Universal Records has tapped Elmo Magalona to record his own version of his late dad’s hit “Cold Summer Nights.”
Based on several Instagram posts by the recording company, the actor-rapper revived Francis M’s rap track from his 1990 debut album “Yo!” Magalona scored the recording gig after he sang “Cold Summer Nights” with his on-screen partner Janella Salvador during their digital concert last month.
Universal Records posted a photo of Magalona, 22, and his mother, Pia, listening to his cover, which will be released alongside a music video soon.
In a previous interview with Inquirer, Magalona said that his “ultimate dream” was to record his father’s unreleased songs. He also admitted that “Cold Summer Nights” is just part of the long list of Francis M tracks he liked listening to. “‘Kaleidoscope World,’ ‘Three Stars & a Sun” and ‘Cold Summer Nights’ are some of my favorite songs from my dad—it would take me forever to enumerate all of them! It would also be neat to do his material that are very good, but did not become as popular as the others,” Elmo said.
Francis M, also hailed by many as the “Master Rapper,” became the first Filipino to drop a commercial rap album and incorporate elements of patriotism in his works. Within the stretch of his career, Francis collaborated with top OPM artists and introduced songs that fused rap with rock.
He died in March 2009 due to complications from leukemia.
Meanwhile, Magalona is also focused on crafting his acting career and will star with Salvador in the film “My Fairy Tail Love Story.” Gianna Francesca Catolico /ra
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