Benj Pangilinan —Photos by SONY MUSIC PHILIPPINES Having the likes of Gary Valenciano as uncle and Sharon Cuneta as aunt, Benj Pangilinan was bound to have an affinity for classic Filipino pop songs. “I have a special connection with OPM, especially feel-good songs like “Kahit Maputi na ang Buhok Ko.” I listened to the music of my Tito Gary and Tita Sharon, even those of Freddie Aguilar and Rey Valera,” he told the Inquirer in a Zoom interview.
Benj is Maricel Laxa and Anthony Pangilinan’s fourth of five children. Actor Donny Pangilinan and vlogger Hannah Pangilinan are his elder siblings. “Later on, in high schooI, I discovered the Eraserheads and Rivermaya.
I learned from the people I grew up with and the music they played,” he said. His latest single “Nandito na Ako” (Sony Music Philippines) is Ben’s way of expressing his love for the music he grew up listening to. In this track, which “balances vintage Pinoy pop songwriting and youthful appeal,” the singer talks about the rush of euphoria that comes with romantic assurance.
“I feel like the storytelling is classic OPM. I wanted to pay tribute to it ..
. create a song from that lens. And this was the result,” the 23-year-old singer-songwriter said.
The idea came to him while he was tinkering with his guitar and learning new chord progressions. The melody followed soon after. “I got my phone and recorded it on my voice memos immediately,” he said of the song, which also features Angela Ken, .