MANILA — Here’s a welcome surprise for Filipino fans of South Korean singer Ailee.

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Ailee, known for her soaring vocals, recently recorded her rendition of the OPM ballad “Kahit Isang Saglit,” notably with near-perfect Tagalog.

Popularized by Martin Nievera and composed by Louie Ocampo with lyrics by Alan Peter Ayque, “Kahit Isang Saglit” was given fresh arrangement by Filipino-American musical director Troy Laureta.

Laureta’s version, performed by Ailee, is one of the tracks in his just-released album “Kaibigan: A Troy Laureta OPM Collective,” co-produced by ABS-CBN Music International.

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Expressing her excitement over being part of the album, Ailee recalled on Instagram how she and Laureta managed collaborating despite being seas apart.

Laureta was in the US, while Ailee was in South Korea when they recorded “Kahit Isang Saglit.”

“It was a joy in the studio even though we had to record via video call! What pure talent! Congratulations on your album and thank you for inviting me to be a part of this beautiful project!” she said, addressing Laureta.

“Never thought I’d be singing in Tagalog but this is for all my Aileeans in the Philippines! Hope you enjoy!”

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Ailee also credited a Filipino friend for “flying out from Busan to Seoul to help me with my pronunciations.”

Born to Filipino parents, Laureta grew up in Hawaii and later moved to Los Angeles, California to pursue his music career.

Laureta has since worked with the likes of Ariana Grande, Andrea Bocelli, Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, Steven Tyler, and The Pussycat Dolls.

“I’m really blessed to do a lot of stuff around the world and work with so many cool, dope people. But it is so important for me as a musician to give back to my community as much energy, time, and effort I have given so many artists around the world,” he said.