MANILA, Philippines — R&B worlds collide as the Philippines' own Kyla teams up with the United States' Brian McKnight Jr. for the song "#COY (Cuz of You)."
The song penned by McKnight Jr., son and namesake of the R&B hitmaker who churned out songs like "One Last Cry," "Back at One" and "6, 8, 12," has "Pinoy Big Brother" winner Anji Salvacion and rising actor Brent Manalo starring in its official music video.
The music video sees Salvacion and Manalo talking to each other with photowalls made of cardboard behind them. The two eat and sip some wine before opening gifts, Salvacion receiving a mobile fan while Manalo gets a scarf.
Both individuals then close their eyes to dream of a slow dance sequence, and it is revealed they are actually talking via videoconference as Manalo's character is in a snow-laden country.
WATCH: Kyla and Brian McKnight releases "#COY" music video featuring Anji Salvacion and Brent Manalo
At its core, "#COY (Cuz of You)" is about being grateful and expressing feelings for the person one finds very dear to them, even when they are not around.
Song beginnings
In a video conference ahead of the music video's release, McKnight Jr. said he wrote the song when he was 19 years old, around the time he did his major hit "Marry Your Daughter."
"[Back then] I was thinking of just being a songwriter, but I still felt I had something to offer," shared McKnight Jr. "I wrote so much... luckily it fell into the wayside for this moment... [from] the shadow, come to the light."
McKnight Jr. also said that he considers "#COY (Cuz of You)" one of the most favorite songs that he has written to date, adding that inspiration came from a former significant other whom he thought he'd be in a lasting relationship with.
The American singer shared that many of the events he mentions in the song indeed happened, with the second verse reflecting his train of thought at the time.
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"I considered myself a mature 19 year old when it came to relationships," shared McKnight Jr.
Bringing Kyla to the fold
He first met Kyla during his solo visit to the Philippines, where his father has performed in numerous times. Kyla, meanwhile, remembered that they had dinner together.
The two singers recorded the song in McKnight Jr.'s living room — which McKnight Jr. shared his family always does — somewhere in Hollywood. Kyla was in the United States for the staging of "ASAP Natin 'To."
"Cliché as it sounds, it all came together... it was an ode to the whole thing [that] we did it organically," said McKnight Jr.
Kyla said she fell in love with "#COY (Cuz of You)" upon hearing it. The seasoned singer said the track is enchanting and even compared it to a theme song from a movie, "I feel twice as happy, excited doing it with him."
McKnight Jr. found it really easy to record with Kyla, saying that he took a step back to let Kyla do her thing, "I don't know anyone [else] who can track as fast as I can... I may have given her an idea or two, [but] she took it to the next level."
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He went as far as to compare their collaboration to legendary musician David Foster's partnerships with Whitney Houston and Celine Dion, and both look forward to having another opportunity together.
On #COY
Salvacion said that upon seeing the music video for the first time — in what was also her first-ever music video — she felt nothing but gratitude as she recalled the light vibe during production.
Manalo, who admitted to being an avid fan of both Kyla and McKnight Jr., called every time working with Salvacion fun and that his favorite sequence was the slow dance scene.
Salvacion, meanwhile, was nervous during the said scene. She shared she and Manalo were laughing as they shot it, and quipped that her favorite part was when they got to eat.
McKnight Jr. was all praises for how the music video was executed, "I felt like a fan watching it, [and] I'm hard to impress!"
As for the song itself, McKnight Jr. called "#COY (Cuz of You)" a "love story for right now" and is very hopeful it will become a hit in its own right.
"I think it will be a song people will want to sing together for years to come," McKnight Jr. said, jumping in on the joke that Filipinos will look for it on the karaoke. "I knew 'Marry Your Daughter' had potential, so does '#COY (Cuz of You).'"
McKnight Jr. shared that he believes in himself, Kyla, Salvacion, Manalo, and the community who worked together on the song that will hopefully be a hit. — Video from Tarsier Records YouTube channel
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