Singer and songwriter Gel Aquino revealed that her process and journey in creating her music is not that easy. 

The song, which taps into the experience of heartbreak and loss, draws inspiration from her journey through grief and healing. 

She explains that the single “Kinakaya” is a tribute to those who have suffered the pain of being left behind by loved ones. “My inspiration is those who were hurt by love and those who were left behind by their loved ones. Those broken-hearted who experienced being left behind. ‘Yung mga kailangang bumitaw sa isang relasyon kaya ngayon kinakaya nila ang pag-mo-move on na wala na ang taong mahal nila. ‘Yun ang inspiration nito (It is about those who need to let go of a relationship and can do so because the person they love is no longer with them. That is the inspiration of this song),” she shared.

The song was born during a particularly challenging time of her life. “Sinulat ko ito noong time na active ako magsulat at mag-compose ng kanta. Noong time din na ‘to brokenhearted ako and very depressed, pandemic noon tapos nawala na ‘yung lola ko. Hindi ko nalaman agad na nawala na pala siya, two months later ko na nalaman. So para din ito sa lola ko at sa mga taong nakaranas na iwan ng mahal nila (I wrote this song at the time I was active in writing songs and composing music. During that time I was broken-hearted and very depressed. It was during the pandemic that I lost my grandmother. I learned of her passing two months after she had gone. So, this song is also for her and for the people she left behind who love her),” she recalled.

The loss of her grandmother served as a significant catalyst for the song’s creation. “Independent ako and hindi ako masyadong nakikipag-communicate sa mga kamag-anak ko. Then nakita ko na lang nag-message sila na wala na ang lola ko. Kaya pala ‘nung mga buwan na ‘yun lagi kong napapanaginipan ang lola ko. Kaya nasulat ko ang kantang ito para sa lola ko na kinakaya ko ang sakit na wala na siya. Hindi man lang kami nagkita bago siya mamatay (I was living alone and not in communication with relatives when I got a message that my grandmother had passed. It is no wonder that during the month that she passed I would have dreams about her. So, I wrote this song to help ease the burden of her passing even if we did not see each other before she passed),” she said.

Gel also said in our online interview that one of her dreams as a songwriter is to create songs for her favorite artists and one of them is Christian Bautista. 

Aquino hopes that “Kinakaya” will offer solace and strength to listeners facing their own struggles. “The message of the song is that we need to endure the pain that we feel from a person who left us. Kailangan natin ng time para makapag-heal and ‘wag tayong mawawalan ng pag-asa at isipin na itong pain na ito ay wala nang katapusan. Darating ang panahon na sasaya ka ulit at magiging mas malakas ka (We need time to heal. We should never lose hope and always believe that the pain will end. There will come a time that we will be happy and strong again).

“Kinakaya” will be available on digital platforms beginning 26 May.