Crisanto Ramos Jr

Exclusive interview with award-winning veteran songwriter Trina Belamide on "Love Is Our Christmas Star", the only Filipino-written song on 'Sounding Joy - The Holiday Album', Lea Salonga's recent international Christmas album.

Article (news)

One Music PH Asks: Trina Belamide on Working with Lea Salonga

Here is <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/music" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">One Music PH</a>&#x27;s exclusive interview with award-winning veteran songwriter <a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/5E3VMSkQZ8oV01Ef7Qd07n?si=ka3eg0bWSUOH1Ytaz5obtw" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Trina Belamide</a> on <a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/1GlMjIezcLwV3OFlX0uXOv?si=RdYfqXyaRjaGI86u2G4hpA" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">&quot;Love Is Our Christmas Star&quot;</a>, the only Filipino/Filipina-written song on <a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/2vYBHby5RY09iXl19GybkT?si=9Lxsw5qKTDGpoL287OPFJA" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Sounding Joy - The Holiday Album</a>, Lea Salonga&#x27;s recent international Christmas album...<div style="text-align:justify"> </div>ONE MUSIC PH:  Can you please give us the lowdown on &quot;Love Is Our Christmas Star&quot;? TRINA: Upon finding out that my song would be the lone Filipino track in <a href="https://leasalonga.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Lea</a>’s album, I asked Gerard (Lea&#x27;s world-famous musician brother) for the list of other songs they would include, so I’d know how I could nicely fit into a lineup of already-familiar Christmas favorites. I wanted my song’s theme to be something unmistakably Pinoy but universal and relatable to a global audience. I asked him to choose between a sad hugot Christmas love song and a song about gathering at Christmas time, and he chose the latter.So then I needed some kind of handle on the topic. Bakit ba tayo nagkikita-kita kapag Pasko? Why do we go through all the trouble, braving traffic and saving up to fly across oceans to be with our loved ones on Christmas Day? We do it all for love. It’s what brings us together, just as that bright Christmas star drew the shepherds and wise men to the manger. Love is our Christmas star, I thought. When that line popped into my head, I immediately googled it to check if anyone had thought of it before, and fortunately wala naman so buo na agad yung concept.Gerard told me that <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@LSFP/videos" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Lea</a> needed to record the song by February (this was last week of December 2019).  Eh gagawan pa ng areglo, so I really needed to submit at the soonest possible time, without sacrificing quality. I wanted the lyrics to be crafted skillfully, with internal rhyming and all, and the music needed to be contemporary but potentially timeless, written of course with Lea’s voice in mind.  When I got back home from our New Year holiday at the beach where I managed to write the song, I worked on my demo.  Thankfully, Gerard preferred a simple piano-and-vocal one, nothing already arranged, so that he could envision the overall treatment of the song himself.  I emailed the song to Gerard and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MsLeaSalonga" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Lea</a>’s manager Josh Pultz, and after approval, Gerard then turned it over to Arnold for arrangement, and Lea recorded the track in February.  Before the album could be completed, the pandemic came in March 2020 and album production came to a halt.<div style="text-align:justify"> </div>ONE MUSIC PH: How kilig or thrilling does it feel that: a). THE Lea Salonga sang this song, b) it was co-produced and arranged by THE Gerard Salonga, and c) it&#x27;s the only Filipino-written song in this international Christmas album?TRINA: SOBRANG kilig! Ang tagal ko nang dream to write Lea a song. Early 2000s pa, I submitted a couple of songs for an album she was working on pero hindi natuloy. So when Gerard messaged me late December of 2019 to ask if I’d like to submit a Christmas song, I was extremely excited. Finding out I’d be the only Filipino composer for this album, sobrang flattered and grateful ako to be handpicked by Gerard and Lea. On top of that, Christmas album pa that people can listen to every year.  Plus Lea will be touring the US promoting this album in December. What an honor to be part of her lineup!It’s also such a treat to have live strings and other live instruments on this track, mixed and mastered abroad pa. My arranger Arnold Buena, also chosen by Gerard, was just as excited and kilig. Paulit-ulit namin pinapakinggan yung kanta when the track was done and we just couldn’t get enough of it!  I must say I have never been this excited about the recording of a song of mine and it was so hard to keep it secret for almost five years, but it was worth the wait.  I really hope many people get to listen to it.<div style="text-align:justify"> </div>ONE MUSIC PH: As a songwriter, Do you still feel the challenge of being able to come up with a song that will be digged by Gen Z and the young audience?TRINA: I would love to come up with new material that would appeal to a younger audience! I hope to get to do that some time, but for now I am focusing on strengthening my legacy “brand” because it is such a privilege to have been in the business for more than three decades, and I am so grateful that many people still know the songs I wrote many years ago.  Lately I’ve been putting out reels and posts about old songs I’ve written for various artists, and it is such a delight to read people’s comments. Nagugulat ako to come across some who are actually familiar with works of mine that I didn’t know they knew!  Some people naman are surprised to know I wrote other songs they are familiar with at natutuwa sila. It feels good to be connecting with so many people who are fans of my work.<div style="text-align:justify"> </div>ONE MUSIC PH: How do you usually celebrate the Christmas season? TRINA: I have always celebrated Christmas with my family. My parents are octogenarians and it is such a blessing to still have them with us! Every Christmas spent with our loved ones is precious. Some years, we go and celebrate with my brother in Australia, and there are times when they come home to be with us. Ganun talaga tayong mga Pinoy. We will travel from everywhere to be with our loved ones at Christmas time.____________________<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TheTrinaBelamideNetwork/videos" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Trina Belamide</a> is an award-winning songwriter and certfied hitmaker whose biggest hits include <a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/4zlehmTtbHMeT2XNPxtJwr?si=e927d7ec32c44979" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">&quot;Shine&quot;</a>, &quot;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/415z6QurDuHWdiSUBoliCD?si=c05e84336b14460d" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Tell the World of His Love</a>&quot;, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/6DJaXzjApIb77lf43IWmK5?si=f725ff37f6624c52" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">&quot;You&#x27;ve Made Me Stronger&quot;</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/6XKI5x63r73ow95oKWVyuh?si=a246463d356641df" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">&quot;Doon&quot;</a>, and <a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/54jFPbZjb3VIrS0gFsaGqc?si=e89f7c8312d14e5b" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">&quot;Now That I Have You&quot;</a>, among many others.<div style="text-align:justify"> </div><div style="text-align:justify"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/F7WSodGg9CY?si=MuDdQOB88EXb3-Kf" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> </div><div style="text-align:justify"> </div>

Exclusive interview with award-winning veteran songwriter Trina Belamide on "Love Is Our Christmas Star", the only Filipino-written song on 'Sounding Joy - The Holiday Album', Lea Salonga's recent international Christmas album.

One Music PH Asks: Trina Belamide on Working with Lea Salonga

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Traffic

Manila

Horoscope

Music

One Music PH Asks: Trina Belamide on Working with Lea Salonga

Cris O. Ramos Jr.,

One Music PH

Published Dec 25, 2024 02:50 PM PHT

Read More:

Trina Belamide

Lea Salonga

Love Is Our Christmas Star

Sounding Joy The Holiday Album

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.