Anyone who taglined themselves as a "Batang 90s" would surely agree that "Parting Time" snuck its way into their memory whether they meant it to or not. Maybe it was playing at a family reunion, maybe an uncle had the cassette, maybe someone heard it years later courtesy of streaming algorithm and thought, "wait, who sang this again?"
That's exactly why you're here, and you've landed in the right place. Let's walk through the whole story together — Rockstar, how it grew into Arkasia, how it eventually became Sapiera, and the one guy who's been at the center of it all for over three decades: Paul Sapiera.
So, Who Exactly Was Rockstar?
Before we get to the hits, let's set the scene. Rockstar was a Philippine rock band that broke through in the early-to-mid 1990s, right in that golden stretch of OPM (Original Pilipino Music) when pop rock ballads were dominating cassette sales and radio countdowns. The band's lineup, at the height of their popularity, looked like this:
- Paul Sapiera — Lead Vocals & Lead Guitar
- Norman Quimson — Guitars, Keyboards, Backing Vocals
- Rodel Agsalud — Drums
- Hassel Sulit — Keyboards, Backing Vocals
- Allan Sanmillan — Bass, Backing Vocals
Paul, born in Olongapo, was the face and voice of the group from day one — and honestly, he's the thread that ties this entire story together, so keep his name in mind as we go.
Rockstar's breakout album, Mahal Pa Rin Kita ("I Still Love You"), came out through Viva Records in the early 90s (you'll see it listed as 1993 or 1994 depending on where you look, which is pretty normal for OPM releases from that era).
That album is where things really took off, and it's the record that put Rockstar on the map as one of the bigger pop-rock acts of the decade.
"Parting Time": The Song That Made Them a Household Name
Let's talk about the song you're really here for.
"Parting Time" is, without question, Rockstar's monster hit. It's the song most people associate with the band even if they can't name a single other track, and it's the one that keeps getting rediscovered generation after generation.
Alongside "Mahal Pa Rin Kita," it earned the band Platinum and Triple Platinum certifications — a massive achievement for any OPM act, let alone one still finding its footing in a crowded 90s rock scene.
What made "Parting Time" hit so hard? A few things:
- Paul Sapiera's voice carried an emotional rawness that fit the heartbreak-ballad wave sweeping OPM at the time.
- The songwriting leaned into that universal ache of goodbye — something that translates whether you're a teenager in the 90s or discovering the song decades later.
- It had staying power. Long after Rockstar's initial run, "Parting Time" kept getting covered, referenced, and passed down — including by Paul himself, who later recorded "I Remember the Day" as a personal callback to the original.
If you only remember one Rockstar song, it's this one. And that's exactly why the band's entire legacy is still, in many ways, built on the back of "Parting Time."
From Rockstar to Arkasia: A Band in Transition
Here's where the story gets a little more layered. As is common with bands that have long careers, Rockstar eventually went through a lineup shift — another vocalist stepped in for Paul Sapiera at one point, and the group rebranded as Arkasia, continuing on as an independent rock act.
Under this name, the band picked up a Gold Award and kept performing, even as members' individual paths pulled them in different directions over the years.
Even with the name change and the shuffling of who stood behind the mic, the band's identity never fully separated from its Rockstar roots — or from Paul Sapiera's original sound and songwriting.
Fans still refer to the group as "Rockstar/Arkasia" almost interchangeably, and if you go looking for setlists, tribute pages, or fan forums, you'll find the two names permanently linked, like two chapters of the same book.
Enter Sapiera: Paul Steps Back Into the Spotlight
Fast forward, and Paul Sapiera didn't just fade into "where are they now" territory. He kept writing, kept performing, and eventually launched a solo/band project simply called Sapiera — putting his own name front and center after decades of being known as "the voice of Rockstar."
Under the Sapiera name, Paul has released music like:
- "Like an Eagle"
- "Play For The Star"
- "Mata'y Lumuluha"
- "Home Now"
- "Ang Puso"
He's also leaned into duet work over the years, teaming up with artists like Ella May Saison, Chiqui Pineda, and Agot Isidro on tracks such as "Katotohanan," "Sandaling Hiram," and "Should We Belong."
According to Paul's own official site, his musical journey has taken him from Vicor Records in the early 90s, to Viva Records (where "Parting Time" and "Mahal Pa Rin Kita" happened), to MCA Universal, and eventually to FFP Records out of Las Vegas — which tells you this isn't a one-hit-wonder story.
This is a guy who's been building and rebuilding a career in music for over 30 years straight.
Paul Sapiera: The Man Behind the Band's 90s Popularity
Let's zoom in, because this is really the heart of the story. Every band has a lineup, but not every band has a single member so tightly bound to its identity that the band basically doesn't exist without him. That's Paul Sapiera and Rockstar.
A few things worth knowing about Paul:
- He was born and raised in Olongapo, a city with a genuinely rich local music scene, and that upbringing shaped his sound from the start.
- He handled both lead vocals and lead guitar for Rockstar — not a common combo, and one that gave the band's live performances an extra layer of intensity.
- He's the credited voice and songwriter behind the band's biggest hits: "Parting Time," "Mahal Pa Rin Kita," "Bakit Sinta," and "Puro Kalokohan."
- He's married to Hazel Miller, who's also active in the music industry.
- And here's a fun full-circle detail: Paul is the father of Ez Mil (Ezekiel Miller Sapiera), the Filipino-American rapper who's gone on to sign with record labels connected to Eminem and Dr. Dre. So the musical talent didn't stop with one generation — it clearly runs in the family.
If you ever wondered why so many old-school OPM fans light up the second you mention "Rockstar," it's because Paul Sapiera's voice became a defining sound of that era. He wasn't just fronting a band — he was, in a lot of ways, the band.
Thoughts to Ponder: Why Paul Sapiera's Story Still Matters Today
Bands come and go, names get rebranded, lineups shift — that's the nature of the music industry. But what makes the Rockstar → Arkasia → Sapiera journey worth knowing isn't just nostalgia. It's continuity.
Paul Sapiera has spent over three decades adapting, rebuilding, and staying in the game, from a small band in Olongapo all the way to international recognition through his son's career.
And at the center of it all, still, is "Parting Time" — the song that started it, the song people still search for, and the song that will probably keep introducing new listeners to Paul Sapiera's story for years to come.
So next time "Parting Time" comes on, you'll know exactly who's behind it, where it came from, and just how far that voice has traveled since.
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