Whether you’ve caught them live or stumbled upon one of their songs on Spotify, these acts have proven that they’re worth adding to your playlist
MANILA, Philippines – Even as the local music scene continues to go through rapid changes, there’s one thing that we always seem to get more of every year: the emergence of promising new talent.
Whether you’ve caught them live, saw them on social media, or just happened to stumble upon one of their songs on Spotify, these OPM acts have proven that they’re ones to look out for. And they’re not just from a single genre — they’ve got roots in funk, R&B, P-pop, and everything in between.
Here are the rising local acts you’ll want to start adding to your playlist this year:
(e)motion engine
(e)motion engine’s a band name that’s pretty hard to miss, courtesy of the parentheses enclosing the first “e.” When the young band first introduced themselves during the 2024 Gabi Na Naman Year-End Party, one of the members even jokingly apologized for the way their band name is stylized — drawing laughs from the crowd.
Names aside, however, this six-member band has shown quite a lot of promise despite just beginning to build their discography. For the SB19 fans out there, you may have first come across (e)motion engine in “No Control” from Josh Cullen’s debut album. If you pay close attention to the track, you’ll be able to note the distinct shoegaze instrumentals they first introduced in their debut single “mlb” (My Little Boy). But this band, according to an interview with Young Star, does not want to be confined into a single genre, making us all the more excited for what other hits they can produce.
flu
If funk and groove are what you’re looking for, flu is a band you’ll want to add to your playlist this year. Born out of a college thesis, four-piece act flu released their debut album, Time & Pace, in October 2024. The 10-track record is split between day and night, charting two different emotional journeys in each half.
It almost seems like a record of flu’s personal history — containing traces of all the artists the band’s members grew up listening to on repeat. Suffice it to say, then, that the album really is a modern take on the vintage neo-soul sound, and it’s a vibe flu has wholeheartedly made theirs. And hopefully, we’ll be able to hear more of that in the years to come.
New:ID
For P-pop fans looking for a new group to stan, this one’s for you. Meet NEW:ID, a five-member P-pop boy group composed of members Wilson, Macky, L, Thad, and Jom. The group officially made its debut in July 2024 with “GHOST.” While the song may seem like it’s just about love and the pain that comes along with it, for the members, it harbors a deeper meaning.
“[As seen in] the lyrics ‘I’m not a ghost, baby. Can’t you see that I’m trying,’ we don’t want people just seeing right through us. We want them to see our worth as an artist and our potential to be big someday in the future,” member Jom told Manila Bulletin.
Sonically, “GHOST” is pretty reminiscent of the 2011 to 2012 K-pop boy group releases, making for an enjoyable, nostalgic listen. Even before the release of “GHOST,” though, New:ID’s already developed a pretty solid base of listeners, courtesy of their pre-debut track “E.R,” which charts the intricacies of young love. Even with just a few songs in their discography as of late, New:ID’s already established themselves as a P-pop group worth listening to.
Ryannah J
More women are beginning to dominate the local R&B scene, and Ryannah J is one of the latest additions to that demographic.
The 18-year-old artist made her debut in late June 2024 with “Puntirya,” and has since gone on to cement iconic collaborations with Filipino rappers. Case in point: “This Na Malambing” with Nateman. The viral hit is a retelling of Ryannah J’s breakup with her ex-boyfriend, who the young artist wanted to fix things with, only to find out they’ve moved on to another girl already. Nateman lends his laidback bars to the song to complete the classic fusion of R&B and hip-hop.
Her latest release, “Sickreet,” is a sultry anthem that sees two lovers in an exciting relationship that they must keep secret. To quote the song, “Pinagtagpo ni Kupido, ngunit ang kondisyon, sikreto tayo (Fated to meet by Cupid, but on the condition that we keep it lowkey).”
It goes without saying that as early as now, Ryannah J has already been able to captivate listeners with both her storytelling and vocal chops.
Doughbaby
Hailing from Bacolod, Doughbaby is a four-member band steadily making waves for their mellow, synth-laden sound. The band, which describes its style as “mostly indie and bedroom pop,” began to catch people’s attention with the feel-good “Things will fall to its place” — the type of track you’d listen to on a sunny day. Its lyrics are as straightforward as it gets: “There’s no need to rush, we don’t have to hurry, things will fall to its place.”
But it’s this simplicity that makes Doughbaby’s music so easy to relate to, and it’s a writing style they’ve kept up in all of their releases. Just take their latest, jazz-elements-infused drop, “Coffee Me,” for example — which perfectly describes what it’s like to daydream about someone you’re interested in, and rehearsing in your head how you’d approach them.
Which other OPM artists do you recommend? – Rappler.com