Eight years after Sarah Geronimo popularized the acclaimed movie theme, its songwriter finally shares the deeply personal version that inspired the beloved composition
Nearly eight years after his composition “Isa Pang Araw” captured the hearts of Filipino audiences as the official theme song of the blockbuster film, Miss Granny, acclaimed Filipino singer-songwriter, composer, and producer Miguel Mendoza lends his voice to the award-winning piece that first emerged from one of the most vulnerable phases of his life.
Originally recorded by Sarah Geronimo for the 2018 film, “Isa Pang Araw” became one of the most viral movie theme songs of its time, earning the 2019 Awit Award for Best Song Written and Performed for a Movie/TV/Stage Play and a nomination for Best Original Song at the 67th FAMAS Awards. Now, Mendoza returns to the composition not as its songwriter alone, but as its interpreter, delivering an intimate rendition that reconnects the song with the personal story that inspired its creation.
Some songs begin as assignments. For Mendoza, however, “Isa Pang Araw” ultimately became something far more personal. Faced with the challenge of writing another piece, he found himself drawing from a deeply emotional period following the passing of his father. The longing for one more conversation, one more embrace, and one more day together became the foundation of what would eventually be one of the biggest hits of 2019.
“I wasn’t simply trying to write another song for the film,” Mendoza shares. “At that point in my life, I was grieving the loss of my father, and I found myself writing from a place of longing. Isa Pang Araw became my way of expressing everything I wished I could still say and every moment I wished I could relive.”
Now, Mendoza revisits the composition through the perspective of the person who first lived its story. Far from reinterpretation, Mendoza describes the release as a homecoming: an opportunity to honor both the journey behind the song and the people who have carried it with them through the years.
“For years, people connected with the song through Sarah’s beautiful performance, and I’m incredibly grateful for that,” he says. “But this recording is different because it allows listeners to hear the song from the voice of the person who experienced the emotions that inspired every lyric.”
Mendoza first gained prominence as a finalist on Philippine Idol in 2006 before becoming the Third Star Dreamer of Pinoy Dream Academy Season 2 in 2009. Since then, he has established himself as one of the country’s respected music creators, writing songs for some of the industry’s biggest artists while also earning recognition for his work in film, including the 2018 Metro Manila Film Festival Award for Best Musical Score for One Great Love.Miguel Mendoza’s version of “Isa Pang Araw” is now available on all major digital streaming platforms worldwide via FlipMusic