bulletin, Sandejas talked about why he wrote “Sorry,” the thrill he felt when he learned that his song was included in V’s “Ride Vlog” and its impact.
V made a road trip vlog, driving from Seoul to Yangpyeong County in South Korea and along the way, he played tracks, which were his “recent favorite songs.”
The vlog was uploaded on BTS’ BangtanTV YouTube channel on July 9 and has garnered 10.19 million views and 1.7 million likes as of this writing.
Sandejas was ecstatic that V not only played his song but also sang along with it. He said he wrote “Sorry” sometime in 2018 or 2019.
“It came out from a breakup that I went through and it was pretty rough for me but this song was kinda of my closure in a way, just trying to get out everything that I wished I would have said to that person,” he said. “Sorry” was released under Universal Records Philippines in 2020.
He said he learned that V included “Sorry” in his “Ride Vlog” on the night of July 9.
“I didn’t know that this was gonna happen. None of us knew even my management team. No one knew. It really came as a surprise. The first one to find out was my sister. She is a BTS fan. And her friend gave her a call,” he said.
His sister told him, “V is playing your song in his vlog. Then we all started freaking out. Everything started blowing up on Twitter and Instagram. My life has not been the same.”
Sandejas said his initial reaction was he was shocked and was in disbelief.
“This is like a one in a million chance. Like I wouldn’t even wish this because I wouldn’t know to wish for it. It’s like that type of situation,” he said, adding that felt humbled.
Sandejas said while he is fortunate to have a career and a music label, and has been releasing songs, “but this is kinda just like also a reassurance that people are listening to our music, which is, for any artist, the best thing that they can hear.”
He said he has been listening to K-pop since the pandemic, thanks to his sister.
“I understood the gravity of the situation when my sister brought it up. It hit me like ‘Oh my gosh, this is V from BTS.’ That is insane. Of course, BTS is huge. They are one of the biggest artists in the world,” he said.
Through the pandemics, Sandejas has become a fan of ITZY, TWICE, IU and, of course, BTS, “because of my sister. She introduced me to so many of their songs.”
One of the major impacts of BTS’ V’s vlog is on Sandejas’ social media presence including on Twitter and Instagram.
“It is the ‘V effect.’ It is the power of [BTS] ARMY. They are following. I am really honored because they are so kind. Everything that they have said has been positive. Everything that they have shown me is love and support. It is unbelievable and it is so overwhelming for me,” he said.
His followers on his Instagram account have increased since July 10. The lyric video for “Sorry,” which was uploaded on Sept. 18, 2020, has increased views from 25,000 to more than 100,000 after V’s vlog was uploaded.
Sandejas said he is currently working on an album, saying “the pressure is on to release new music. But I’m doing my best to make sure that I still release music that I really love and that I really want to put out. I am grateful to Universal Records for always giving me that say in my music and my career.”
As for his message to V, Sandejas said, “I have nothing but respect and I am just grateful to him for everything he has done without even knowing. He probably does not even know what he has done for me. Really thank you and I am just humbled. I hope I get to formally thank him.”