Filipino Indie Artist Peej Confronts the Loneliness that Comes with Choosing Solitude in his Debut Album, King of Sadtown

Written and produced in his bedroom, the album turns independence into an emotional reckoning

Filipino bedroom pop soloist Peej will drop his full-length debut album, King of Sadtown, on Friday, February 13, 2026, on all digital music platforms worldwide.

Inspired by Death Cab for Cutie, Matt Maltese, Bon Iver, Damien Rice, Tom Misch, Frank Sinatra, and Mac DeMarco, the 13-track release finds a young artist unafraid to confront the consequences of choosing solitude. The album unfolds as a series of interconnected stories: destructive habits, romantic disappointments, fleeting encounters, and, ultimately, the conscious decision to withdraw. 

“Most times writing songs is like a therapy session for me,” Peej admits. “I’ll often sing out a random line during the writing process—and it’s only then I realize that this topic is something that has been eating me up inside—so naturally I have lots of things to say about it, and the song slowly takes shape.”

For what it’s worth, King of Sadtown mirrors Peej’s tendency to avoid deep, intimate relationships in favor of personal independence. The songwriting explores what it means to rule one’s own world, make one’s own rules, and answer to no one, only to realize that freedom can feel hollow when the world is empty.

Written, produced, and primarily mixed by Peej in his bedroom during the later years of the pandemic, King of Sadtown carries a deeply personal, almost diaristic quality. Here, Peej allowed himself to experiment freely in his production, incorporating new textures, such as adding prominent sax parts, while letting the emotions guide each arrangement.

The album was mixed by Peej, with additional mixing by Nikhil Amarnani on “Islands” and “These Walls,” and mastered by Jan Fuertez. Carefully sequenced, Sadtown eases listeners in with lighter, easy-listening moments before gradually sinking into heavier emotional territory.

Peej adds, “I hope the vulnerability and honesty shines through the album. I want my music to continue living in that space, especially when it comes to the lyrics. And while I might have “a sound,” I also feel that I have done a lot of sound experimenting with this album, so I’m hoping to continue experimenting and getting better at producing in future songs to come.”

Track list – listen to the album

1. Same Mistakes

2. She Likes to Dance

3. Islands

4. I Broke My Heart

5. Sad Love Song

6. King of Sadtown

7. Stay If You Want

8. Most Nights

9. Nothing to Hold

10.  These Walls

11.  I’m Stone and I Still Think of You

12.  Sad Love Song (Reimagined)

13.  Islands (Deluxe)