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Miguel Escueta kicks off the year with a powerful return, releasing a bold, rock-infused remake of the OPM classic Bakit Ba Ganyan. Originally released in 1981 and popularized by Dina Bonnevie, the beloved track now gets a modern, guitar-driven twist under Miguel's signature style.

The new single follows the warm reception of his 2025 comeback releases, Summer Dream and Pangako ng Bukas, which marked his return to the music scene after a brief hiatus.

Reimagined with overdriven guitars and a driving backbeat, Bakit Ba Ganyan transforms into a punchier anthem that resonates with a new generation of millennials navigating love and romance.

Though born in the '80s, Miguel reveals that the song has long held a special place in his heart.

He admits, “Yes, of course! I've always loved that song.”

The idea to revive the track came from his manager, Arnold Vegafria.

Miguel shares, “Since the previous two singles were songs I wrote, ALV recommended that we do a revival for the next. We did a shortlist of possible options, and Bakit Ba Ganyan was one of them.”

In an interesting twist of fate, Miguel later discovered a personal connection to the song's composer.

Miguel adds, “I found out that the writer of Bakit Ba Ganyan [Ruben 'Boyet' Palisoc] is actually the dad of my friend from college: King Palisoc. King and I were in the same batch. He is currently a filmmaker and director. And incidentally, he also wrote "Handa," one of my singles released in 2008.”

The track was produced by Miguel's close friend and longtime collaborator, David Lina. The basic tracks were recorded at Sunny Side Sound Studios, with vocals tracked at Banana Rising Studios and Sound Weavers. Mixing, mastering, and final production were completed at Big House Studios by Juni Devecais.

“David did most of it — guitars, drums, bass, keys. I chipped in with some guitars, and Juni helped me out as well for vocal harmonies,” Miguel elaborates.

Looking back, Miguel acknowledges that while his sound has matured, it hasn't drastically changed from his earlier releases.

He says, “To be honest, I don't think it's too far off from my older stuff. Still guitar-driven with pop sensibilities. Our workflow now is a lot more efficient, though. And I think recording- and production-wise, it's much cleaner, which is expected because we all evolve as time goes by.”

Despite the dramatic evolution of the music industry, Miguel remains optimistic—especially about the rise of streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music.

He muses, “We're pretty happy with the reception of Summer Dream and Pangako ng Bukas, considering we've been away for quite some time. But what was more surprising is that people started listening to the older stuff again.”

“When we were releasing music from 2007-2012, Spotify wasn't prominent yet. We were on the radio and people had to buy the CDs. So, I think our listeners from back then did a deep dive into Spotify when the new releases came out last year.”

As a fitting introduction for the track, Miguel performed Bakit Ba Ganyan live during the Miss World Philippines 2026 Coronation Night on February 3 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena, earning enthusiastic cheers from fans old and new. The live performance music video from the event is available on Miguel's YouTube and Facebook pages.

Outside of music, Miguel balances family life and oversees his growing coffee venture, Frank & Dean Coffee. He is also currently working on a new album.

He beams excitedly, “It'll be released in two parts. The first part comes out this summer.”

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