ICYMI, Kiana V Just Dropped a Smooth, R&B Upgrade to her Father’s Iconic Hit in ‘Sana’

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Featured image photographed by Sandro Tolentino courtesy of Kiana V.

MANILA, Philippines—In a recent release, Filipina R&B songstress, Kiana V, returns with her latest single, “Sana”. The blissful track samples, “Sana Maulit Muli”, a powerful ballad by her Filipino-Puerto Rican father and Filipino music industry icon Gary Valenciano, and written with her mother Angeli Pangilinan.

Sung in both English and Tagalog, “Sana” speaks to the universal longing for second chances and the enduring power of love. A rapturous R&B-tinged ode to her parents, the song was announced on her father’s birthday and comes out on her mother’s birthday.

Photographed by Sandro Tolentino.

Dripping with bittersweet authenticity and a ringing question on what it means to move through the conflicting feelings of longing, hopefulness, and heartbreak, Kiana V sings, “So I’ma dip /Shoulda known / You could stay / I’ma go / We’ve doing it your way for too long”.

With her crooning soul stylings, honey-smooth vocals, and the effortless weaving of Tagalog with English, Kiana V simultaneously stays true to her roots and reaches new heights, transcending boundaries and making us melt with the push-and-pull of yearning for that true love that got away.

Photographed by Sandro Tolentino

Since her first release in 2016, her catalog of music, highlighted by hit songs “Does She Know”, “Misfits,” “Corners,” and “Safe Place”, has achieved over 43 million Spotify streams to date. She has also gained notable media mentions from local and SEA publications and her songs have been featured in television shows such as the CW’s Kung Fu.

Kiana has been recognized in the Philippines with an Awit Award for Favorite Female Artist and PMPC for Best R&B Artist of the Year. In an ever-connected world where music transcends geographical boundaries and the dominance of K-Pop has opened new doors, “SANA” is yet another example of how Kiana is inviting listeners to experience music from other parts of the Asian diaspora, as she ushers in her personal unique sound to the legacy of Filipino music before her.

“’Sana’ is a song for and about all the ones that got away,” Kiana says. “It’s about acknowledging that you wouldn’t change the past, but you can’t bring this person with you into the future.”

Kiana is working on a full-length project set to drop in early 2025.