Star Powerhouse

Rising Filipino artists Tiara Shaye and Fana took home the coveted “ Grand Champion ” title at the PhilPop Himig Handog Songwriting Festival , held at the New Frontier Theater on Saturday evening. Their winning entry, “ Wag Paglaruan ,”captivated the jury with its enduring songwriting appeal and contemporary artistry, standing out among the twelve finalists from the top Philippine songwriting competition. Tiara Shaye composed the award-winning piece, with both herself and Fana delivering a soulful take that further elevated the song’s crossover potential.  The competition also recognized other outstanding compositions. The Cebuano-penned track “ Buhi ,” composed by Keith John Quito and interpreted by Ferdinand Aragon , secured the first runner-up position, while the emotional ballad “ Papahiram ,” won second runner-up. Written by Rinz Ruiz and performed by acclaimed singer-songwriters Moira and Johnoy Danao , the song resonated deeply with both judges and audiences. Other not...

  Maki, Moira, Johnoy Danao, Ice, VXON, Ferdinand Aragon, and more, join this year’s esteemed roster of interpreters  PhilPop Himig Handog Songwriting Competition has released a compilation featuring the top 12 songs that made it to the final round. The diverse selection of fully produced tunes was handpicked by the two music institutions ( PhilPop and Himig Handog ), who have made history by teaming up to find the next wave of global superstars and industry titans. According to Jonathan Manalo , the creative director of ABS-CBN Music , the final roster of tracks was determined through a rigorous adjudication process. The selection of songs involved direct consultation with the songwriters to determine the creative direction of their respective material and identify collaborators who aligned with their overall vision for the competition. Manalo explains, “We then shortlisted possible interpreters for each track, and a lot of things had to be considered or fall into place. Th...