Did You Know? The Baby Dolls' Biggest Hits Were Originally Vhong Navarro Songs
Long before the Baby Dolls turned them into viral dance crazes, "Ooh Lala Baby" and "Ikembot Mo" were featured in one of Vhong Navarro's films.
by Em Enriquez
Published on Jul 24, 2026
In case you've been terminally offline, the Baby Dolls have become the nation's latest obsession, dominating playlists and #fyp feeds alike. After debuting three years ago as resident dancers on It's Showtime, the girl group is now poised to become one of P-pop's breakout acts. The group currently consists of seven members: Arianne, Chole, Johaira, Juby, Jelai, Eriel, and Ina.
Their two biggest hits to date are "Ooh Lala Baby" and "Ikembot Mo," both of which have sparked viral dance trends and amassed millions of streams. What may come as a surprise to some fans, however, is that the songs are actually covers of tracks originally performed by It's Showtime mainstay and host Vhong Navarro.
"Ooh Lala Baby" and "Ikembot Mo" by Baby Dolls Are Covers of Vhong Navarro Songs
After three years of appearing on the noontime show, the Baby Dolls officially released their debut EP (extended play) under StarPop in March 2026. Under the guidance of producer Rox Santos and composer Christian Martinez, the group recorded their own singles, which included renditions of "Ooh Lala Baby" and "Ikembot Mo"—tracks originally written for Vhong Navarro's 2014 film Da Possessed. In the comedy, the songs were featured in scenes shared by Vhong and his co-star Solenn Heussaff.
In an interview with ABS-CBN Entertainment reporter MJ Felipe, Vhong expressed his full support for the Baby Dolls' versions of his songs. He even admitted that he had almost forgotten about the tracks until he heard the group's fresh take on them.
"Iba lang yung tunog. Kasi [yung] panahon [ng movie ko], in-adapt namin sa character ko sa pelikula... Kinanta ko siya sa movie lang, 'di ko siya kinanta sa mga shows ko," he shared.
Seeing the Baby Dolls breathe new life into the songs—and watching audiences embrace them through viral dance trends—has left Vhong with nothing but pride.
"Na-proud ako kasi ang ganda! Nakakabilib kasi para talaga sa kanila yung kanta," he said. "Pasok sa boses ng mga girls. Para talaga sa masa. Tatatak sa pandinig mo, kahit anong gawin mo."
The Baby Dolls have been riding the wave of their viral success. The official music video for "Ooh Lala Baby" has amassed millions of views, while the group has become one of Spotify's most-streamed artists in the Philippines. On July 17, It's Showtime celebrated the resident act's meteoric rise with "Grand Baby Dolls Day," where celebrities and fans from across the country joined in on the group's signature dance craze.
Em is queer and probably daydreaming somewhere. They're Preview's associate entertainment editor who's often spotted in cowboy boots and lemon-tinted sunnies.