If there’s anything that Filipinos love, it’s an underdog story — and in the context of the country’s entertainment industry, it seems that everyone is an underdog. Whether it’s a heart-wrenching backstory of a rags-to-riches actor or a musician landing their big break that’s years in the making, the hero’s journey narrative continues to persist.
Nowadays, it’s very rare to come across “true” underdogs. Underdogs are those who seem to never get it quite right, or who come so close to winning that it slips right through their fingers. Nevertheless, underdogs persevere, exhausting all means to finally come out on top. And for some, all they need is a second chance.
Case in point: FlipMusic’s first-ever P-pop girl group, VVINK.
Instead of the traditional P-pop route where members are formed through an audition process, VVINK (pronounced ‘wink’) were specifically handpicked by the FlipMusic team.
Composed of members Odri, Angelika, Ayaka, Jean, and Mariel, these five girls were no stranger to the limelight. In fact, all of them have been performing in the public eye as early as five or six years old. Collectively, their performance credits include shows like The Voice Kids, Idol Philippines, numerous televised talent competitions, and more.
Beyond just performing on television, the girls also have professional experience working behind-the-scenes. Odri, who never sang professionally before joining VVINK, has spent the last few years as a professional dancer. You also have Angelika, who after meeting FlipMusic head producer Bojam, worked as a songwriter for FlipMusic. Most notably, her first song written for FlipMusic was BINI’s breakout hit, “Pantropiko.”
“We actively looked for people who were hungry,” shares FlipMusic CEO Jeli Mateo, when talking about how they chose the members of the group. “[People] who were not given the chance to be ‘winners,’ but who we believe have so much potential and who have what it takes to become great, together.”
We don’t aim to be a competitor for BINI
Mateo goes on to explain that it was also their way of supporting these artists who never seemed to catch their big break in the industry. “We wanted to lend our creativity in music to individuals who have been fighting…[our] criteria [for choosing] was to pick people who still had that fire in them to succeed.”
And so began the journey of bringing VVINK together. VVINK’s first member was Jean, who was originally signed to FlipMusic as a solo artist. Her debut single, “Kalawakan” (roughly translated as “Galaxy”), was already written with her in mind.
After her came the others: Mariel, who was on The Voice Kids and was mutuals with Jean online; Angelika, who had debuted as part of the short-lived A4OU and then shifted to songwriting; and Odri, who had choreographed the music videos of her co-members’ solo singles. With four members down, FlipMusic was on the hunt for the fifth member that would finally round out the group.
After sifting through some recommendations from their network as well as their own research, they found Ayaka — a half-Japanese, half-Filipino former child star who had since moved to Japan after her acting career in the Philippines. With Ayaka’s “yes,” VVINK was officially born.
The five girls moved into the same house, where they’ve spent the last two years undergoing a rigorous and tailor-fitted training program.
“Andun pa rin ang adjustment phase (There’s still an adjustment phase),” Mariel shares, when talking about what it’s been like living and training together.
“It has been very great living with [the other VVINK girls]. It’s also been our dream to live [independently] together since lahat kami bunso sa pamilya (we’re all the youngest children in our families).”
Just like with all other P-pop groups who undergo the same process, what has come out of it is a strong sisterhood formed by similar life experiences and a fire to perform well. Ayaka goes on to say that the girls are now seemingly inseparable — even on their days off, they still end up looking for each other around the house.
The link that ties them even stronger together is undoubtedly the music.
FlipMusic had decided to debut the girls with individual songs, in a similar fashion to the K-pop girl group, Kiss of Life. With each member having two pre-debut songs, the production studio seemed to use this opportunity to produce two songs with varying genres in order to show off the range of each girl’s skills and stories.
Take for example “Ningning” and “Alon” by Angelika. Whereas “Ningning” features Angelika singing over a bubblegum and electropop beat in a lower register, “Alon” takes a different form of pop, with more pronounced ‘80s style drums, electric guitar riffs, and dramatic vocal runs. On the other hand, you have Odri take on R&B with “Sa Iyo Talaga” (a sound that she says she’s more used to) and bubblegum pop with jersey influences on “Palagi.”
“It was challenging for me because I was coming from a very strong and edgy visual with ‘Sa Iyo Talaga’ and then it switched to bubblegum pop…but it was fun. I was super happy to share my music since it’s really my first time [singing professionally]. I’m also happy that with the second single, I felt more trained to sing it since the other girls helped me,” Odri says.
Mariel adds that the FlipMusic team worked closely with them and gave them the freedom to explore and experiment, “They let us sing the songs based on our own interpretations. They let us explore different adlibs and styles…It’s like two sides of me.”
This intense collaborative process between the girls as well as FlipMusic’s Bojam and songwriter John Michael Conchada ultimately pays off on their pre-debut album.
Each song on the record is equally stellar: from the infectious melodies of tracks like “Kalawakan” and “Ichigo Girl” to the headbanging beats on “Palagi” and “Kindat,” Bojam’s masterful production style continues to hit harder in the same way that has made FlipMusic a go-to production studio for P-pop groups like BINI, G22, Calista, and more.
The difference, however, is that FlipMusic together with the girls of VVINK have full creative control over the music and art. While their other client work was still dependent on sign-offs from their respective managements and tight deadlines for recording, VVINK and FlipMusic have the full freedom to keep writing, producing, and polishing until they get it right.
That’s why it didn’t come as a surprise that even with their pre-debut album, VVINK’s link to FlipMusic was already met with both excitement and criticism. Online, fans compared VVINK to other P-pop girl groups that FlipMusic had already worked with, like BINI.
“A lot of the young members on the team have been reading the comparisons or ‘bashing’ this early on,” director Nolan Bernardino, creative director for VVINK and partner at FlipMusic reveals.
“Sa amin naman (For us), our standards have always been that we aren’t comparable to BINI, they’re veterans. They paved the way for P-pop girl groups. We respect them so much — they are inspirations to upcoming girl and boy groups. To be compared to them is really flattering. We don’t aim to be a competitor for BINI — even the [VVINK] girls think so.”
“Talaarawan was a labor of love for us,” Mateo continues. “We just want to put our hats in the ring. We want to be a part of the conversation…Ultimately, we want to work with everyone to bring P-pop and OPM together and elevate our status.”
She adds, “With VVINK, everything is original, it’s just liberating for us to create the music that we want. Even with the pre-debut, so many genres and subgenres, and exploring where these girls can excel. We had the opportunity to really digest and each of the girls could come in and contribute to the group as a whole.”
Two singles per member, two years of training, and a second chance at stardom later, VVINK and FlipMusic are set to officially make their debut this July 10 with the release of “Tulala.” As they look towards the future, one can’t help but watch in anticipation if this is finally going to be the big break these girls have been working towards for the majority of their lives.
“Since we come from different backgrounds, this is an opportunity for a new beginning. A chance to grow,” Angelika says, to close.
“VVINK’s music is based on shared life experiences. Through life’s ups and downs, we learn from those mistakes and we choose to keep going,” adds Ayaka. “VVINK is more than just a name — it’s our promise that we’re here with you. You’re not alone, you’re here, you’re seen, and valued.”
It’s apt that the two V’s in VVINK don’t just function as a stylized version of W — they stand for two victories. Another chance at a win. If there’s any group who can weather through the storms of the P-pop industry and finally land on top, my bet is on VVINK.
And I’m liking my odds. – Rappler.com
Content shared from www.rappler.com.