Original Pilipino Music: Its Obstacles to Global Success
Article by Adrien Ong
Artwork by Ezri Mitra
WHEN it comes to musical aptitude, the Filipino people are no stranger to international recognition. In fact, the Philippines is globally renowned for its deep pool of singing talent, frequently being featured in televised singing competitions and seeing major successes in avenues such as musical theater. Running counter to this however is the fact that in terms of local original music, Filipino artists struggle to make a splash outside of their country’s music scene. Even as singer-songwriter Juan Karlos Labajo broke records when his single “ERE” entered the Spotify Global 200 on October 8, 2023, there is not much evidence to deny that this milestone was simply the result of the song’s immense popularity within the Philippines.
So, if Filipinos really are known for their musical abilities, then how come OPM does not enjoy the same global prominence or lucrativeness as, say, the K-Pop of South Korea, the reggaeton of Latin America, or the Afrobeats of West Africa? In truth, this is a question with no easy answer and there are a myriad of cultural and economic factors that must be considered when approaching it. Nevertheless, we can begin to understand it by enumerating the obstacles which OPM currently has to overcome before it can set foot on the global stage. What are these so-called obstacles which are preventing OPM from making a bona fide breakthrough?
A Cultural Barrier
The simplest way to approach this topic is to point out that most Filipino musicians are not catering to a global audience. Though recent hits by the likes of Puerto Rico’s Bad Bunny and South Korea’s NewJeans have proved that non-Anglophone music has a place in the Western world, it should be noted that a majority of non-English songs that hit the Billboard charts fall under the umbrella of dance music. While OPM does have a plethora of songs which would fall under that category, it just so happens that the dance floor is incongruous with the Filipinos’ global reputation as melodramatic balladeers.
In an interview conducted with singer James Reyes, who has collaborated with the likes of Moira Dela Torre, he stated that what differentiates the Philippines from other countries like SK whose music has successfully permeated the global sphere is that it has yet to establish a singular musical identity for the world to associate with it. There is truth to this observation. When people think of the music of South Korea, they think of the glamorous K-pop groups with pristine pop production and extravagant choreography, whereas when they think of the Philippines, the prevailing notion is that “they have a lot of good singers”. This further illustrates the point that while the Philippines is indeed known for its musicians, this association has more to do with ability than with artistry.
Another dimension to this obstacle is that the intricacies of what makes OPM so appealing to Filipinos may not register as clearly to people who are not familiar with the culture. Much of OPM is loved by Filipinos for its dramatic depictions of love and heartbreak that are specific to the Filipino experience. As such, songwriting is pushed to the forefront much more so than in other genres, causing more to be lost in translation. Take for example, the aforementioned “ERE”. I am certain that the song would still sound fine to someone who does not speak Tagalog, but moments like the chorus’ infamous P.I.-bomb or lines like “Yokong mabuhay sa isang mundong walang tayo” would not have the same impact, when they are in fact integral to why the song works so well.
In the meantime, Filipinos have an excellent array of tools at their disposal which could help overcome this obstacle. The first of these is the Filipino’s proficiency in the English language, allowing artists to compose and produce songs which can skip the hurdle of the language barrier entirely. A recent example of this is “Maybe the Night” by Ben&Ben, which the folk-pop band recently performed with British singer Ed Sheeran during the Manila leg of his Mathematics Tour. Another is “An Art Gallery Could Never Be As Unique As You” by singer-songwriter mrld, an international hit which landed her a position in the Top 150 Indonesia Songs chart on Spotify.
Filipinos have always been known for their ability to seamlessly assimilate elements from other cultures into their own. Coupled with a chameleon-like capacity for imitation, there should be no doubt that they are capable of creating works which appeal to global audiences without compromising their artistic vision in the process.
Lack of Local and Industry Support
No matter how capable Filipinos are of producing music that can satisfy international audiences, support from both the local industry and the Filipino community is still essential to make OPM as a global phenomenon a reality. In truth, commercial music is a product that goes far beyond the sound of the music itself. Especially nowadays, bands and musicians may experience exponential growth when backed by a strong online presence, media coverage, or artistic branding. While this is not impossible to achieve independently, most artists require a team or connections that could assist them with the non-music aspects of their product. The unfortunate reality, however, is that most artists do not have access to these mechanisms.
When asked about the environment of the Philippine music industry, James Reyes described it as a relatively small community where everyone knows each other, but he also expressed that he wishes this was not the case. This exclusivity makes it difficult for so many bands or artists, especially those based in the provinces, to involve themselves if they are not fortunate enough to have the connections. The result of this is that countless musicians who have the talent and potential for nationwide or possibly even international success are shut out from having the support of the industry to bolster their endeavors.
In addition to a lack of support from the industry as a whole, many musicians also have to face the challenge of getting the Filipino masses to pay attention to and invest in their art. Toma Cayabyab, an award-winning composer as well as a professor of Music Research at Ateneo de Manila University, stated in an interview that he believes OPM has yet to break through internationally because Filipinos themselves do not know how to appreciate it. “Sanay tayo kumain ng mga produkto na hindi sa atin,” he said.
Historically, there is some truth to this observation. During the early days of OPM, singers would often be given nicknames or titles comparing them to foreign acts. Gary Valenciano was “The Michael Jackson of the Philippines.” The Eraserheads were “The Beatles of the Philippines”. These kinds of comparisons can be viewed as harmful because they make the musicians out to be “local” versions of their international “counterparts”, devaluing their worth as unique artists in their own right.
However, thanks in large part to the rise of streaming services such as Spotify, the popularity of OPM has been seeing a glorious resurgence in recent years. The platform’s specially-curated playlists such as Tatak Pinoy, OPM Favorites, and OPM Rising all contribute to the younger generation’s discovery of Filipino artists, old and new. In 2023, the two most streamed songs on Spotify Philippines — “Pasilyo” by Sunkissed Lola and “Uhaw (Tayong Lahat)” by Dilaw — were both OPM songs, beating out the likes of “Cruel Summer” by Taylor Swift and “Kill Bill” by SZA. Beyond boosting OPM’s popularity locally, this also makes the OPM catalogue more accessible to global audiences who may be interested in the country’s burgeoning music scene.
The only downside to the advent of streaming is that while it makes unequivocal improvements to OPM’s visibility and ease of access, the rates at which streaming services pay artists are so low that independent artists cannot possibly make a living off of the platform. This results in musicians having to turn to live performances as their only viable source of music-based income. The problem with this is that due to the country’s economic status, most Filipinos are unable to afford attending such events. Working as a backup singer for Moira Dela Torre on her most recent tour, Reyes noticed that high numbers of YouTube views or Spotify streams do not always translate to voluminous crowds. Given that artists should first be seen as lucrative in the local industry before being marketed internationally, this lack of financial support is yet another obstacle that OPM musicians have to overcome to attain global success.
So, Is A Breakthrough Plausible?
Given the aforementioned hurdles that it has to clear, it may seem like OPM will have a tough time making the momentous international breakthrough it deserves. However, it is not unreasonable to anticipate that in a music landscape as erratic and unpredictable as the one right now, OPM could become an overnight success. Afrobeat, a genre originating in West Africa often sung in a Pidgin English dialect, recently saw a historical global crossover with the successes of WizKid, Burna Boy, and Tems. This newfound prevalence can be partially attributed to artists belonging to the African diaspora popularizing it on British shores, sparking collaborations with some of the world’s biggest musicians like Justin Bieber, Drake, or Selena Gomez.
With the Philippines having such a high population of emigrants in foreign nations, the blueprint laid out by Afrobeat could be seen as a viable option in terms of engendering Filipino music’s global ascent. If internationally-based Filipino artists could embrace the sounds of OPM in their work, they would have the ability to inspire interest in the genre within their respective countries, thus creating an unprecedented market for Filipino music. In that case, all it would really take is a single success story of an OPM musician to make record labels take notice and invest in the Philippines’ music scene. With that said, much is left up to chance and we may never be able to accurately predict how, when, or if a breakthrough will occur.
One thing, however, is for certain. The current OPM scene is alive and kicking, and evolving at a blistering pace. While these new artists may not be set up for global stardom just yet, they sure are setting the stage for their next-generation contemporaries to beam and burn brighter for when they do pass on their torch. The groundwork is being laid out as we speak. It is only a matter of time before Filipino songs become just as celebrated as Filipino singers.
