Eight years after Sarah Geronimo made the movie theme a beloved hit, the songwriter unveils the private inspiration behind the track.
Born from a deeply vulnerable chapter in his life, the award-winning ballad “Isa Pang Araw” has come full circle. Almost eight years after the track became a beloved cultural phenomenon through the blockbuster movie Miss Granny, its original creator—celebrated composer and producer Miguel Mendoza—is finally stepping behind the microphone to deliver his own heartfelt version.
The track originally skyrocketed to viral fame through Sarah Geronimo’s 2018 performance, sweeping up a 2019 Awit Award and a prestigious FAMAS Award nomination. In this new release, Mendoza steps up as the performer rather than just the author. His intimate delivery strips away the cinematic grandness to expose the raw, autobiographical roots of the composition.
What began as a routine songwriting assignment transformed into an intensely personal piece for Mendoza. Struggling to write a new track, he drew inspiration from a painful period of grief following his father’s death. That raw desire for one final chat, embrace, and day shared together became the bedrock of a track that dominated the charts in 2019.
“I wasn’t simply trying to write another song for the film, 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.” – Miguel Mendoza
Now, Mendoza revisits the track from the perspective of the man who actually lived through its heartbreak. Rather than a simple remake, he views this release as a meaningful homecoming. It serves as his way of honoring the long journey of the song and paying tribute to the listeners who have held the music close to their hearts over 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 entered the spotlight as a Philippine Idol finalist in 2006, later securing the Third Star Dreamer title on Pinoy Dream Academy Season 2 in 2009. Over the years, he has built a reputation as a highly respected musical creator, penning hits for top-tier local artists. His versatile career also extends to cinema, highlighted by winning the Best Musical Score award at the 2018 Metro Manila Film Festival for the movie One Great Love.
Miguel Mendoza’s version of “Isa Pang Araw” is now available on all major digital streaming platforms worldwide via FlipMusic.
