How a defining hit never defined Lola Amour

“So I’ll be waiting in Manila kahit ‘di ka na babalik.” 

Did everyone come back to Lola Amour after the third anniversary of their hit Raining in Manila?

All it took was one celebratory post from Lola Amour’s official social media pages to remind their listeners what a phenomenal hit Raining in Manila was and still is. The opening chords transport listeners back to 2023, where many were embraced by nostalgia as they pondered on the people who chose a different path—a hundred miles away from the city. 

“Maulan ba sa inyo ‘pag bumubuhos dito?” It reminds us that despite our inability to be with them to witness the things that are making them smile or cry, we are still under the same skies—and one can only hope that they also feel the gnawing weather we are currently feeling. 

The song that changed everything

Raining in Manila was released across streaming platforms on June 14, 2023 by Lola Amour, a seven-member indie rock band from Manila, Philippines. 

It peaked at number two on the global Spotify charts and has garnered more than 200 million streams on Spotify alone since its release. While it initially gained traction from memes in relation to flooding within Metro Manila according to Pio Dumayas—vocalist of the band—in their interview with Billboard Philippines, the attention soon skyrocketed, opening more doors for a larger audience. 

Lola Amour has been in the music industry for more than ten years and their breakout hit Raining in Manila has served as one of their gateways to national and international recognition. 

The band’s journey, however, did not end with one of their biggest hits. Through the constant formulation and curation of their discography and countless shows in local and even global stages, Lola Amour has since proved that they are no one-hit wonders—they are here to stay. 

A discography worth discovering 

Before “Raining in Manila,” Lola Amour had already built an underrated discography with hits like “Fallen”—their most streamed song released in 2021—and “dahan-dahan,” which was released a year before “Raining in Manila.” 

Through these songs, the band has already mastered the art of making music for yearning and hopeless romantic individuals. The upbeat rhythms invite listeners to dance, but the relatable lyrics keep them listening. 

“Fallen” appeals to young lovers who are consistently at war with their hearts on whether they should confess that they have fallen or keep those feelings to themselves. While “dahan-dahan” is for those who prefer to take it slow, those who treat love like a cautious thing and do not like rushing. It evokes a certain kind of tenderness from uncertainty and allows love to progress without hurrying. 

Aside from their singles, the band has also gained widespread praise for their albums. Their sophomore album “Love on Loop” which highlights the different forms of love has been well-received as Lola Amour experiments with new sonic elements, while still preserving their signature funk-pop flair. This new, yet familiar sound matches the vivid descriptions of love carefully painted through their lyrics—one that deeply resonates with their audience. 

This constant experimentation and careful musical craftsmanship is one of the reasons why they remain relatable and relevant to their listeners. 

Raining in Manila resonates with the general public because it perfectly captures the ache of loving someone miles away—it is only a chapter of a bigger discography. 

Through their songs, the band has consistently explored love in its many forms, from hesitant and careful beginnings to devotion and heartbreak. It is this emotional honesty woven into an ever-evolving sound that has become the band’s musical identity. 

While love may take on different forms in Lola Amour’s discography, its emotional core remains the same: deeply human, painfully familiar, and worth singing along to. 

From Manila to the world

If Raining in Manila opened the door to mainstream recognition, Lola Amour has spent the years since proving that they belong on bigger stages. Their success transcends streams. It extends towards the growing list of sold-out concerts, international performances, and collaborations with globally recognized artists. It reflects a band whose momentum grows beyond a single hit. 

Just this May, the band gathered over 2,500 fans for a sold-out anniversary event at 123 Block, Mandaluyong. Aside from live performances from Lola Amour themselves, they also featured a museum showcasing memorabilia that commemorated the band’s ten-year journey. It also reunited multiple Original Pinoy Music (OPM) singers like Jan Roberts and Sof from Any Name’s Okay; and served as the reunion for the current and past members of the band. 

Beyond domestic popularity, Lola Amour has already started taking to the global stage with their world tour “Lola Amour Around the World” that kicked off in Chongqing, China before heading to Keelung, Taiwan last October 2025. It also hit the stages of TokyoJapan this year in January and is set to have dates for North America stops as well. 

However, apart from their world tour, the band’s ascent to international recognition started when they were given the chance to have a special performance with Coldplay’s frontman Chris Martin. Despite having to face a bigger Philippine Araneta audience, the members described the experience as a ‘one-in-a-million’ experience. While there are other factors that further pushed Lola Amour into a global spotlight, singing alongside an international star definitely opened the doors for more national and worldwide opportunities. 

These achievements reflect the steady trajectory of a band that has continued to build on the momentum of Raining in Manila. From sold-out venues to sharing a stage with an internationally acclaimed artist, Lola Amour has shown that its success is also measured by the audiences it continues to reach.

The rain may have introduced them to millions, but it is the clear skies that revealed the depth of Lola Amour’s artistry. 

The story continues

For Lola Amour, these milestones are not the finish line. 

Even after a decade in the industry, the band continues to look ahead, embrace new sound, and take on larger stages. Lola Amour definitely still has more to offer. 

In fact, they have just started going into a different path by releasing their first independent single in six years titled Lambing. A catchy tune about boundaries that signals a new era for the band. 

More than this new sonic direction, the band is also set to headline the first edition of Alt.chestra,a concert that blends contemporary band music with the rich sound of live orchestra. They are set to headline with Filipinobands Over October and Shirebound. 

More than this, Lola Amour is also set to perform at the Singapore F1 Grand Prix alongside international stars like Janet Jackson, Zara Larsson, CORTIS, and Goo Goo Dolls, among others. While this marks another international stage that would open more opportunities for the band, they are also helping in spotlighting OPM excellence and bringing Filipino music into the center stage. 

Lola Amour is more than just their hit Raining in Manila. They are a band that continues to grow and evolve to reach a wider audience within the country and across continents, while still staying true to the sound and gripping honesty that made audiences fall in love with them in the first place. 

They are not one-hit wonders; their hit simply made us wonder, thrusting them into the spotlight they had long worked to reach and continue to work just as hard to remain in.