BY NESTOR CUARTERO
JUST A THOUGHT: Love is like a virus. It can happen to anybody at anytime. – Maya Angelou
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SOUTHEAST ASIAN HUG: One big, virtual hug.
Thus said pop-rock singer KZ Tandingan as she summed up the spirit, the vibe, the motive, behind the song “Heal,” a collaborative recording between and among 18 top female singers from Southeast Asia.
The Philippines is represented in this ambitious project by KZ, Jayda, Jona, Kyla, Lesha, Moira, and Xela.
They are joined by popular and emerging artists like Indonesian singers Rinni Wulandari and Yura Yunita, Malaysia’s DOLLA and Shalma Eliana, Singaporean talents Haneri and Haven, and Thai artist Valentina Ploy.
Their combined voices deliver a message of hope in the single “Heal,” composed jointly by Moophs, Xela (Alex Godinez), and Jonathan Manalo.
Rising singer Jayda describes the recording as a melting pot of girl power. Meeting the rest of the girls in a recent zoom meet-up felt like the first day of school, she said.
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NO FEES INVOLVED: Naomi Enriquez, project head, said that artists were selected following consultations with industry representatives in the region.
Each artist chosen didn’t think twice when informed that the recording meant to raise funds for ABS-CBN’s “Pantawid ng Pag-ibig,” a campaign to aid Filipinos who lost their livelihood due to COVID-19 pandemic.
The inspirational song, a #StreamToDonate project, is produced by ABS-CBN Music International. It dropped on digital streaming platforms on Sept. 11.
“Heal” is just one of ABS-CBN Music International’s endeavors that seek to introduce Filipino artists to global audiences.
