Karl Zarate

Karl Zarate came from Vigan in Ilocos Sur, where he sang in church choirs as a kid and later played in a local band. He went solo in the 1970s and put out an album called 'Ili Ti Ayat.' But what really stuck was his version of the Ilocano folk song 'Sansinukuban,' which he arranged himself.

'Sansinukuban' is a traditional song about missing someone, and Zarate gave it a sparse, haunting feel that caught on. He also recorded 'Nagmamahal Din Lang.' At the time, Western pop was big in the Philippines, and some people criticized his focus on Ilocano folk music. There was also talk about whether 'Sansinukuban' borrowed too much from another folk song called 'Maring,' though Zarate said his take was his own.