La Mave’s Rainy Day Single “Tuwing Umuulan” Harks Back To An OPM Classic
The singer’s newest single is a direct callback to an OPM classic previously performed by the likes of Basil Valdez, Regine Velasquez, and the Eraserheads.
Courtesy of Madman Creative Studios
Courtesy of Madman Creative Studios
Hip-hop and R&B singer-songwriter La Mave serves us the perfect track to listen to in the middle of a rainy day with his latest single “Tuwing Umuulan.”
Being the perfect addition to your rainy day playlist, the track blends weather with a prominent theme in OPM: love. The result is something distinctly intimate. “Tuwing Umuulan” merges the singer’s laid-back R&B vocals with the soothing guitar chords and a smooth lyricism that elicits the romantic image of two lovers cuddling next to each other while the raindrops gently fall outside.
But more than adding to the repertoire of rainy-day songs, the R&B singer does something subtle yet significant, especially when considering the larger tradition of Filipino music. With the track’s title, La Mave pays tribute to an OPM classic, as he references Basil Valdez‘s 1980 release “Tuwing Umuulan at Kapiling Ka.”
Sixteen years after Valdez’s original release, the track found itself in the purview of the Eraserheads, whose 1996 rendition gives off a distinct character with its whammy-filled guitars.
In 2000, Regine Velasquez also covered the track for the Filipino romantic comedy film Kailangan Ko’y Ikaw. While previous singers entered after the track’s instrumental opening, Asia’s Songbird added her signature to it by singing the opening melody.
Finally, celebrated Filipino composer Ryan Cayabyab tried his hand at the track when he covered it in 2015 with Ice Seguerra (formerly known as Aiza Seguerra). The cover has that signature Cayabyab color achieved through unique chord progressions on the piano.
Although La Mave’s R&B spin on the tradition strays the furthest compared to previous covers, it harks back to the classic track with the interpolation of its emotional refrain, as La Mave sings the lyrics:
“Bumuhos ka, ulan / Aking mundo’y lunurin tuluyan (Fall down, rain / Drown my world completely”), which is a direct reference to the original “Buhos na ulan, aking mundo’y lunuring tuluyan (Fall down now, rain, completely drown my world).”
Simultaneously, however, the R&B singer makes something that is distinctly his. Contrary to the traditional form of wooing we see in the classic OPM song, La Mave’s track is more overt and sensual. Its style is one that further cements the singer’s identity as the “Kanto Romantic,” the lover boy who finds the perfect balance of street culture and romance.
“Tuwing Umuulan” is another addition to this identity crafted by previous hits like “Chinay,” “Vibrate,” and “Dominga.” By merging OPM nostalgia with a contemporary R&B style, the artist adds a deeper facet to his artistic identity, one that does not diminish his accessibility but coexists with his ability to sing about relatable experiences in conversational Tagalog.
Frequently Asked Questions
“Tuwing Umuulan” is La Mave’s new R&B single that interpolates Basil Valdez’s 1980 OPM classic “Tuwing Umuulan at Kapiling Ka,” reworking its refrain into a contemporary love song.
La Mave references Basil Valdez’s 1980 song “Tuwing Umuulan at Kapiling Ka,” quoting its emotional refrain directly while reworking it into his own R&B, “Kanto Romantic” style.
Yes. Eraserheads covered it in 1996, Regine Velasquez in 2000, and Ryan Cayabyab with Ice Seguerra in 2015, each adding a distinct musical character to the original.
“Kanto Romantic” is La Mave’s artistic identity, blending street culture and romance, as heard on prior singles “Chinay,” “Vibrate,” and “Dominga,” and now “Tuwing Umuulan.”
La Mave’s version is more overt and sensual than prior covers, merging OPM nostalgia with contemporary R&B and conversational Tagalog lyricism distinct from earlier renditions.