Jay R Joins Forces With Lil’ Eddie For “Bakit Pa Ba (Empty) – Taglish Version” — Listen
The new version breathes new life into the 2003 breakthrough hit by the Philippines’ King of R&B.
JAY R, LIL EDDIE: Photographed by Mica Javier
JAY R, LIL EDDIE: Photographed by Mica Javier
The Philippines’ King of R&B, Jay R, teams up with acclaimed Filipino-Puerto Rican singer-songwriterSinger-SongwriterA musician who writes and performs their own songs, typically accompanied by guitar or piano. Valued for personal storytelling and authenticity, singer-songwriters form a major part of the Filipino musicGo to Singer-Songwriter Glossary and producer Lil’ Eddie for a reimagined Taglish version of “Bakit Pa Ba (Empty).”
The new version keeps the emotional edge that defined the original breakthrough hit, adding English lyrics that complement the Tagalog ones.
“We actually worked with three different producers before finding the sound we loved. Rather than overproducing the track, we kept the background vocals minimal and let our raw voices, emotions, and signature vocal runs do the heavy lifting,” Jay R shares in an official press statement. “Lil Eddie also suggested keeping the opening acoustic and drum-free to preserve the soul of the original.”
The collaboration first took shape when the two artists toured the Philippines to promote their duet, “Statute (Taglish Version).”
“I’ve wanted to create a Taglish version of “Bakit Pa Ba” for years, and fans have been asking for it too,” Jay R adds. “Lil’ Eddie’s talent and musicality made him the perfect collaborator to bring this vision to life.”
It took the duo nearly seven hours to write and record the track, ensuring that the English lyrics felt authentic and remained faithful to the original version.
This collaboration further expands the repertoire of the acclaimed songwriter behind releases by Kylie Minogue, Usher, Jessie J, Jennifer Lopez, and other international artists.
Listen to “Bakit Pa Ba (Empty) – Taglish Version” below:
Frequently Asked Questions
“Bakit Pa Ba (Empty) – Taglish Version” is Jay R’s reimagined hit featuring Lil’ Eddie, adding English lyrics to the Tagalog ones while keeping the emotional edge and drum-free acoustic opening.
Lil’ Eddie is an acclaimed Filipino-Puerto Rican singer-songwriter and producer, and a songwriter behind releases by Kylie Minogue, Usher, Jessie J, and Jennifer Lopez. He joins Jay R here.
Jay R and Lil’ Eddie worked with three different producers before choosing minimal background vocals and raw vocal runs. They wrote and recorded the track in nearly seven hours.
The collaboration began while the two toured the Philippines promoting their earlier Taglish duet. Jay R had wanted a Taglish “Bakit Pa Ba” for years, and fans had requested it.
The track is available on Spotify, with the link embedded in the Billboard Philippines article. It reimagines Jay R’s breakthrough hit with English lyrics added to the Tagalog ones.
