Rico Blanco Collaborates with Ex Maris Racal for Sunshine Movie

It’s still unclear if Sunshine was shot during Rico and Maris’s relationship.

Rico Blanco is in charge of the musical score of Sunshine, which stars his ex-girlfriend Maris Racal.
PHOTO/S: Rico Blanco/Maris Racal on Instagram

Ikinatuwa ng mga tagahanga ni Rico Blanco ang naging partisipasyon niya sa latest movie ng ex-girlfriend niyang si Maris Racal, ang Sunshine.

Ito’y matapos mapag-alamang ang Rivermaya vocalist na si Rico ang nasa likod ng musical score ng pelikulang kasalukuyang palabas sa mga sinehan.

Sunshine stars Maris Racal as the titular young rhythmic gymnast who dreams of joining the national team but finds out that she was pregnant days before her tryout.
Photo/s: Maris Racal on Instagram

Noong August 2, 2025, isang netizen sa X (dating Twitter) ang nagtanong sa filmmaker na si Quark Henare tungkol sa inspirasyon ng ginawang musical score ni Rico para sa pelikula. Si Quark ay kilalang malapit na kaibigan ng direktor ng Sunshine na si Antonette Jadaone.

Komento ng netizen sa isang post ni Quark para i-promote ang pelikula ni Maris, “Nobody is talking about Rico Blanco’s musical score. Are Sunshine’s rhythmic gymnastic music original?”

Mabilis itong nireplayan ni Quark. Ani niya, sa kanyang pagkakaalam ay inspired sa kantang “Elektrobank” ng The Chemical Brothers ang musical score na ginamit sa Sunshine.

Dahil tila hindi sigurado si Quark, si Rico na mismo ang nagpaliwanag tungkol sa musical score na kanyang ginawa para sa pelikula ng dating nobya. Pahayag ni Rico (published as is): “Actually more inspired by electronic music in general. Hardly used pegs for Sunshine. More of convos w @tonetjadaone re characters, intentions, goals. Big idea was to add modernity and youth to the story.”

“i have deep roots in the genre kraftwerk orbital reznor depeche ultravox etc and tho i love this track, it totally wasn’t on my radar then. this is more 90s Big Beat.”

Uncertainty Surrounding the Timeline

Hindi tiyak kung kailan ginawa ni Rico ang musical score ng Sunshine, kung noong sila pa ba ni Maris o noong break na sila. Gayunpaman, sa isang panayam ni Maris kamakailan ay sinabi nitong sabay niyang ginawa ang Sunshine at defunct Kapamilya drama series na Can’t Buy Me Love, noong October 2023 hanggang April 2024. Kung ito ang pagbabasehan, lumalabas na ginawa ni Rico ang musical score ng Sunshine noong sila pa ni Maris.

Maris-Rico Breakup

Noong July 12, 2024, isinapubliko ni Maris ang malungkot na kinahantungan ng limang taong relasyon nila ni Rico.
Photo/s: Rico Blanco Facebook

Hindi direktang sinabi ni Maris ang dahilan ng kanilang breakup ngunit may mga binanggit siya tungkol sa mga desisyong gusto niyang tahakin sa buhay.

Bagamat masaya, nagmamahalan, at kuntento naman sila sa isa’t isa, dumating daw kasi sa puntong nagbago ang kanyang gusto at prayoridad, bagay na agad niyang sinabi kay Rico.

Emosyunal na pahayag ni Maris: “Rico and I, our universe was so beautiful. It was full of love, laughter, music, everything. Sa five years namin together, we were always on the same page.”

“I don’t know what happened to me. Maybe I turned to the next page and saw a new perspective sa life. I had visions of who I want to become, and how I want to evolve. I’m so curious about the world and the truth is, I am going through changes.”

“Alam naman natin yung change is either good or bad. But what I hate about change is it’s inevitable. Hindi mo siya matatakasan. Wala ka nang puwedeng ibang gawin but to confront it and face it.”

Nang masinsinang makapag-usap, nagdesisyon daw sila ni Rico na tuluyan nang maghiwalay. Ani Maris: “It was a very difficult talk, cause I love him so much and he loves me. But I have so many questions about my life and how will I go on in life with him, and I have so many questions about me and my sense of self.”

“It was very difficult but a very polite separation. Up to the very end of the relationship, it was still full of love and understanding. And Rico is one of a kind. If only I could skip through my 20s, you know, but I can’t. I have to face it, I have to sit with my feelings and acknowledge my changes.”