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Moira dela Torre celebrates OPM by singing a Rey Valera original

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Ann Manhit

Moira dela Torre is the first OPM artist to top Spotify’s Top 50 PH charts, the most followed artist in the Philippines, and the #1 artist to be streamed in 2018. She begins the new year on a roll, this time as part of Spotify OPM’s flagship playlist:Tatak Pinoy.“OPM is OPM. Whatever generation you come from, whatever the genre, whatever language you choose to write or sing your songs, anything Filipino always has heart to it,” Moira shared.When asked how does one keep OPM going, the singer simply answered, “Just to keep loving it.”She then added, “We’ve always been so accustomed to thinking that the braver thing to do is to find so much to do, put it on your plate, and end up feeling so overwhelmed. You feel like you’re always trying to save something.“What I’ve learned in the past year is that there are things that don’t need saving, and OPM is not something you save. It’s so vibrant. It’s right there. I could say so many suggestions on how to keep OPM going, but really, it’s just to keep loving it. There’s so many ways to love something or someone,” she explained. Indeed, there are many ways to love OPM, and Moira’s rendition of a Rey Valera classic will have listeners recalling love a different way. At the launch of Spotify Jams: OPM Love Songs, Moira did a cover of “Naaalala Kita,” giving a pensive twist to it.“I thought it was just a love song,” Moira related. But in one recording, as she was going over the lyrics, she saw the line “sa aking mga alaala”, and realized that it was about something deeper. “It means ‘in my memories.’ It means that the love that he was talking about was something from afar.”This realization brought to mind the love she has for her grandmother. She was Moira’s supporter and inspiration. Moira’s Lola Lucy passed away in 2017, and the singer still holds her memory close to her heart.“You know how grief comes in waves? I’m still grieving my lola’s death,” she admitted. “It dawned on me that it was actually a sad song, so the approach went from a love song to a sad one.”Joining the campaign are other artists such as Ben &amp; Ben, Juan Karlos, Silent Sanctuary, Sarah Geronimo, and IV of Spades. They relive OPM classic love songs by incorporating their own distinct sound.There’s something to look forward to every week of the love month! Check out the release dates of covers by your favorite OPM artists:February 8: Moira dela Torre and Juan Karlos LabajoFebruary 14: Sarah Geronimo and Silent SanctuaryFebruary 22: Ben &amp; Ben and IV of Spades

Moira dela Torre remembers her Lola Lucy as she sings Rey Valera’s “Naaalala Kita”.