Filipino R&B icon Jay R, is giving his hit song “Bakit Pa Ba” a fresh take with a Taglish (Tagalog and English) version in collaboration with two-time Grammy Award winner Edwin Serrano, also known as Lil Eddie. First released in 2003, the new version of the R&B classic is set for release on Friday, Oct. 30.
The idea of turning the two-time platinum hit into a duet came from Mr. Serrano during their promotional activities in the Philippines for the Taglish version of his hit song “Statue” in 2024 to 2025.
“We were in the Philippines promoting ‘Statue,’ and I was like, bro, we should do the same thing with ‘Bakit Pa Ba,’” Mr. Serrano told reporters during a virtual press conference on Monday, recalling his conversation with Jay R. “And he was like, ‘Yeah, but now let’s make sure you sing Tagalog,’” he added.
The two R&B icons helped each other co-write the Taglish versions of their respective hits.
Asked about his motivation for remaking the 23-year-old song, Jay R said they wanted to introduce their music to the current generation by incorporating new elements into the original.
“We wanted to do a remake of it because of this new generation. We wanted to kind of educate them in our music, give them a new sound of ‘Bakit Pa Ba,’” he said.
The new version of the quintessential pop ballad is expected to feature the two singers alternating between English and Tagalog verses and sharing the song’s familiar chorus.
“We decided on the song’s first verse in English. Then I’ll have Lil Eddie come in on the second half of the verse singing Tagalog,” Jay R said during the virtual press conference.
“Then I’ll come back in the chorus singing in English. Then vice versa throughout the song,” he added.
Mr. Serrano said the duet follows a similar approach to their Taglish version of “Statue,” giving listeners a comparable musical experience.
“We tried to do the same formula of ‘Statue,’ so people could expect the same kind of rollercoaster ride,” he said.
Beyond the addition of English lyrics, Jay R said Mr. Serrano’s vocals bring a new dimension to the song, citing his exceptionally high vocal range.
Despite these changes, Jay R said the two artists made sure to preserve the essence of the original melody while introducing a fresh sound.
The Taglish version of “Bakit Pa Ba” is set for release on Friday across music streaming platforms. — Edg Adrian A. Eva