The Philippines is inhabited by millions of talented people living their everyday lives with music. We Filipinos just can’t live without it. That’s why we have Original Pilipino Music or simply, OPM, a huge empire with variety of influences ranging from our very own Kundiman, to Rock, Ballads, Pop even in Hip-Hop, Filipino musicians are getting more and more competitive and evolving through the decades.
There are countless of local artists who gave pride globally as a singer, instrumentalist, musical director or composer who earned respect from both local and foreign musicians alike. One of them is Lea Salonga, a Tony award winning Broadway performer whom I think is one of God’s gift from the heavens to us who live a better life for embracing the magic of music.
But let’s take the obvious facts aside and focus on something that most OPM listeners are not fully aware of; if you are to choose one from the listings below, then maybe you’ll realize what type of musician or a fan are you?
And as an aspiring musician, how do you want to be regarded in the future?
Let’s categorize the types of musicians we have here;
1.) The Famous
– only people who never had a television or living in the midst of Sierra Madre mountain ranges will not recognize you. You are simply everywhere. Billboards, music videos, your promotional posters scattered all over Metro Manila, you don’t even know when was the last time you had an 8 hour sleep because you are so effin busy doing gigs and out of town shows.
Most listeners appreciate you as a musician. Your songs rocking the airwaves everyday. No one wants to thwart and criticize your music because if they did, thousands of your supporters will immediately fire back at them like a flock of armalites with infinite bullets.
But, when was the last time you had a dinner in a Restaurant with your family that didn’t got interrupted because of the fans butting in from out of nowhere to take a picture with you? When was the last time you go to a bar to get some booze with your friends without worrying someone could take a picture of you unaware and unguarded raising that bottle of whisky and do some tipsy dancing on the table?
Or should I ask, when was the last time you had this precious thing called ‘Privacy’?
2.) The Rich (a.k.a Well-Connected)
– Eraserheads’ music is garbage and Bamboo is the most overrated vocalist of all time. Why the hell are they popular? what’s wrong with this country? We are better than this, so Markus Adoro have an Epiphone? F*ck that I will buy a Gibson Les Paul Custom tomorrow. My mom has a ballroom amiga who’s a former General Manager of one of the top recording companies in the country. We’ll get a slot. Let’s make a Music Video nextweek and guest what? we will feature that young actress from ABS-CBN. Believe me, her Manager is my Aunty. Oh God. I can’t wait for our MYX guesting I can imagine it now oh man.
Imagine? we just started a band a couple of hours ago and my mind’s getting obstreperous in excitement. Man. We’re gonna get famous. But oh, by the way, did you contact your neighbor who knows how to play the drums yet?
3.) The Respected
– if you’re a true musician, not just us music lovers but your fellow local artists respect you. And it will cost you years or better yet, decades of dedication and hard work to gain this status of legendary artistry. Because you’re influential, inspiring and engaged in writing and performing true music without thinking anything else other than the sake of your passion for the art.
Most of them don’t have mansions and luxury cars. If you want to see them? check out Ka Freddies’ or other music bars maybe you’re lucky enough to have a chat and share a bottle of beer with them. Yes. That’s how cool these MUSICIANS are. Most of them are ‘Independent Artists’ who are self-recording and selling their CDs for 60-100 f*ckin pesos. Hey. They just want to be heard that’s all.
So let me ask you something, are you an OPM lover? Did you ever ask this to yourself, “Am I supporting the movement?”. So you memorize all of The Youth’s songs because you manage to copy them from your friend’s MP3 list. Did that make you a supporter?
– “Oh I get it. It’s all about the money right?”
No you stupid ass cottonhead piece of sh*t! They also need to earn for what they do because they gotta eat.
#SupportIndie Music
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