The songs of Sid & Aya

The multi-hyphenated and incredibly talented Alessandra de Rossi has something new to rejoice about this week. The again, I must say, multi-award-winning actress, FAMAS award for Azucena, the Urian for Sta. Nina and others; box-office star, Kita Kita and Mano Po; screenwriter of 12; and composer, Tulog Na, the theme from Bambanti and Song Of The Year 12 from 12, is now also a hit songwriter.

Heartbeats, that sweet, sad tune that you hear performed in the soundtrack of the box-office blockbuster Sid and Aya was composed by Alessandra. You all know Sid and Aya. It stars Anne Curtis and Dingdong Dantes and it is the picture that everybody is talking about these days. Contrary to what the blurbs say, it is actually a love story. It just has a new way of presenting how two lost souls discover and then admitted that they love each other. And everybody is loving how this happens in the film, which I think is what makes it such a huge success. Plus also the music.

Now back to Alessandra. She, in fact, wrote Heartbeats for herself. She recorded the first version for her album titled de-re-al-I-za-tion. Then some months ago while putting together the soundtrack of Sid and Aya, the director Irene Emma Villamor, who is very particular about the songs in her soundtracks, thought of having Jem Cubil and Andrea Babierra do a new version for the movie. Note that she also had them sing The Morning After in her last picture Meet Me in St. Gallen and it was also a hit. But this one is bigger. They really won the jackpot with Heartbeats.

Well, Jem and Andrea, who was formerly with the Pop Girls, did both Irene and Alessandra proud. Heartbeats is now the No. 1 song in the Spotify Viral chart. In fact, just like the massive box-office take of the movie, the soundtrack is also reaping downloads and streams in very large doses these days. Truth to tell, it feels like we have finally found a way to make Filipino songs great again and most important, sell again. Use them in the movies.

It can be done. Just check out this case. Heartbeats is not the only hit song to emerge from the Sid and Aya movie. There is also the achingly lovely and also waltzy rock ballad Di Na Muli. It will be recalled that Di Na Muli was the grand prize winner of the Philpop songwriting competition in 2016. It is a composition by Itchyworms drummer Jazz Nicholas and Wally Acolola and was recorded and later performed live by the Itchyworms.

Two years later, Di Na Muli is once again a winner. The original version is heard in the Sid and Aya soundtrack, along with a new recording by the up-and-coming star Janine Tenoso. Both renditions are at present, rocking it in streams and downloads and even in live shows. You should hear the screams whenever Jazz gets into those first lines. “Nung araw kay tamis ng ating buhay/ puno ng saya at ng kulay/ di mauulit muli/ ang oras kapag hinayaang lumipas/ madarama mo hanggang bukas/ di mababawi muli…”

And there is more. Also part of the Sid and Aya soundtrack are When I See You, written by Len Calvo and also performed by Jem, and Darkness Fell, a revival of a Wolfgang classic by The Juans.

And now here is a look at Spotify’s Viral Top 20 Songs this week, where the top songs are from the Sid and Aya soundtrack:

Heartbeats by Jem Cubil and Andrea Babierra; Di Na Muli by Janine Tenoso; When I See You by Jem Cubil; Girls Like You by Maroon 5 and Cardi B; Di Na Muli, the original Philpop version by Itchyworms; Clouds by Any Name’s OK; love4eva by LOONAyyxy, featuring Grimes; Everyone’s Got Something by Perrin Lamb; Give Yourself A Try by The 1975; Colour by MNEK and Hailee Steinfeld.

What If by Johnny Orlando and Mackenzie; Ghost Town by Kanye West; Where I Stand by Mia Wray; Walk With Me by Bella Thorne; FAKE LOVE by BTS; New Light by John Mayer; Pag-asa by Chocolate Factory featuring Sinio; Bracelet by Lauv; Lucid Dreams by Juice WRLD; and Back To You from the 13 Reasons Soundtrack by Selena Gomez.