From stage to page: How Ben&Ben tells Liwanag’s story in different forms
MANILA, Philippines – After sharing the story of The Traveller Across Dimensions through an album and concert, nine-member Filipino band Ben&Ben is now taking it to new forms.
Tracing back to their third studio album release in November 2024, their storytelling began with The Traveller Across Dimensions, which was the title of the album.
The band introduced 12 tracks centered on the story of Liwanag, an animated character who was described as an inter-dimensional being who is on a journey to find inner peace.
“Liwanag” (light) is also the name of Ben&Ben’s fanbase. By naming the character after their supporters, the concept highlights the shared human experiences of Liwanags.
During the band’s 2024 interview on Rappler Talk Entertainment, band member Paolo Benjamin explained that the dimensions in the story serve as an allegory for the human journey.
“We wanted to tell the kind of story in one album and one story arc which was etong album na ‘to. And therefore, parang yung Light, Energy, at saka Feel, ‘yun ‘yong dimensions of innocence, of struggle, and of maturity,” he said.
(We wanted to tell the kind of story in one album and one story arc, which was this album itself. And therefore, Light, Energy, and Feel are the dimensions of innocence, struggle, and maturity.)
Their first-ever major concert at the MOA Arena in December 2024 also shares the same title. The event expanded on their story concept by bringing Liwanag’s story on live stage through animations, projections, and music performances.
The concert was structured into three acts: Light, Energy, and Feel. It reflects Liwanag’s story as she travels across three symbolic dimensions of the same name that represent the phases of the human experience.
Liwanag’s story goes beyond the album release and concert, as two of its songs were turned into animated music videos. The visual storytelling for “Triumph,” the album’s first track, features Liwanag and her pet companion, Puhon (someday), as they battle a creature using the power of music.
Ben&Ben described “Triumph” as a fight song, reflecting the band’s own struggles and those of their listeners who face similar challenges.
Meanwhile, “New Dimensions” narrates the earlier part of the character’s story. It depicts her innocence before encountering hardship and pain. Through these two animations released last year, fans were able to further grasp the story of Liwanag.
This year, twin singers Paolo and Miguel Benjamin released their co-authored book The Traveller Across Dimensions, turning the narrative that started with their album and concert into a written form.
In an Instagram post, Paolo shared that writing the book allowed him to express his thoughts that music and social media could not fully capture.
“Magkadugtong silang lahat, yung libro, yung mga kanta sa album, at yung traveller plushie,” he wrote.
(They’re all connected, the book, the songs in the album, and the traveller plushie.)
Before the story begins, the e-book encourages readers to listen to their third album, with its 13 curated songs, to create what the authors describe as a full storytelling experience.
Apart from the book, Ben&Ben also surprised fans with new merchandise, the Traveller Plush Series, which was released on the same day, October 28.
Each dimension symbolizes a phase of human experience: Light for innocence, Energy for struggle, and Feel for maturity.
Throughout Liwanag’s adventure, the character comes up with existential questions like, “What am I here for?” and “What is my purpose?” Meanwhile, at the end, it leaves readers with an important message, “To be present with love.”
The Traveller Across Dimensions features vibrant illustrations by Puppeteer Studios. It is currently available in ebook or PDF format for free on thetravelleracrossdimensions.com. – Rappler.com
Alessandria Corral is a Rappler intern studying Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communication at University of the Philippines Diliman.
