Independent singer-rapper Leonard "Dilaw" Obero started writing poems and songs in 2016, posting some of them online through social media. Performing as a soloist since high school and learning music theory overseas, Vie Dela Rosa migrated back to the Philippines in 2019 after previously working in Shanghai, China, meeting with his brother Wayne for his dog's birthday. During the party, Vie reunited with Wayne's bestfriend Obero, conversing on being collaborators after initially misjudging Obero as a
jejemon and being impressed with his songwriting abilities. The duo, called after Obero's pseudonym, derived their name from the Tagalog phrase , a variation of the lyrics from the classic
kundiman "O Ilaw" by
Ruben Tagalog. Promoting themselves through
busking around
Baguio City, the duo independently released the track "Janice" to streaming platforms on July 1. On the episodes dated December 20, 21 and 27 of
Sing Galing on
TV5, Obero covered the songs "
Till Death Do Us Part" by
White Lion, "Himig ng Pag-Ibig" by
Asin, "
A Perfect Christmas" by
Jose Mari Chan, "Lintik" by
Brownman Revival, and "
Top of The World" by
The Carpenters. On April 29, 2022, Dilaw debuted on music streaming platforms with their first official single "3019", in reference to
Republic Act 3019, also known as the Anti-Graft and
Corrupt Practices Act. Released through
Warner Music Philippines in anticipation of the
2022 Philippine presidential elections, it is an
alternative hip-hop track with
jazz rock elements that narrate the effects of corruption and injustice on government. The music video to "3019" directed by BJ Tangco premiered on May 13 at Saguijo Bar,
Makati City, followed by the first live performance of the track with special guests
Leanne & Naara and
Jensen Gomez. On June 24, the duo released their second single "Kaloy", a rap-infused
folk and
blues rock song about the daily musings of regular folks and a commentary on the
social divide. The duo alluded that the track was about the working class, "the roles they play and their purpose – no matter how big or small – and how it all affects the bigger picture." Dilaw was one of the opening acts for
Fête de la Musique PH 2022 on June 25, performing a 30-minute set at
Intramuros,
Manila. A music video for "Kaloy" directed by Dean Colin Marcial was uploaded to YouTube on July 15, holding its release show at Social House, Makati City with
Autotelic. A tribute to the worker class of
Baguio City, the video featured the
indigenous film director
Kidlat Tahimik shouting on a megaphone in public to positive reactions among the
independent scene. The duo's third single "
Uhaw", a soft
romantic ballad with
lyricism on the insatiable thirst for love, was published on November 18.
2022–present: Expansion and Sansinukob With the demanding range for achieving their sound live, Obero and Vie recruited the helps of Wayne, Leon Karlos Altomonte, and Tóbi Samson to perform as a five-piece band live during their promotions under the suggestion of Chan. To launch their band's expansion, Dilaw re-released their latest single with the title "
Uhaw (Tayong Lahat)" on December 16, converting the ballad into a sped-up
blues rock track with a grand climax. During their breaks from Dilaw, Vie and Wayne occasionally performed as a sub-unit titled
Sideline, with Vie on guitar and Wayne as a vocalist. Following its inclusion in local playlists, "Uhaw (Tayong Lahat)" peaked at number one on
Spotify Viral Hits Philippines on February 23, two months after its release. The song climbed to number one on the Spotify Top 50 – Philippines chart dated March 30 with 3,976,673 weekly streams. It became the first local song to break the 700K mark on April 1, reaching its highest number of streams on April 6 with 4,895,813 weekly streams and on April 11 with 747,093 daily streams. The song has also topped the Philippine charts of
YouTube and
Apple Music. Dilaw officially released their debut extended play
Sansinukob on March 24, consisting of the band's four previously released songs, along with two new tracks "Sansinukob" and "Maskara". Obero described the EP as "a collection of songs that speaks about the universal experience and struggles people face – and seeks ways to help people understand themselves and the world better." To promote the play, the title track was released as the band's promotional single. In celebration of their commercial success, Dilaw conducted a roadshow on April 2, 2023, entitled
Thirst Giving Party at
Session Road,
Baguio. The band performed at the "We Play Here" concert on April 27 in celebration of the 30th anniversary of
Warner Music Philippines at
SM Aura,
Taguig City. On January 20, 2024, British rock band
Coldplay invited Dilaw on stage during the
Music of the Spheres World Tour at the
Philippine Arena. Coldplay frontman
Chris Martin asked the Filipino band to perform their hit song, "Uhaw", with the British singer joining on guitar. == Artistry and influences ==