Kay Ganda ng Ating Musika: Looking back on Hajji Alejandro’s enduring OPM legacy

MANILA, Philippines — After being hospitalized for nearly two months, singer Hajji Alejandro, the original “Kilabot ng mga Kolehiyala,” passed away Monday morning.

“It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of our beloved dad and son, Angelito “Hajji” T. Alejandro,” said the statement of Hajji’s manager, Girlie Rodis, on behalf of Hajji’s family.

“At this time, we kindly ask for privacy as our family grieves this tremendous loss. We appreciate your understanding ad support during this difficult time. To God be the glory.”

Hajji started his entertainment career in the local music scene half a century ago. The young heartthrob then was originally a member of the Circus Band, where the likes of other artists such as Basil Valdez, Pat Castillo, Tillie Moreno and Jacqui Magno, among others, started their careers.

Late last February, Hajji was rushed to the hospital and was intubated. He had Stage 4 colon cancer that had spread to his lungs and liver.

When he celebrated his 70th birthday last Dec. 26, Hajji looked up and about with family, close friends in and out of the business.

The occasion was “an intimate gathering of his nearest and dearest,” the Facebook caption said, posted by his daughter, singer-actress Rachel Alejandro.

He had three children — daughters Rachel and Barni (with Myrna Demauro) and son Ali (with actress-beauty queen Rio Diaz).

Rachel earlier said it was hard being known as the “daughter of Hajji Alejandro” everywhere she goes, even in the US.

“You will always be compared to someone who is such a big star,” she said. “But it was an advantage. I can’t describe how I feel sharing the stage with my dad, singing and dancing with him. I will always be grateful.”

In 2022, Hajji joined Rey Valera, Marco Sison, Nonoy Zuñiga and Pops Fernandez in “Four Kings and a Queen,” a concert at the Newport World Resorts that even went on tour to the US and Canada the following year.

In October 2024, father and daughter even went on a concert tour in Australia — Brisbane, Melbourne, Queensland and Victoria.

In April last year, they shared the stage with the other Original Pilipino Music (OPM) greats in “Awit ng Panahon: Noon at Ngayon,” at the New Frontier Theater. Other artists included Gino Padilla, Kris Lawrence and surviving members of Hagibis, Boyfriends and VST & Company.

Hajji, whose christened name was Angelito, but was uniquely called “Hajji,” was only in his second year as a solo artist when the chance to compete in the Metropop music competition came his way.

Although it was his first time to join a singing contest, he already charted hit records like Panakip-butas and Tag-araw, Tag-ulan, that came late in 1976, after his stint with the Circus Band.

Those songs were immediately followed by Hajji’s eponymously titled long playing album, ‘Hajji,’ released in early 1977. He did an extensive promotional campus concert tour nationwide for the said album.

That highly successful nationwide campus tour subsequently earned for Hajji the enviable moniker, “Kilabot ng mga Kolehiyala.” He was already in his second year in the music business when he joined the Metropop.

Hajji shared the Metropop stage with the music stalwarts at that time. No wonder, he felt the pressure when he performed.

He was up against an impressive roster of singers. He also had no prior experience competing in a singing contest.

Hajji competed against the likes of Celeste Legaspi for Nonoy Gallardo’s Pagdating Mo, (second place), Maricris Bermont for Nonong Pedero’s Narito Ako (third place), Anthony Castelo for Vic Villafuerte and Rolando Tinio’s Ibig Kong Ibigin Ka (fourth place).

The competition also gave rise to other iconic songs like Freddie Aguilar’s Anak, Heber Bartolome’s Tayo’y Mga Pinoy, Joel Navarro’s Swerte Swerte Lang and Joey Reyes’ Ngumiti, Tumawa, Magsaya, Kumanta.

Other music icons who joined the first Metropop in 1978 were Janet Basco for Jose Mari Chan’s Minsan Pa, Imelda Papin for Joe Reyes’ Ang Dampa sa Gulod and Nanette Inventor for Jose Ilacad Jr.’s Saan Ako Patutungo.

Hajji’s recording company at the time, Jem Records, assigned stage director Leo Rialp to help him out in the interpretation. “Leo, who knew my knack for dancing, designed a simple but tremendously effective choreography best suited for Kay Ganda…’

“We rehearsed that choreography day in and day out for weeks prior to the contest until such time that the movements became second nature to me, when I sang the song. So came the day of the competition, I was just bursting with confidence, knowing exactly what I needed to do to win.”

After bagging the grand prize in Manila, Hajji and songwriter Ryan Cayabyab were later sent to represent the country in the first International Seoul Song Festival in Korea, also in 1978. They took the Grand Prix for Kay Ganda ng Ating Musika. Alejandro also went home with the Best Singer plum.

“We again won the grand prize, making Kay Ganda ng Ating Musika, the first Filipino song ever to win the highest award in an international song competition,” Alejandro proudly said.

“Words simply cannot express the pride and joy of winning such a historic musical event in our country. That was definitely a major highlight in my career,” he added.

To date, more than 40 years after Hajji won for Kay Ganda ng Ating Musika in the Metropop, the song has remained a best-remembered OPM tune embraced by Filipinos through the years.

In July 2019, on the celebration of “Linggo ng Musikang Pilipino,” the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) lauded Kay Ganda ng Ating Musika as an opportune piece of musical creation.

The NCCA declared: “The song exalts the emergence of Filipino nationalism in music. It describes in metaphorical language the beautiful experience of discovering the gift of song.”