The long-awaited reunion concert of Filipino alternative rock band Barbie’s Cradle has taken on a heartfelt new purpose, now serving as a fundraiser to help cover the medical expenses of founding member and original bassist Rommel dela Cruz.
On July 2, Barbie Almalbis-Honasan released an official statement on her Facebook page regarding Rommel’s condition.
Rommel had reportedly been experiencing a series of silent heart attacks due to diabetes complications. He was brought to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a local hospital.
He has since undergone angioplasty to open blocked arteries and restore blood flow. As of press time, the renowned bassist, a respected figure in the OPM landscape, is still under observation and is on the road to recovery.
A cradle is formed
Along with Rommel and drummer Franklin Benitez, Barbie formed the band Barbie’s Cradle in 1998, shortly after Ricci Gurango left Hungry Young Poets (HYP), a band he and Barbie had founded, and that Franklin joined after the release of HYP’s only album.
Barbie’s Cradle released its eponymous debut album under Warner Music Philippines in 1999, with the singles “The Dance” and “Goodnyt” easily finding their way to radio playlists. The song “Tabing-Ilog,” co-written by Rommel and Barbie, was used as the theme song for the soundtrack of what would become an immensely popular youth-oriented show of the same name, bringing the band and its music closer to the masses.
Franklin left the band before the release of its second album, Music from the Buffet Table, and was eventually replaced by Wendell Garcia. Both shared drum kit duties for the band’s sophomore release, which, except for a few tracks, had a generally lighter, more spirited vibe than the first.
By this time, Barbie’s Cradle had enjoyed massive airplay on major radio stations and the follow-up album extended the band’s reach. Mainstream popularity grew with songs such as “Money For Food,” “Belinda Bye-Bye,” “Shiny Reed Balloon,” as well as a cover of Hotdog’s “Langit na Naman.”
The third album, Playing in the Fields, carried forward what had become the band’s signature sound: melodic alternative rock with a gentle touch, seamlessly woven with introspective storytelling and poetic lyricism, accentuated with Barbie’s warm, delicate, crystalline voice. The album’s lead single, “All I Need,” stands as one of its finest expressions.
In 2005, Kakoy Legaspi joined Barbie’s Cradle as a guitarist, but in the same year, Barbie decided to pursue a solo career. For over a decade, she has written and recorded new songs, performed, and released new albums under her name, working and collaborating with other artists along the way.
The show must go on
As a solo artist, Barbie still performed songs she wrote from as far back as her days in Hungry Young Poets — such as the radio hits “Torpe” and “Firewoman”— and throughout her highly successful run with Barbie’s Cradle. The three other members pursued their craft, playing for other bands and carving their own version of success.
Fans, however, have not forgotten the songs of Barbie’s Cradle and the sentiment they bring. A reunion concert is long overdue.
Despite Rommel’s current condition, Barbie’s Cradle: One Night Only, slated for August 1 at the Music Museum, will push through.
No formal breakup
At a press conference held on June 23 at Guevarra’s Buffet Restaurant in San Juan, Barbie, Rommel, Wendell, and Kakoy all appeared excited at the prospect of playing together as a band again.
Barbie likened her relationship with her bandmates to being “brothers and sister,” with music as the glue that sealed their bond.
“We really did grow up together,” she said. “We gigged a lot together. Traveled together. Ayun nga. Spent a lot of time in the studio.”
The band never really broke up; there was no drama, no falling out. At most, there may have been a shift in priorities for each member as life pulled them in different directions.
Barbie herself confirmed this during the press conference. She also said that over the years, they remained in touch, and whenever there was an opportunity to play together, they took it.
“Hindi talaga kami na-disband. Parang nag-explore lang kaming lahat. It was a natural thing. I think it’s meant, it was meant to happen (We never really disbanded. We all just kind of explored. It was a natural thing. I think it’s meant, it was meant to happen), ” Wendell said, echoing Barbie’s thoughts.
Rommel, on the other hand, always had this feeling that the band would get a second wind. “May feeling ka na alam mo, may isang cycle pa (You have this feeling that there will be another cycle),” he said. “And yun din ipinagdadasal ko. Ito eh, nangyayari na. Yung nagsama-sama to create music. Natural flow lang yan, kaya sarap sa pakiramdam. (That’s what I’ve been praying for. For us to come together to create music. It flowed naturally, so it felt so good.)
A reunion that started in the studio
Since communication lines between the members of Barbie’s Cradle remained open, it was easy for them to stay updated on each other’s musical pursuits.
Eventually, Kakoy started sharing rough demos of songs he had written, and conversations around writing, arranging, and recording new songs followed. They found themselves together once more, jamming in Barbie’s home studio.
“Hindi siya ganun ka-planado, wala namang agenda. Gusto lang namin makagawa ng songs again together. To create. To just enjoy that process (It wasn’t planned; there was no agenda. We just wanted to make songs together again. To create. To just enjoy the process),” Barbie said. “Things just happened.”
Before they realized it, they had finished recording and mixing three songs. They playfully referred to themselves as “Barbie’s Cradle Studio Band,” perhaps initially believing that they would not perform together live on stage as a band again.
A conversation between Barbie and GNN Entertainment Productions Co-Founder and Executive Producer Ian Urrutia, however, changed that. It was Ian who proposed staging a reunion concert. Everyone in the band agreed.
All about the music
Reuniting for the sake of music happened naturally. “Just give us the coordinates, and when we say yes, [that] we’re gonna be there,” Kakoy said.
As the youngest and newest member of the band, he appreciates the way his bandmates have embraced his ideas and guided and mentored him. No bloated egos to deal with, everyone is welcome to pitch in.
“I have to give real gratitude to Barbie, Rommel, and Wendell. Kasi parang, if I send them something, maasahan mo, babalik eh. May dagdag. Ang ganda eh. Yun, that’s the game we’re playing.”
Clockwise from top: Barbie Almalbis-Honasan, lead vocalist and guitarist; Kakoy Legaspi, guitarist; Wendell Garcia, drummer; and Rommel dela Cruz, bassist
While he is truly looking forward to performing on stage as part of Barbie’s Cradle once more, he also admitted that he largely sees the concert as a vessel to launch and promote the band’s new music.
Kakoy sang lead vocals alongside Barbie for the band’s newly released single, “Emergency,” which he also wrote.
Barbie believes that the song captures where the band is now, musically. She was quick to clarify that she and her bandmates are not making a conscious effort to replicate how they sounded decades ago.
“Yung tunog namin ganito kasi, ito ang alam namin. (We sound like this because this is what we know.) So if it does, does it sound like how we sounded before? Then it’s not because we’re trying to, you know, go back to that time. It’s just because that’s still who we are,” she said.
Barbie also believes that each band member’s individual journey has changed them as musicians, and that those changes are inevitably reflected in their new work.
“That’s always been our heart naman as artists: to grow, to find something surprising for ourselves,” she added. “Musically, we’re still kind of the same people, but also kind of different.”
According to Kakoy, “Emergency” is a song about “anxiety and how to make sense of it.” He wrote it when he was still in his twenties. (Editor’s Note: Kakoy is now 45 years old.)
He elaborates on the song’s origins, saying, “ I felt na that was my…it’s an old song, so I felt it was a quarter-life crisis song. And then, I abandoned it, and eventually it came back again to my life as my midlife crisis song.”
Relatability is one quality that Barbie sees in the song’s underlying theme, knowing that practically anyone can and will go through some form of crisis at some point.
“I love that it was a quarter-life crisis to now a midlife crisis song,” she said. “So it doesn’t really end — no — all these things that we have to figure out in our lives.”
A real emergency
And for Barbie’s Cradle founding member and bassist Rommel dela Cruz, crisis came in the form of a real emergency — a health scare — very recently.
Prior to being hospitalized, Rommel had said at the press conference, “It’s always a pleasure, and it’s always an honor, to play with these selfless musicians that I’ve played with in my musical journey. It’s really exciting, and we’re just gonna have fun there, together.”
As he is still taking the time to recover, Rommel will not be performing at the concert. Nonetheless, the band and producing team hope that fans will continue to support the show. Part of the proceeds from ticket sales will help address Rommel’s medical bills. It’s an opportunity for concert patrons and fans to give back.
Barbie’s Cradle: One Night Only will be held on Saturday, August 1, 2026, at 7:00 pm at the Music Museum in Greenhills.
Tickets are available via Ticketmelon.
Ticket prices:
VIP – PHP 2,900 – Includes photo op (6pax/batch), soundcheck access, signed poster
Orchestra – PHP 1,900
Balcony – PHP 1,300 (free seating)
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