Janella Salvador and Jane De Leon Reunite for a JaNella Reunion
From stolen glances to shared secrets, the video perfectly captures the butterflies of a bading— or budding relationship
Words Maria Sophia Andrea E. Rosello
Photo by Star Music (via Instagram)
June 27, 2024
Janella Salvador makes her musical comeback with her latest single, "Hey You.” The “Mahal Kita Pero” singer surprised many netizens with a music video guest-starring Jane de Leon, from the fan-favorite loveteam “JaNella.” The video turned out to be a beacon of representation of love between two women, showcasing the women-loving-women community in the Philippines.
A Story of Blooming Love
The video plays out like a high school romance that is as sweet as it is heart-wrenching. Salvador plays the lead, wherein she and her co-star, de Leon, play classmates who figure out each other’s premature feelings one school day at a time.
The two share glances, coy smiles, and lingering touches, painting a picture of stirrings of unspoken feelings. The setting within a school campus gives it a sense of innocence and nostalgia for the first loves that come on rather tentatively. It can be described as love at its purest.
Heartstopping Scenes
Sweet moments like these capture the delicate WLW experience. The rush of meeting your crush's eye across the room, feeling that extra need to hide your feelings due to it being taboo, and then all of a sudden screaming internally—all of it is just one of the many layers of girlhood.
The two actresses brought their A-game with how they perfectly performed the comfort of shared secrets and whispers between hallways, to those longing gazes during class before the teacher arrives. The soft lighting and the pastel hues completely capture the butterflies of a budding relationship.
W for the WLW Community
Upon its release, "Hey You" inspired a sea of positive comments on YouTube, X (formerly known as Twitter), and TikTok. Fans pointed out how real the music video seemed to show WLW love. Some were even quick to note how the ending scene was eerily similar to a scene done by another iconic sapphic tandem, Adventure Time’s Bubbline (Princess Bubblegum and Marceline).
The music video release encouraged many others to share their own stories about their first crushes and how tough it was to come to terms with their identities. The feel of community runs visibly high in the online reaction, and now people want more JaNella content, especially Jane and Janella themselves.
More Than a Music Video
Janella Salvador has been very vocal online about her desire to portray in a GL (Girl’s Love) series with Jane de Leon, which is a major leap in LGBTQ+ representation within Filipino pop culture. For now, she bids her fans and supporters a grace of thanks through the music video, which gives a tender and highly relatable portrayal of WLW love that has not always been available.
