Cheska CK with Cecile Azarcon Photo from Facebook/@BaleKuCafe
‘The Songs Came Home’ celebrates the veteran songwriter behind enduring OPM favorites
Veteran Filipino songwriter Cecile Azarcon-Inocentes is the subject of a new tribute song honoring a career that has produced some of Original Pilipino Music’s enduring compositions.
“The Songs Came Home,” released by TrueStoriesSung Creative Studio, features lyrics by Cheska CK and music by Jun Mirasol. According to the studio, the song was written after Cheska met Azarcon and was later shared with her; Azarcon agreed to its release and permitted use of her photograph in connection with the project.
Azarcon began playing piano at age 3 and composing at 6, according to her official biography. Her professional songwriting career took off at 19 with “Lift Up Your Hands,” recorded by Basil Valdez.
Her catalog includes “Sana Ay Ikaw Na Nga,” also recorded by Valdez; “Ikaw ang Lahat sa Akin,” recorded by Martin Nievera; “So, It’s You,” by Raymond Lauchengco; “Special Memory,” by Iwi Laurel; and “Even If,” by Jam Morales. Kuh Ledesma recorded “I Think I’m in Love” and “One More Try,” while Gary Valenciano recorded “Reaching Out” and later “How Did You Know.”
Azarcon’s body of work was celebrated in May 2024 with two performances of “The Music of Cecile Azarcon” at The Theatre at Solaire, billed as marking her 45th anniversary in the music industry. Performers included Nievera, Ledesma, Zsa Zsa Padilla and Regine Velasquez.
Azarcon currently resides in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she serves as music director at Faith Bible Church of Vallejo and teaches music privately.
