Remember when Darren Espanto, portraying Stephen Tanhueco in “Can’t Buy Me Love,” stole many hearts – except that of Belle Mariano’s Caroline, sad to say – when he serenaded her with a romantic Mandarin song in an episode? Now, the versatile artist just released its Tagalog version titled “Iyo,” featuring a music video starring Anthony Jennings and Maris Racal aka the series’ SnoRene tandem. Know more in this episode of Kapamilya Chat!

Darren’s guesting on Kapamilya Chat, perfectly timed with Valentine’s Day, added to the romantic atmosphere as he shared the story behind the song “Iyo.” He revealed that he penned the track at the request of Star Music's Jonathan Manalo to contribute to the official "Can't Buy Me Love" soundtrack, so he wrote the song inspired by Donny Pangilinan and Belle Mariano’s love story in the series. Just the opening line, “Minsan darating kung kailan hindi hinahanap,” resonates with Bingo (Donny) and Caroline/Ling (Belle)'s first encounter, where he became her knight in shining armor saving her from kidnappers.

That's why listening to the song will remind you of BingLing's kilig love journey. It’s perfect for all those who are happily in love, as it talks about finding that one person you want to spend the rest of your life with. Darren envisioned it as a love ballad fitting for dates or weddings, confident that its warmth will touch listeners' hearts regardless of their relationship status, as love extends beyond romantic notions. Writing the song came easy for Darren since he already had the inspiration for the whole concept.

About that episode where he serenaded Caroline, he disclosed that he was told just a day before the shoot that Stephen, his character, would be singing a Chinese song for the Chinese New Year's Eve party scene. Since the production couldn’t think of a specific Chinese song to use, they opted to translate "Iyo" into Mandarin. They recorded it the night before filming, leaving Darren with limited time to learn the Mandarin lyrics. Nonetheless, he dedicated himself to mastering the song within a short timeframe.

Besides, he always likes challenges, and he was intrigued by the idea of hearing "Iyo" in Chinese. He said that he let Belle and the other cast members listen to the Chinese version before the take since they were asking about his song choice. And they fell in love with it the first time. Their reactions were overwhelmingly positive, with many commenting that it sounded like a song by a Chinese singer, meaning Darren had flawless accent. Even Belle’s mom liked the song and requested copies of both the Chinese and Tagalog versions right away. Director Mae Cruz Alviar likewise appreciated both renditions.

Viewers and netizens are already asking for the Chinese version as well, which he said is possible since
the base material is already laid. We just have to wait what unfolds next.

Catch him in “Can’t Buy Me Love,” airing weeknights, on Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live, TV5, and A2Z.