With music as an integral part of our history and culture, it is only right that we explore it through the lens of Philippine media’s prime players
The entire history of the Philippines plays around on us as a melting pot of traditions and practices. To some, this causes a confusion on our identity. Who are we, after we take away the parts from other lands? To others, however, this is what makes us who we are. What if we hold the power after all, because we have every bit of everything? And if there is a part of us that holds so much of this multidimensionality, it’s music.
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Today, Billboard Philippines finally announces the names that aim to expand Original Pilipino Music (OPM) to our islands, and even to the rest of the world. Spearheading this milestone for our music and media industries are four individuals who have dabbled and acquainted themselves with music’s various genres, all the while getting their hands dirty through production, performance, and discourse. As we face the music of the changes in our media landscape, we give you the team who will bring OPM to greater heights.
Flowing with sound beats
You can never talk about Bret Jackson without music in mind. From his acoustic compositions on Pinoy Big Brother to expanding his reach as a music maker venturing into hip hop and R&B, he proves that beats are in his veins and they are never going anywhere.
As Billboard Philippines’ Editor-in-Chief, Bret owns his Filipino side by creating waves through Filipino music that is not just for the metropolitan, but also in our different regions. In his own words, “Hearing their stories really instilled in me a relentless feeling to want to do more for the people and the places I loved. This led to becoming a full-time student of the Filipino music industry.” Together with the music publication’s EIC, we are all willing students who will embark on the study of music—a language with its own complexities that calls for collaborative effort.
Rocking and stringing stories
As one of the country’s most prolific genres with bands with the likes of The Dawn, Eraserheads, Chicosci, and Rivermaya, rock has positioned itself to cater to Filipinos’ music flavor. Banking on his experience as the The Dawn’s guitarist and a radio jock for NU107, Francis Reyes will definitely deepen the stories that Billboard Philippines will feature for Filipinos, by Filipinos. “The Philippine music landscape is healthy and diverse, encompassing countless scenes, communities, tastes, and perspectives. It won’t be easy, but we are excited to take on the challenges and help celebrate the triumphs of Philippine music,” he emphasized.
Staging the impact
Besides the auditory effect of music, visuals have helped in strengthening the impact of music, with OPM especially. If there is a concert capital packed with all-out support for their artists, it’s the Philippines. Concert and event director Paolo Valenciano, as Billboard Philippines’ Executive Producer, has established his prowess with productions involving Bamboo, Eraserheads, Sarah Geronimo, Regine Velasquez, Sharon Cuneta, and more.
Now that we are embarking on a new adventure for music, Paolo expresses his willingness to take more risks and push the boundaries of music’s power. “I’ve always believed that our local acts deserve to be on a global stage, and this new era of Billboard Philippines will give our artists even more opportunities to be seen and heard.”
Speaking with volume
With the depth and richness of OPM, there is always room for one more conversation, whether it’s about the sound, the language, the process, and even at times, the politics of all things music. As a radio jock and audio production head, Anton Molina will bring more discourse to the music table of Billboard Philippines. According to him, “I envision the brand to be a home for the latest in the local music stage and to be a place wherein a lot of fans discover artists or rediscover their love for other artists.”
Watch out for the formal launch of Billboard Philippines on October 2023. For the meantime, catch news and updates on the Philippine music’s newest platform at https://agcpowerholdingscorp.com/category/news/.
Photography SHAIRA LUNA
