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Young musicians like Miguel Benjamin Guico of Ben&Ben say they’re proud to be among the new batch of OPM artists who are ‘ready to break the boundaries’
MANILA, Philippines – A quick check on the local hits on Spotify or any music streaming platform can easily yield a snapshot of the current Original Pilipino Music (OPM) landscape.
The industry is clearly thriving, with many young artists offering a good mix of folk to indie rock, bubblegum pop, R&B, hip-hop, and many other music genres.
“We’re happy to be a part of a movement of artists that are ready to create music, that is ready to break the boundaries of where OPM can go,” said Miguel Benjamin Guico of indie folk-pop band Ben&Ben.
Guico even likened the current industry trend to halo-halo, the popular Filipino shaved-ice dessert that derived its name from the sweet and colorful mixture of various ingredients.
“The state of OPM right now, it’s so diverse and magnificent in every way,” Guico told Rappler.
“In every genre, sound, it really is a delight [to listen to]. It’s like halo-halo.”
BINI, the wildly popular P-pop girl group which recently performed in a sold-out concert at the 55,000-seater Philippine Arena, strongly believes that OPM acts could stand toe-to-toe with foreign hits.
“[Filipino music] has been thriving since the start of the year, almost everything has been about OPM,” said BINI Jhoanna, the leader of the eight-member girl group.
“OPM artists have been selling out concerts in the country, whether it’s just one or two days.”
Johnson Arul of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) also noted the OPM’s growing impact.
The IFPI operates The Official Philippines Chart, an industry-backed music chart featuring top-performing tracks from local and international artists in the country based on streaming across all major platforms.
More than just compiling a weekly listing, the IFPI said the OPM chart is a “reflection of the changing dynamics and trends in the music industry.”
Data is provided by BMAT, a music company that monitors music usage globally across platforms.
“I think the Philippines is a dynamic, growing market. And it’s one of the markets in the Southeast Asian region that has an extremely exciting group of local talent,” said Arul.
“From a global perspective, the Philippines has one of the fastest-growing markets and there’s plenty of local talent here.”
Singer-songwriter TJ Monterde also appreciates OPM’s growth and diversity, but hopes it won’t just be all about numbers.
“It will be one of those reminders that we’re doing a great job and we’re treading on the right path in this industry,” said the “Palagi” singer.
“Again, we just write songs from the heart, and the chart numbers will follow.” – Rappler.com
Content shared from www.rappler.com.