JAYA - Sometimes You Just Know - 1996 Metropop Song Festival SD 480p

Danny Tan's Throwback #188
November 3, 2022: Twenty six (26) and a half years ago, SOMETIMES YOU JUST KNOW (Music: Danny Tan / Lyrics: Edith Gallardo) won the Grand Prize at the 1st Metropop Song Festival. Here is the live performance of JAYA and the announcement of the winners during the Finals Night at the Araneta Coliseum on May 4, 1996.

BACKSTORY: Euphoria ensued after GMA7 announced in 1996 the return of the Metro Manila Popular Music Festival, rechristened Metropop Song Festival. I immediately asked Ms. Edith Gallardo to write the lyrics for our song entry. She came up with SOMETIMES YOU JUST KNOW, a very endearing love song. Ms. DULCE graciously agreed to record the demo at Greenhills Sound Recording Studio. She was very receptive to my vision of her singing in a pop/R&B style. I made sure that anyone who listened to the demo for the first time would not recognize it was Dulce singing. And I succeeded! Nobody could guess who the singer was until the real Dulce emerged leading to the climax of the arrangement.

After being informed that our song was chosen as one of the 12 finalists, it was just proper to ask Dulce to officially record and interpret the song for the Finals Night. With a heavy heart, she declined because of conflict in her schedule. I thought of asking Ms. Regine Velasquez. but Mr. Henares informed me Regine could not do it. Then I remembered that Ms. Pilita Corrales had been telling me about a US based Filipino singer named JAYA (Elizabeth Ramsey's daughter), who wanted to try her luck in the Philippines. She asked me to help jumpstart Jaya's singing career here in the Philippines after her song "If You Leave Me Now" peaked at #44 at the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1989. I called up Ms. Pilita to ask if Jaya would be interested to sing our song entry. After listening to the demo cassette tape at Pilita's house, Jaya gladly agreed to be our interpreter. With my new arrangement finally recorded, we could not contain our excitement when it was time for Jaya's vocal recording session. She was a rare find, a rare gem and a breath of fresh air. It was as if the song was tailor made for her voice quality and singing style. Edith and I had goosebumps listening to Jaya's interpretation of SOMETIMES YOU JUST KNOW. ​

FINALS NIGHT: After the 3rd and 2nd prize winners were announced, I hid behind my fellow contestants thinking I lost the contest. To my surprise they called my name. It took me quite a while to go on stage, still stupefied with the results. Jaya, Edith and I were overcome with extreme exhilarating joy! After so many attempts at joining Metropop, I finally won the Grand Prize!

TRIVIA: Before the Finals Night, Jaya and I used to hang out at SM North Edsa and at a "Ihawan / Pusitan / Inuman" along West Avenue, Quezon City. She was very down to earth, always in jeans and T-shirts. I knew that she was not yet very comfortable wearing gowns. So it came as no surprise to me when she decided to ditch the orange gown created by Danilo Franco, a very good friend and an outstanding fashion designer, in favor of a green "trench coach" style blazer which she handpicked from Ms. Pilita Corrales' wardrobe to wear at the Finals Night. I fully understood her. I stood by her decision - she had to be comfortable while performing.

SOMETIMES YOU JUST KNOW
Grand Prize - 1996 Metropop Song Festival
Music: Danny Tan
Lyrics: Edith Gallardo
Producer & Arranger: Danny Tan
Interpreter: Jaya

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