Filipino lullaby ‘Ili-Ili Tulog Anay’ featured in award-winning series The Pitt

A scene from the Emmy-winning medical drama series The Pitt has been trending after it featured the Ilongo lullaby Ili-Ili Tulog Anay.  The clip quickly circulated online and has generated millions of views on social media.

In the episode, Filipino-American  singer and actress Isa Briones, who plays Dr. Trinity Santos, sings the lullaby while caring for an abandoned infant in the emergency department at the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center. The baby calms down while Briones sings.

Ili-Ili, Tulog Anay, meaning Sleep for a While, Little One, is a centuries-old Philippine lullaby traditionally sung in Hiligaynon-speaking communities. 

The song has also been recorded by Filipino singer and Broadway star Lea Salonga for her 2017 album Bahaghari. The song’s lyrics describe a mother who encourages her child to go to sleep while she is away.

Briones shared in an ABS-CBN News report that Canadian writer and producer R. Scott Gemmill suggested if Briones can include a Filipino lullaby in the series. The actress consulted her father, Miss Saigon actor Jon Jon Briones, who then recommended the song.

The series also includes Filipino-American actresses Amielynn Abellera (Nurse Perlah) and Kristin Villanueva (Nurse Princess), whose characters occasionally speak Tagalog.

Clips from the lullaby scene continue to circulate across social media platforms. The Pitt follows a 15-hour shift in an emergency department and premiered its second season in January 2026, with the season set to conclude in April.

According to the awards profile on IMDb, the series has also received major recognition. Briones, along with Kristin Villanueva, Amielynn Abellera, and the cast of The Pitt, won Outstanding Performance at the 2025 Primetime Emmys.

The show was named Best Television Series – Drama at the 2026 Golden Globes and Best Drama Series at the 2026 Critics Choice Awards. Noah Wyle also won Best Actor honors at major award ceremonies. 

The HBO Max series’ second season premiered on January 8, 2026, with the finale set for April 16.