Letting five years of growth shape both her sound and process since the release of 2019's Anak Ko, Melina Duterte - aka Jay Som - returns with Belong, an 11-track exploration of identity, memory, and artistic reinvention. Drawing from the early-’00s alt-rock and emo she grew up with, Duterte channels those influences into a dynamic mix of power-pop hooks, hazy ballads and layered electronic textures. Belong feels both intimate and expansive, featuring guest vocals for the first time in the Jay Som project: Jimmy Eat World’s Jim Adkins on the soaring ‘Float’, Hayley Williams on the tender ‘Past Lives’, and Mini Trees’ Lexi Vega on ‘Cards On The Table’. These trusted collaborators help bring fresh dimension to Duterte’s vision. Since her last record, Duterte has been far from idle — investing in a vintage Neve console, expanding her production skills, and racking up credits with artists like Lucy Dacus, Troye Sivan and beabadoobee. She won a Grammy for her work on boygenius’ The Record, eventually joining the band on tour. Belong is the sound of an artist returning home, transformed.