Kapamilya singer and songwriter KZ Tandingan was still feeling overwhelmed as her and her husband TJ Monterde’s duet version of the latter’s hit single "Palagi" reached more than 15 million streams.

During the launch of her new single “Toyo” Thursday, September 26, KZ shared how she felt after receiving much love and appreciation from fans and listeners on their duet version almost a month since its official release.

“The version is not even a month old, and it already has I think more than 15 million streams in less than a month, so sa (September) 28 pa siya mag o-one month. Sobrang mind blown ako. Kasi noong una nga—siyempre the original version is really well-loved, alam naman natin yan even after a year since it’s released as in talagang namamayagpag pa rin siya,” KZ told PUSH.

She also revealed that she was hesitant at first to do the version, but her husband made her say yes eventually.

“Noong sinabi sa akin ni TJ yung idea na mag record kami ng duet, I was actually very hesitant kasi nga ‘di ba for a song that is so well-loved at maglalabas ka pa ng panibagong version, parang it has to be at the same level or angatan pa ng kahit konti or dapat may ma-offer kang something new ‘di ba?” the singer said.

She went on: “Sobrang magkaiba kaming artist, so dagdag pa ‘yun na baka at the end of the day sabihin ng mg tao, “it’s nice but we did not need this version – kung hindi lumabas ‘to, our life will go on”, parang ganon.”

READ: KZ Tandingan new song ‘Toyo’ is an experimental song: “This is really something na hindi mo ine-expect."

KZ then shared what TJ told her and how she worked on her part in the song.

“Si TJ lang din ang nagsabi sa akin na parang 'if I were to release a duet version of this song, ikaw lang din ang pwedeng maka-duet ko kasi ikaw si ‘palagi,’ sabi niyang ganon. Syempre marupok tayo, oh napilit tayo, ni-record natin,” she stated. 

“So, I took out the challenge, I sat down, talagang hinimay ko sa kanya yung mga naiisip kong gawin para don sa song and then pina-check ko talaga sa kanya,” KZ added.

“Kahit na kinakabahan ako na baka hindi ma-appreciate ng mga tao ‘yung version na sinamahan ko, nandon na rin ako sa kung masaya si TJ sa version, masaya na ako. It doesn’t matter to me kung ano pa yung sasabihin ng ibang tao. Kung masaya siya, masaya na ako.”

She then expressed how grateful she is seeing how everyone loved their new version.

“The fact na it is as biggest as it is now na wala pa siyang 1 month old is mind blowing and noong nakita ko sa charts na parang biglang nag-shoot up yung ranking ko somewhere – parang most streamed — 'paano? Paano raw?' Parang di pa rin siya masyadong nag si-sink in sa akin and hindi ko rin siya masyado pang iniisip kasi baka ma-pressure lang ako,” she stated.

“I’m really really grateful and blessed na ginawa namin yung ‘Palagi’ version and siyempre that I get to perform that special song with my husband. And whatever he earns from it is mine too,” she quipped.

READ: TJ Monterde, KZ Tandingan’s version of ‘Palagi’ achieves big Spotify feat

As of this writing, KZ and TJ’s “Palagi” duet version has reached more than 16 million streams on Spotify.

Meanwhile, KZ just released a new song “Toyo” which tells the story of a person who is trying to move on but gets confused as the reason for it returns.

“Sana when they hear this song, ma-remind din sila na parang if KZ felt this way and decided to go the other way to keep herself moving forward then I must move forward, so parang ganon. Kahit ganon yung message ng kanta – the fact that it celebrates moving forward despite all odds. Sana ‘yun ‘yung mabitbit nila,” KZ said.

READ: KZ Tandingan to release new song ‘Toyo’ on September 27