Jay Som Returns With a Confident, Collaborative Masterpiece: Belong
Six years after the genre-defying Anak Ko, Jay Som—aka Melina Duterte—returns with Belong, a record that is as much about self-discovery as it is about reinvention. In the intervening years, Duterte has been quietly shaping some of indie music’s most celebrated moments: she lent her production expertise to boygenius’ Grammy-winning The Record, Lucy Dacus’ Forever Is A Feeling, and collaborated with Troye Sivan, beabadoobee, and No Rome, among others. Now, she turns that accrued experience inward, crafting an 11-track odyssey that fuses the power of her past with the possibilities of her present.
Belong is a sprawling yet precise exercise in sound and emotion. The album opens with “Float,” a buoyant power-pop anthem tinged with synths and supported by guest vocals from Jimmy Eat World’s Jim Adkins—a first for Jay Som. This track alone signals the record’s willingness to embrace collaboration while maintaining Duterte’s unmistakable voice. Elsewhere, “Casino Stars” channels early-2000s emo with acoustic fervour, while “D.H.” marries garage-rock grit with Sonic Youth-esque tension. Belong balances the hazy with the raucous, the electronic with the organic, resulting in a record that feels both intimate and expansive.
Perhaps most striking is the vulnerability threaded throughout the album. On “Appointments,” Duterte navigates themes of rejection, acceptance, and imposter syndrome with a delicacy that makes even her most complex arrangements feel effortless. Collaborations with Hayley Williams (“Past Lives”) and producer-writer Steph Marziano infuse fresh textures without overshadowing the personal core of the songs. Belong is not just a return for Jay Som—it is a declaration of growth, an exploration of belonging, and a reminder that independence can thrive in collaboration.
In a musical landscape that often prizes speed and consistency over introspection, Jay Som has crafted a record that rewards patience, attention, and genuine emotion. Belong is a triumph: bold, nostalgic, and unflinchingly personal.
