50s-STYLE PIECE TOPS SONG TILT
“MABAGAL” by Dan Tañedo, a slow song with a 1950s feel, was named this year’s Best Song at the Himig Handog Songwriting Competition, besting “over 4,000 entries,” according to a press release.
“It hard to have a standard song reminiscent of the ’50s in this day and age because what’s popular is different now. It’s a good thing that my vision of writing a song with a ’50s feel became a reality,” Mr. Tañedo said in a release.
The “slow and soothing” song, interpreted by Daniel Padilla and Moira dela Torre, took home the P1 million that comes with the Best Song award. It also swept all the prizes in the special awards category: MOR Philippines’ Choice award, the MYX Choice for Best Music Video award, Star Music’s Choice for Best Produced Track, and the Listener’s Choice for Most Streamed Track. Ms. Dela Torre and Mr. Padilla were also named One Music PH’s Choice for Favorite Interpreters.
The winners were announced on Oct. 13 at the ASAP Natin ’To stage, ABS-CBN’s Sunday music program.
Himig Handog is a multimedia songwriting and music video competition conducted by ABSCBN Star Music. The contest initially ran from 2000 to 2003 and was revived in 2013.
Now on its 6th year after its revival, Himig Handog saw winners from its past iterations once again place in the competition like Davey Langit who won Second Best Song for his entry “Simula ng Dulo,” a song he cowrote with his girlfriend Therese Marie Villarante. They took home P500,000. Mr. Langit previously won Best Song in 2016 for “Dalawang Letra.”
From one past winner to another, “Please Lang,” a song by Aikee and interpreted by Alex Gonzaga, was named as the 3rd Best Song, winning P200,000. The songwriter also placed third in 2017’s Himig Handog for his song “Ekstensyon.”
Meanwhile Rex Torremoro and Elmar Jann Bolaño won 4th Best Song for their entry “Nung Tayo Pa,” brought to life by Janella Salvador. They took home P150,000.
Seventeen-year-olds Jerome Arcangel and Cee Jay Del Rosario took home P100,000 for bagging the 5th Best Song for their composition “Panandalian,” interpreted by TJ Monterde, about a romance cut short.
The winners’ and the rest of the competition finalists’ songs can be streamed via online streaming platforms. Their music videos are also available on ABS-CBN Star Music’s YouTube channel.
FULL LIST OF WINNERS:
• Best Song — “Mabagal,” composed by Dan Tañedo, interpreted by Daniel Padilla and Moira dela Torre
• 2nd Best Song — “Simula ng Dulo,” composed by Davey Langit and Therese Marie Villarante, interpreted by Davey Langit
• 3rd Best Song — “Please Lang,” composed by Aikee Aplacador, interpreted by Alex Gonzaga
• 4th Best Song — “Nung Tayo Pa,” composed by Rex Torremoro and Elmar Jann Bolaño, interpreted by Janella Salvador
• 5th Best Song — “Panandalian,” composed by Jerome Arcangel and Cee Jay Del Rosario, interpreted by TJ Monterde.
SPECIAL AWARDS:
• MOR PHILIPPINES’
Choice Award — “Mabagal,”
composed by Dan Tañedo, interpreted by Daniel Padilla and Moira dela Torre
• MYX Choice for Best Music Video — “Mabagal,” composed by Dan Tañedo, interpreted by Daniel Padilla and Moira dela Torre
• ONE MUSIC PH’S Choice for
Favorite Interpreter — Daniel Padilla and Moira dela Torre for “Mabagal,” composed by Dan Tañedo
• STAR MUSIC’S Choice for
Best Produced Track — “Mabagal,” composed by Dan Tañedo, interpreted by Daniel Padilla and Moira dela Torre
• Listener’s Choice for Most
Streamed Track — “Mabagal,”
composed by Dan Tañedo, interpreted by Daniel Padilla and Moira dela Torre —