Breathing New Life into Viral Tracks on TikTok

Talented creators give viral music first heard on TikTok another shot.

TikTok, the leading destination for short-form mobile video, has seen the rise of countless talented creators and viral content all over the platform. Many aspiring and up-and-coming musicians have found their place within the community, confidently sharing their original songs and covers of popular tracks with anyone who can appreciate their music.

Seeing great potential in these music creators, TikTok is taking the initiative to support them by breathing new life into viral songs on the platform, and helping their music grow. TikTok does this by tapping onto popular creators to record cover versions of these viral tracks, and adding them into the immense music library in TikTok that users can easily access on the app. 

Music starts on TikTok, and a couple of revamped songs have already skyrocketed in popularity among creators soon after their release on the platform last June. The first is the Zendee version of the Visayan song, Cutie Uyyy. This was followed by AD BEAT’s rendition of the song, Ikaw Lang.

Cutie Uyyy

The southern part of the Philippines may be considered an untapped resource when it comes to musical talent, and Cutie Uyy is proof of this. The song is so catchy that it gained recognition all over the country after its initial release in February 2020, and eventually went viral on TikTok, even though many listeners did not understand its lyrics. 

Cutie Uyyy, a Bisaya phrase that means Hey Cutie, is an R&B Hip-Hop song that talks about young love, and being infatuated with a cute girl you just met. A year after it first went viral, TikTok gave this track a second life through a cover version performed by one of its top music creators, Zendee, who also hails from the southern part of the Philippines.

Listen to Zendee’s version of Cutie Uyyy here. Alternate versions of the track – Cutie Uyyy (Chorus) and Cutie Uyyy (Slowed Chorus) –  are also available for creators on TikTok

Ikaw Lang

Released by the local band, Nobita, in May 2020, Ikaw Lang, which means Only You in English, is a love song that speaks of faithfulness, trust and devotion. The song recently experienced a resurgence on TikTok and other platforms, even making it to Spotify’s Viral 50 PH playlist. Since then, its music video has already hit over a million views.

Re-released on TikTok by real-life couple, Adrian Ferrer and Alliyah Cadelina, Ikaw Lang was given a beautiful new twist on the platform, thanks to the beautiful mix of Aaliyah’s angelic voice and Adrian’s prolific beatboxing skills. Singing together about a dream-come-true kind of love, the couple produced a timeless, romantic track that can easily melt the heart of anyone who listens to it.

Listen to a snippet of AD BEAT’s version of Ikaw Lang here. A 30-second cut of the track is also available on TikTok. Watch out for the release of the full song this July.

Discover new music and the latest viral tunes on TikTok! Download the app on your iOS and Android devices today to get started.

Cook on TikTok and Tell The World #SarapMagingPinoy

Prepare and share the best dishes from your city on TikTok, and you could win awesome prizes!

To further promote local cuisine across different channels, TikTok and the Department of Tourism have partnered to launch the #SarapMagingPinoy campaign, which aims to encourage more locals to celebrate Filipino pride by sharing treasured dishes from all over the country, and promoting the love of native cuisine among its locals. This digital campaign focuses on presenting users with the unique experience of exploring the Philippines through diverse food content, highlighting this as an integral part of our culture.

One of the best, and most enjoyable ways to learn about a culture is through their food. The tastes, textures, and flavors of a country’s cuisine reflect its rich heritage and history, and tell their own unique tales about every place, its people, and way of life. Here in the Philippines, we take such pride in our food that we have been recognized around the world as a culinary hub. Apart from being known as sociable people who love to gather around the table with friends and family, Filipinos also like to share our gastronomical delights online. 

As TikTok’s official partner, the Department of Tourism believes in the great potential of the Philippines as a center of gastronomy, owing to its rich cuisine, it also reflects our history, cultural diversity, the stories of our destinations and way of life. By community food mapping, or associating food with culture and a specific destination, a more compelling story for travel is created, with food as an integral part of a traveler’s journey.

“On TikTok, hundreds of Filipinos have joined countless other foodie creators from all over the globe, who post about their native cuisine. Our food vertical showcases the history of our food, educating the new generation and others outside of the Philippines of how diverse and rich the Philippine culture really is. Because of this, browsing through the variety of food content on the platform can almost seem like a virtual culinary tour,” says Celina Tan, TikTok PH Marketing Manager.

According to Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, “Food has been cooked using recipes passed down through generations, creating cuisines distinct to each region, and flavors unique to each province. And because food has come to define a particular place, it has called out to visitors seeking to try new dishes and experience different tastes. The art of eating has become a powerful motivator for traveling and we, at the DOT, will make Filipino food an integral part of the traveler’s journey.”

From June 1 to 15, 2021, users can take part in the #SarapMagingPinoy campaign by posting recipe videos that feature the best dishes from their cities. Videos must contain a short introduction that provides viewers with information on the dish and its city of origin. The video intro should also include the campaign’s thematic messaging of showcasing Filipino pride, and mention the key line, ‘Sarap maging Pinoy‘. In the video caption, users must include the hashtag #SarapMagingPinoy, along with a hashtag that indicates your city of origin, using the format #Lutong(city), for example #LutongCebu or #LutongDavao.

Celebrate Pinoy pride, and share your best #SarapMagingPinoy dishes on TikTok. To learn more, visit the #SarapMagingPinoy campaign page on TikTok.

Download TikTok on your iOS and Android devices today.

About TikTok

TikTok is the leading destination for short-form mobile video. Our mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy. TikTok has global offices including Los Angeles, Mountain View, New York, London, Paris, Berlin, Dubai, Mumbai, Singapore, Jakarta, Seoul, and Tokyo. www.tiktok.com.