They say that behind every good song is a great story. That aptly describes this new song being played countless of times on the radio as it swiftly rose to the top of the charts and download count.
That’s what happens when you combine a superb material and a power performer like the Popstar Sarah Geronimo.
Miguel Mendoza, a product of Kapamilya talent reality search Pinoy Dream Academy and trained in Ryan Cayabyab’s School of Music, finished college at College of St. Benilde.
He might have been off the klieg lights for quite a while but remained busy writing songs. The latest of which was for Asia’s Songbird Regine Velasquez’s recent anniversary album.
Miguel also appears in stage plays occasionally. He is also an entrepreneur and a producer of on-ground corporate events. At the same time, he is managing his family’s business.
“Isa Pang Araw” is a song inspired from the loss of Miguel’s dad whom he loves so dearly. His father battled with the big “C” and Miguel knows that he is in heaven proudly looking down on him. Miguel says, “When you lose someone you love permanently, there is always a moment wherein you bargain with God and ask for even just one more day to be with that person.”
Miguel described how he felt when he first saw Sarah Geronimo performed his song, “I’m still not sure how to feel until now. I can’t believe I wrote something that touched so many people. Plus having a Sarah Geronimo choose this song to sing for her movie. I just can’t find the words to express how I feel. Seeing the song performed in a movie on the big screen was so mesmerizing. I couldn’t help but tear up in the part where she sings my song accompanied by flashbacks of moments she had with her family. And while Miss Granny was having her flashbacks, I was also having my own flashbacks of good memories with my dad. I just really miss him.”
Miguel has collaborated with some of the local music industry’s big names. “First song I wrote was a collaboration with Mr. Ryan Cayabyab in 2006 during Philippine Idol. I was part of the top 4 and he told me that if I don’t make it to the next round, he would sit down with me and write a song. That song was titled “Here I Am,” which I performed at the Araneta Coliseum. I also wrote songs for my album Somebody way back 2010. I have three songs that I wrote there. All Tagalog and one song called “Ligaw na Damdamin,” which is a duet with a good friend of mine, Apple Chiu (for) whose album I also wrote.”
“My songwriting started to blossom late last year, sometime in August as well. I was reading a post on Facebook and saw that Regine Velasquez was coming out with an anniversary album and was releasing 10 originals. So I asked Patty Mayoralgo, the one who shared the post, if she could help me send my demos to Regine. So, I sent the songs through email and then I got a call and said that she would be using it for her album. I almost didn’t believe it until she posted on her Instagram the song “Hugot” which became the second single from her album. Since the song was published under Viva, they asked me if I wanted to pitch a song for a teleserye for Viva Channel, so I wrote a song and I got surprised that it was chosen to be the theme song of the teleserye, “One Song,” which is also the title. After “Hugot” ane “One Song”, I felt like, maybe I have a place in this industry.
“After these songs along came the opportunity to write for the Filipino adaptation of the Movie Miss Granny which gave me over the top feelings after hearing the news that it got chosen.
“Up next are new songs that will be part of Jed Madela’s anniversary album.”
Still, Miguel dreams of collaborating with some contemporary artists in the industry, “Locally, I’d like to be able to write for Gary Valenciano, Morisette, and Darren Espanto.”
Internationally, his dream is to collaborate with Ed Sheeran, Jason Mraz, John Mayer, David Foster, Taylor Swift, Jessie J and Mariah Carey.
He says people should watch Miss Granny. “Miss Granny is a must watch because it is a movie for the whole family that shows our Filipino family values. This movie is also a reminder to everyone that we should cherish each moment we have with our loved ones especially with our parents and grandparents. One day they will be taken away from us and we do not want to have regrets when that time comes.”
Miguel Mendoza is truly living the life he is destined for. He doesn’t want to have regrets. He continues write new songs and tells numerous stories through his beautiful melodies.
Follow Miguel on Instagram at @miguelmendoza and like him on Facebook at facebook.com/MrMiguelMendoza.
Catch him at his live weekly performances at Salvatore Cuomo in BGC and performances at The City Club & Balesin Island Club.
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‘Game of Thrones’ star in new HBO Original film
HBO Original Films’ My Dinner With Herve, starring Golden Globe® and Primetime Emmy® winner Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones; Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) and Jamie Dornan (Fifty Shades franchise; The Fall) debuts same time as the U.S. on Sunday, Oct. 21 at 8:00 a.m., with a same-day encore at 11pm, exclusively on HBO GO and HBO.
Inspired by a real story, My Dinner With Herve explores the unlikely friendship between struggling journalist Danny Tate (Dornan) and Hervé Villechaize (Dinklage), the world’s most famous knife-wielding French dwarf actor, as it unfolds over one wild night in LA – an encounter that will have life-changing consequences for both.
The film also stars: Golden Globe® nominee Mireille Enos (Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far On Foot; The Killing) as Hervé’s longtime girlfriend, Kathy Self; Harriet Walter (Succession; The Crown) as Danny’s newspaper editor, Fiona Baskin; Oona Chaplin (Game of Thrones; Black Mirror) as Danny’s girlfriend, Katie Nielson; with Oscar® nominee David Strathairn (Darkest Hour; Billions) as Villechaize’s longtime agent, Marty Rothstein; and Oscar® nominee Andy García (Mama Mia! Here We Go Again; Ocean’s Eleven) as Ricardo Montalbán, Villechaize’s “Fantasy Island” co-star.
Directed by Sacha Gervasi (November Criminals; Hitchcock), with a screenplay by Gervasi and story by Gervasi & Sean Macaulay (Eddie the Eagle; Hitchcock), the film is executive produced by Steven Zaillian (The Night Of; The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), Richard Middleton (Sicario: Day of the Soldado; The 5th Wave), Oscar® nominee Ross Katz (Taking Chance; Lost In Translation), Jessica de Rothschild (November Criminals; Reflections on Hollywood), Sacha Gervasi and Peter Dinklage.
Primetime Emmy® nominee Garrett Basch (Red Sparrow; The Night Of) and David Ginsberg (I Think We’re Alone Now; Get Low) serve as co-executive producers.