Anya Lagman is no stranger to making music for a big audience. From OPM tracks that have captured Filipinos’ imagination to original songs for international projects, the talented composer knows her way around the recording studio. But for the Filipina producer and songwriter’s latest project, she finds herself on a whole other level as the composer of Together In Motion, the official anthem of the 2026 ASEAN Summit sung by SB19.
To have the biggest boy group in the country perform the track is one thing, but for it to be used for one of the most important political gatherings in the region is another. Yet, with how Lagman sees it, the moment is both an honor and an opportunity to have made something that goes beyond a simple song.
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How Anya Lagman’s Blind Submission Became Reality
Lagman’s journey to the ASEAN Summit began when the office of the First Lady reached out to her and a select group of creatives to create demos for the Summit’s official song for SB19. With the theme of coming together as one, navigating the future, and boat motifs given as the brief, Lagman had 48 hours to create her piece before sending it in as an anonymous submission. “It reflects what Manila sounds like today and what the global conversation of music is,” Lagman tells MEGA Asia about the track.
The result was Together In Motion, an upbeat modern pop song envisioning a united region where each nation is hand in hand in shared growth and development. Soon, Lagman learned that SB19 picked her demo as the final song, a fact she was relieved to hear but also reflected how she approached the tune. “I think the most important role as a songwriter or composer is that when you’re writing for someone else is that you are really showcasing their abilities and how to let them shine and do what they do best.”
This research led Lagman to incorporate melodies, sections, and rap verses she knew SB19 would excel in. The initial stages weren’t easy given the tight turnaround, but Lagman embraced the pressure to create her work, one that resonated with the boy group. “It was even more of an honor to know that the song is very powerful and effective for them to believe in it and to choose that as the song that they would sing.”
At the same time, she also didn’t lose sight of what the anthemic single was all about. “I want this to be a song that everyone can sing to or that it’s easy to sing along to. I wasn’t really aiming for something like Golden from K-pop Demon Hunters. But the goal was for all ASEAN countries and just for everyone to be able to sing along to the song as a unity song.”
“It reflects what Manila sounds like today and what the global conversation of music is.”
– Anya Lagman on Together In Motion
Lagman focused more on the positives of what creating a song like Together In Motion can mean for the Philippines and Southeast Asia. “Knowing that it’s for the greater good of the country, I like a challenge, and I love knowing that the end goal is to celebrate how beautiful our country is and all the countries in ASEAN.”
Once all the pieces fell into place, Lagman was designated as the song’s official composer and lyricist, with SB19 as the performer, and industry veterans Louie Ocampo serving as the producer and Jimmy Antiporda as the arranger and the mixing and mastering engineer. It was a dream team that Lagman felt brought an inclusive touch to the track. “I think that with all of our different experiences and backgrounds, it really makes this a song for all generations and for all age groups.”
Creating Together In Motion
Not everyone can say that they made a track for the ASEAN Summit, and the fact that it’s the official theme song makes it an integral part of the gathering. A lot is riding on communicating the proper message, and Lagman agrees as much about the pressure it takes to get it done.
But for her, giving it her all has always been part of her outlook on life, and that didn’t change here. “I think those circumstances make me put in my 100% or my 300%, and I never like to do things half-baked. So I always take on opportunities where there is pressure and knowing that it’s for ASEAN and for SB19, I kind of like that challenge.”
Lagman knew what she was stepping into was more than just another commission or song to write with an audience that went beyond the expected.
“I like to think of the bigger picture of what the potential of the song could be, like the message that the song can share or that it can convey to the audience. I like to see the bigger side of things instead of thinking of it as a daunting task. Just having that as the guiding force and always having a ‘I can do this’ kind of spirit. It really takes a village in terms of making a song that I’m very proud of because it has been guided by experts and titans from the industry.”
Speaking of which, once it was time to record the official version last September, it was a whole other world that Lagman described as an eye-opening experience. If the demo was a more streamlined and somewhat solitary experience, the official recording was a multi-stage process that required multiple creatives. “For a song of this scale and this level of quality and caliber, you need the best of the best to be in the room,” shares Lagman. “So I just felt very in awe because of just how inspiring the energy was in the room. Everyone just brought their creative juices together. But also just seeing how these people called the shots and what their creative intuition was.”
“I like to think of the bigger picture of what the potential of the song could be”
– Anya Lagman on the message behind Together In Motion
While an experienced artist herself, Lagman felt like a student working up close with pioneers. “I love learning from other people, and I always think that it will always be a lifelong learning journey in collaboration and working with other people.” That admiration also extends to SB19, who brought in their own team and gave the track an energy in a way only they know how.
“I was just in awe of how amazing SB19 is also. It’s one thing to write for them and have an imagination of what the song will sound like in your head as a demo, but then when they really bring it to life, I could have never imagined what they could do. The ad-libs they brought, the energy, the flavor, the end, just like the spirit of the song. I give credit to them just for making the song special too.” At the end of the recording session, a pop song became an inspirational anthem.
Using Music as a Force for Good
With the ASEAN Summit gatherings about to kick off, Together In Motion, which has already been out for a couple of weeks, is about to get its biggest spotlight yet, and in front of world leaders and diplomats no less. For Lagman, who is one of the main reasons why Together In Motion exists in the first place, it’s a moment she’s gladly savoring. “Just in general, as a composer, I think that it’s so important to always share your music and always have an audience, or always have them in mind when you’re writing the song. And I really value the reactions, the love, the positivity for the song.”
As one of its original creators, Lagman holds great pride in seeing the track transcend to being something more, not just with its message, but also in its potential with SB19 performing the track live on November 17 as part of the Summit. “I’m so excited to see what the full performance will be with the theatrics, with the live vocals and the dance, the choreo, how it will all come together. That’s what I love about their performances is that there are so many different elements besides just listening to the song.”
Admittedly, Lagman has her nerves about watching her creation performed live, but she’s also excited to see all her and the team’s hard work come to fruition on stage. “You care about the song, and you never know what the audience is going to feel. But I know I put my 100% in that song, and I think that’s the best way to think about it always. And I have no doubt, it’s SB19, that they’re gonna bring their A-game and perform the song the way that they perform any of their other songs. So I’m very excited.”
The whole experience has been one for the books for Lagman, given that it’s her first time working with SB19. And the composer, who, even before collaborating with the group, was a fan of their diverse discography, is taking away her time with the boys with even more respect for them as artists. “I’m so grateful to them for taking on the song and for bringing it to life.”
Ultimately, while Together In Motion is a career highlight, it also serves a greater purpose in helping remind people that there’s a lot more that unites us than separates us. As someone who is constantly surrounded by music, Lagman understands the art form’s power in bridging cultures and divides.
“I think that history has proven that music can really back very important causes and unite people from different backgrounds, different countries, and different nations.”
– Anya Lagman on finding unity through music
“I think that history has proven that music can really back very important causes and unite people from different backgrounds, different countries, and different nations. Music is such a human art form. There’s just some human connection that I think can resonate with different people. And I think that is the hope I have as a composer, as a songwriter, with the potential that music has to be the voice of the people, to be a beacon of hope, to bring a powerful message and spread it in a way that is meaningful and heartfelt.”
Even if it doesn’t automatically spark lasting social change, as long as it helps put a smile on someone’s face, then that is good enough for Lagman. “It can also just be when you’re having a bad day, and you need a pick-me-up, or you want something to feel good. The song, I hope, can also be that too, where you just want something that you can’t help dancing to, that puts a smile on your face, where you’re bobbing your head. That’s also the hope, I think, on the larger and the smaller scale.” Music has, is, and will continue to bring people together as art and the good of the people can meet as one.
The interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Featured Image: Photo by Excel Panlaque, Art Direction by Troy Nonato, Production Design by Jagger Studios
Photos: Courtesy of Anya Lagman
