Singer and ‘It’s Showtime’ host Darren Espanto expressed delight over the unexpected virality of his performance of Kid Cudi’s song ‘Maui Wowie’ on ‘ASAP’, which has since taken over social media timelines and inspired countless imitations.
In an interview with ABS-CBN ‘TV Patrol’ on Friday, December 12, Darren shared how the nickname quickly followed him even offstage.
“When I walked in sa ABS-CBN today, walang tumawag sa akin ng ‘Darren,’ lahat nang nakakita sa akin, ‘Maui Wowie.’ Lahat ng artists, staff, the crew, ayon,” he said.
He added jokingly, “I feel like I made an impact, wow! On the Philippine entertainment landscape.”
Darren also explained why his version stood out, saying he adjusted the song to better fit his vocal range.
“The song was a bit too low for my register. So, I sang it an octave higher. That’s why ayon, nag-viral siya,” he explained.
@jamescharles genuinely cannot believe this isn’t my voice 😭 @Darren Espanto
The playful and unconventional delivery quickly became a trend, with netizens recreating Darren’s now-iconic hanging pose and vocal style. Several celebrities also joined in, including ‘It’s Showtime’ hosts Anne Curtis and Kim Chiu, dancer and influencer Niana Guerrero, and even American makeup artist and social media personality James Charles.
Darren himself leaned into the joke, reposting and reacting to fan-made videos and even recreating the performance on TikTok. On Instagram, he jokingly captioned one of his posts, “Last na ‘to HAHAHAHA.”
@darrenespanto Ah gusto niyo ah HAHAHA Sasali na ako sa ginawa niyong trend! #DarrenEspanto #MauiWowie
The trend has also led to humorous reactions from fans, many of whom admitted the song had become stuck in their heads.
