Pinoy song now UN anthem

MANILA, Philippines –  It can be tough being a child of an OPM legend, with the constant pressure to prove your own value in the industry.

But for seven young performers, life just got sweeter after their

interpretation of the song “Stand Up” was chosen as the official song of the anti-poverty campaign of the United Nations in the Asia-Pacific region.

“Stand Up” is an inspirational song written for the UN campaign to promote the Millennium Development Goal to eliminate the causes of poverty worldwide by 2015.

The group that interpreted the song – given the unofficial name of Super Seven – is composed of Paolo and Gabriel, sons of Filipino pop icon Gary Valenciano; Isabella Gonzales, daughter of Kuh Ledesma; Karylle and Zia Quizon, daughters of Zsa Zsa Padilla; Robin Nievera, son of Martin Nievera and Pops Fernandez, and Duncan Ramos, a former member of the band Southborder. 

The Philippine version was produced by composer Mon Espia, and arranged by Arnold Buena.

In an interview with The STAR yesterday, Angeli Valenciano, Gary’s wife and head of Manila Genesis Entertainment & Management, Inc., the firm that produced the project, said all members of the group are very happy about the success of the project.

“All loved the project,” said Angeli. “All six (except Duncan who is not a son of a celebrity) have suffered living in the shadows of their parents… Karylle and Isabella were both late-bloomers as well. Kay (Karylle) didn’t sing professionally until she was 18! Zia, who is turning 18, was the most overwhelmed because the performance in Glorietta was her first professional appearance,” she said.

Angeli recalls that her own son Paolo, who they discovered could sing when he was 16, was insecure about the dancing and singing abilities of his father and younger brother Gabriel.

“At 16 we realized he (Paolo) could sing! But he was so burned by the comparisons to his father and his brother (Gabriel) who could dance ever since he was one, so he hid his gifts for a long time,” she said.

The project started when singer-turned-businessman Jaime Garchitorena, who works with Young Public Servants, a non-government organization commissioned by the United Nations to work on the campaign, asked the Valencianos to have Gabriel and Paolo interpret the song.

“I loved the song, but I said it felt like the cry of a new generation and Paolo and Gab would not be as effective if we didn’t enlist the support of the children of our dear friends,” Angeli said.

She said she was challenged by the project because of its advocacy, even if it did not pay much.

“I was challenged by the overwhelming task of producing excellent work with no money,” she said.

Gary himself is known for religious and inspirational hits and for his work as a country ambassador of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) for almost 12 years now. 

He was supposed to produce the interpretation and the music video for the song but was hindered by his busy schedule.

Angeli said the UN was immediately impressed by the production. 

“The UN team was so inspired by the song, they presented it to the Asia-Pacific representatives and they all loved the song. So it will now be the official music bed for all the music videos all over the region that will be played in all events of the campaign,” Angeli said.

The music video for the song was first shown at the Gary V Soul in motion concert at the Music Museum last Sept. 16, but was formally launched in a free concert at the Glorietta mall in Makati last Sept. 18. The producers are planning to release the song online for free.

The Philippine version of the song will now be used in media campaigns of the Millennium Development Goals in the Asia-Pacific Region.