Dodjie Simon submits 'Best of All' album for Grammy consideration

Article Inside Page Showbiz News Dodjie Simon has submitted his latest album, 'Best of All,' for consideration at the 69th Annual GRAMMY Awards. Filipino songwriter and music executive Elzar “Dodjie” Simon is setting his sights on the global music scene as his latest album, Best of All (The Music of Dodjie Simon), has been submitted for consideration at the 69th Annual GRAMMY Awards. Released on August 11, the seven-track OPM album features four-part vocal arrangements and has been submitted across four categories for the 2027 GRAMMY Awards cycle. The album is being considered for Best Global Music Album and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical, while two of its tracks are also in the running for arrangement categories. Simon's “Ikaw Lamang” was submitted for Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals, while “Kulang Ang Paleta” is being considered for Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella. Produced by Simon with acclaimed choral conductor Joel Navarro, Best of All brings together several notable names in Philippine music, including Moy Ortiz, artistic director of The CompanY, Nica Tupas, Bianca Lopez-Aguila, and Joshua Cadeliña. One of the album's highlights is “Kulang Ang Paleta,” which features a melody by National Artist for Music Ryan Cayabyab, Tagalog lyrics by Simon, and Navarro's four-part a cappella arrangement. The album also features a refreshed rendition of Simon's OPM classic “Ikaw Lamang,” with contributions from cellist Francisco Llorin and oboist Japs Bautista. Behind the album's technical production are recording engineer Martin Andrew Guevara and GRAMMY®-winning mastering engineer Jett Galindo, known for his work on Gaby Moreno's X Mí [Vol. 1]. Keyboardist Marvin Querido also contributed to the project. Simon is a veteran songwriter whose works have been recorded by some of the Philippines' biggest artists, including Lea Salonga, Martin Nievera, Gary Valenciano, Sharon Cuneta, and Sarah Geronimo. Among his major songwriting achievements are the 1988 KBP MusicFest Grand Prize for “Isang Dugo, Isang Lahi, Isang Musika,” the 1997 Asia Song Festival Grand Prize in Hong Kong with Jaya, and the 1999 Metropop Song Festival Grand Prize with Lani Misalucha. His catalog also includes OPM classics such as “Ikaw Lamang,” “Can Find No Reason,” and “Kung Alam Mo Lang.” For Simon, the GRAMMY consideration is an opportunity to bring Filipino music and artistry to a wider international audience. “Participating in the GRAMMY consideration process is a privilege that allows us to demonstrate how Philippine songwriting, choral arranging, and vocal performance hold a rightful place on the global recording stage,” said Simon in a statement. Related gallery: Filipino singers who won in competitions abroad