All About Rising Star Earl Agustin
The singer-songwriter behind “Tibok” shares his journey in the music industry as a humble artist from Ozamiz City.
Words Patricia Angela Moslares
Photo courtesy of Billboard Philippines
June 10, 2025
Merely two years since he started in the music industry, Earl Agustin has successfully dominated the Billboard, Spotify, and Apple Music Philippine charts with his song “Tibok.” Originally released in 2023, the single went viral after appearing in the soundtrack of Filipino teen romantic series, Ang Mutya ng Section E.
The 24-year-old singer-songwriter hailing from Ozamiz, Misamis Occidental admitted the success of his song felt surreal. He expressed, “It feels extremely surprising because I didn’t expect it would be possible for a small artist like me.” It would only seem fitting as Earl initially didn’t even see music as a career and just always thought he would end up doing something else.
Humble beginnings
Growing up, Earl was more inclined in the visual arts. He began drawing at the age of six and enjoyed painting, sketching portraits, and even tattooing. It was during high school, surrounded by friends who were musicians, that he was influenced to play instruments.
Earl lived in a hometown where original music isn’t that popular and cover bands dominate the music scene. As a result, he liked listening to covers and even thought “song covers were better than the originals.”
But when the pandemic hit, Earl discovered an online community that held virtual gigs, concerts, and jamming. He fell in love with the community and began writing his own songs. “It was perfect that my circle of friends that time were all songwriters who also desired to have a community in our hometown that values original music. That’s where it really started. That’s really where my inspiration to start and continue writing came from.”
He started posting covers on Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok. In 2022, he posted his entry for the Coke Fan Fusion Challenge on TikTok, where he stitched his own lyrics to Arthur Nery’s song. His video garnered 2 million views, and eventually led to his signing with Vicor Music in 2023. Since then, he has released a total of seven songs, including his viral hit “Tibok.”
The breakthrough
Earl described “Tibok” as “the most personal song” he has ever written: “‘Tibok’ is the product of a personal experience I had before. It’s a song about my struggle when I had a crush—all the uncertainty, confusion, mixed signals. The typical uncertain relationship where ghosting kind of happened as well.”
The singer-songwriter shared the strange feeling of coming across his personal song on social media, confessing he didn’t expect it would blow up. “It’s a bit of a weird experience to hear it and see it everywhere. To realize it already has this impact, this effect towards other people who also listen to OPM. But I’m really, really happy. I feel super blessed.”
In truth, the success of “Tibok” doesn’t come as a surprise for listeners. The smooth and soothing vocals of Earl, paired with the captivating melody, makes for a charming song that evokes the jittery feeling of first love.
Earl shared that when it comes to writing songs, he always thinks of it as storytelling—following a series of events that must always have a resolution. He said, “I’m not exactly sure if what I'm doing is unique, but if there’s something I want my listeners to remember me by is that I wrote songs that are real, that are based on real experiences.”
The 24-year-old also emphasized the importance of being authentic in one’s craft. “Being honest and real matters so much when you’re creating. Whether you’re writing, playing, or painting—no matter what form of art it is—it’s important you stay true to yourself. Just keep going. And most importantly, start.”
Eyes in the sky, feet on the ground
From spending years covering the songs of other artists, Earl is gratified to see that his songs are now being covered by others. “I’m just so happy that my songs can reach people, that they enjoy covering my songs. It’s like, wow, my songs are worthy of being covered. It’s a really big deal for me,” he shared.
Despite soaring success, Earl keeps his feet planted on the ground. “A lot of it has to do with my faith, as I’m a very spiritual person. But all the things I’ve achieved now—all the successes, the new listeners, the fame—a lot of these things, I value. I feel very happy and blessed to have these things. But for me, these things are just temporary. It’s really a part of life, that sometimes there are wins and sometimes there are losses too. A huge part of how I stay grounded is understanding that it isn’t permanent. It’s also important that I’m enjoying every bit of it now, while at the same time, not letting it get to my head.”
Earl looks forward to creating more songs, having more collaborations, and holding more shows—even outside the country in the future. His days are now filled with gigs, events, and shoots. But on days he can rest, he strives to spend time with family and friends, and most importantly, make up for time in the church.
