After composing and writing the emotional ballad Ang Nais Ko, GMA Music artist Gel Aquino has once again trodden the same creative path in her latest single, Kinakaya. This time around, she shares her story of personal loss and her journey from grief to healing.
The lines “Kinakaya kahit wala ka na, kinakaya dahil mahal kita, kinakaya kahit hanap ka” somehow allude to the baby steps one takes to move on after dwelling on feelings associated with loss for some time.
“I wrote the song in May, 2020,” Gel recalled how Kinakaya came to be in a recent virtual press conference. “I recorded it for a demo and GMA Music liked it. I presented it to them. It was only in March of this year that it got approval from my producer, telling me, ‘It’s gonna be your next single.’”
If one gives it a listen, one could sense that “moving on” is the song’s theme, as shared by Gel, who added “that we can handle our struggles.” The latter refers to dealing with a heartbreak caused by a romantic love or the passing on of a loved one.
During the time she commenced writing the song, Gel remembered that everybody was emotional because it was the first few months of the pandemic. While many were making sense of the situation and what kind of future was in store for all, people encountered melancholy. Gel, the creative, felt the need to write about such a feeling.
“Dun ko na i-re-release yung nararamdaman ko, ang feelings ko inside (I was able to release and express what I was feeling at that time or my feelings inside),” said she. The reason behind it was the loss of her grandmother.
In a piece of information given to this paper, Gel said that the song “will offer solace and strength to listeners facing their own struggles,” and “the message of the song is that we need to endure the pain that we feel from a person who left us. We need time for us to heal and we should never lose hope.”
Just like in Ang Nais Ko, Gel wrote and sang Kinakaya. GMA, for its part, was in charge of the arrangement. She described it and the genre as a “very modern pop ballad.”
“First of all, as a singer, I dreamed of having my own songs,” said Gel, who also wants to be known as a songwriter. “Ang mga kantang ginagawa ko ay makaka-relate ang lahat ng tao (with the songs that I’ve written, people can relate to them), (they’re) about love stories and life’s struggles.”
Regarding Kinakaya, Gel said that it appeals to listeners of all ages, especially those who, at some point in their lives, have experienced loss. Since it is an inevitable part of living, she said that “sana maging inspirasyon ito sa kanila na kayanin nila yung struggles (I hope the song will inspire them to face and handle their struggles in life).”
When she’s not busy composing music, writing lyrics and recording a song, the singer in Gel graces hotel lounges.
“I’ve been a hotel lounge singer for 10 years now. I have a gig six times a week. Kinakaya ko po at sanay ang ating boses (I’m able to handle it and my voice is used to it),” said she.
What’s her transition like from being a lounge singer to a recording artist?
“When it comes to (making) adjustments, OK naman po (I think I’m doing OK). Actually, ang mga guestings sa mga shows ay afternoon ginagawa (guestings in shows are usually in the afternoon),” answered Gel. “I can adjust (to the schedules that my singing gigs and recording require).”
With that, she can devote the right amount of time and energy to these musical endeavors.
(For details on Gel, visit www.gmanetwork.com and her song Kinakaya is now available on digital platforms.)