“Maynila” Doja Cat version?
This was what some Twitter users quipped after watching comedienne Kakai Bautista‘s TikTok video where she sang the iconic “Maynila” theme song. She recorded the song over two decades ago.
The artist granted the request of a TikTok user who commented if she could still sing “Mahal Kong Maynila” which played during the start of the romance-drama anthology that aired on GMA Network from 1999 to 2020.
The series was mainly presented by former Manila mayor Lito Atienza.
It featured inspiring episodes that imparted moral values and had advice on love, life and family relationships.
The series was famous for its theme song which Kakai and Vincent de Jesus originally performed.
In 2015, another rendition of “Mahal Kong Maynila” was recorded by singer-songwriter Noel Cabangon.
Kakai gave the public a fresh version of the song after granting the request of a TikTok user.
“Ito na ‘yung request niyo, tingnan natin kung virginal pa rin ‘yung boses,” she said.
The artist’s video has since earned a whopping number of 2.6 million views, over 325,000 likes and more than 8,400 comments so far.
@kakaiba_02 MAHAL KONG #Maynila SURREAL🥺 #fyp #foryoupage #maynilathemesong #Maynila ♬ original sound – Kakai Bautista
In an Instagram post, Kakai said that it was the “first and only theme song” she had recorded.
Many Filipinos, including her showbiz friends, were shocked after learning Kakai was one of the voices behind the nostalgic show’s popular theme song.
“Boses [mo] ‘yan, Te Kakay? Waahhhh LSS ako [niyan] lagi,” Melai Cantiveros commented on Instagram.
“Sumabog din ‘yung utak ko nung nalaman ko ‘yan, beb,” Cai Cortez wrote with emojis.
“Ikaw ‘yun!!!!??? Hala,” Nikko Natividad commented.
“Gagi, tagal na kitang kilala, ikaw pala ‘yan!? Hahaha,” Joshua Camacho Bulot wrote.
Kakai’s video also made its rounds on Twitter, receiving numerous quips from people jokingly referring to her as Doja Cat or Olivia Colman.
Doja Cat is an American singer, while Olivia is an award-winning English actress.
Online users saw the resemblance between Kakai and the two celebrities.
“Omg, si Doja Cat pala kumanta nun,” “Drag Race Philippines” Season 1 queen Minty Fresh joked.
“Olivia Colman knows a Tagalog song??? Omg,” another Twitter user joked in response to the comedienne’s video.
“Galing ni Doja Cat,” joked a different Pinoy.
“@DojaCat can sing a Tagalog song???” quipped another online user.
“Maynila (Doja Cat Version),” joked another Filipino.
“Omg Olivia Colman, I love your work,” a different Twitter user quipped.
In 2021, Kakai did a cover of Doja Cat’s “Kiss Me More.”
Sony Music Philippines shared a video of this and called her “Doja Kakai.”