TV Networks have it. Music channels hold their own versions of it. Even radios now do their own hunts. Continuing what they’ve started in 2011, the Philippine Popular Music Festival (PhilPop) returns with the same objectives, same vision, but with a different face.
Designed by award-winning music video, concert and TV director Paul Basinilio, PhilPop’s sleek new logo not only goes with the competition’s new tagline, “Loud, Proud, Ours”, it also comes with a challenge: a new set of international judges to impress. Judging this year are three renowned record producers who have the eyes and ears to recognize talent and turn talented artists into superstars: recording artist and producer Adam Hurstfield (Ne-Yo, Ray J, Ashley Tisdale, Def Leppard); songwriter, arranger, composer, and record producer Christian Walden (Cheap Trick, Bad English, Charlie Green, Sarah Geronimo); and music producer/film and TV composer Marcus Davis, Jr.
As various music competitions come and go, Philpop’s applications only grow stronger with a record number of singer-songwriter hopefuls. While “the world is waiting for the next one,” Philpop promises to bring forth world-class Filipino talents that we can all be proud of. It recognizes nothing but the best artists. Since its formation, its goal is to find outstanding songwriters that can best exemplify Filipino music — a band member or a solo artist, a newcomer or a seasoned composer, raw or polished. Ryan Cayabyab says it best, “It’s high time for Philippine songwriting to be (sic) heard across the world, loud and proud. Philpop is rising to the challenge of discovering the next world-class Filipino song.”
On the competition’s fifth year, Cayabyab, Philpop’s Executive Director, says, “We need more songwriters. We need more people to write about their stories. We really want to reach out to the young people and for them to tell us their stories.”
The process of having to go through thousands of entries may be grueling, but for the members of the industry that took part in the adjudication, they could only describe it as refreshing and exciting. “It’s tiring because there are a lot of songs that we have to go through. It’s exciting also because I’m just waiting for that one song that’s going to make me sit up in my chair,” Basti Artadi describes.
This year’s Top 12 finalist are Aikee Aplacador (“Pabili Po”), JC Jose (“Stars Are Aligned”), Jazz Nicolas and Wally Acolola (“Di Na Muli”), Jeroel Maranan (“Sintunado”), Keiko Necesario (“Nobody But You”), Ramiru Mataro (“Kahon”), Johann Garcia (“Binibini sa MRT”), Soc Villanueva (“Lahat”), Joan Da (“Baliw sa Ex-Boyfriend Ko”), Paolo Guico and Miguel Guico (“Tinatangi”), Karl Guarano (“Friday Night”), Brian Cua and Mike Villegas (“Dumadagundong”).
PhilPop continues its partnership with Viva Entertainment, one of the industry’s pioneering music organizations led by the visionary Vic del Rosario. Viva will produce an album-compilation of the 12 finalists, provide interpreters, intensive promotions, and mount the grand finals night that will happen on July 23 at the Kia Theatre. The grand prize winner is going home with P1,000,000.00 in cash.
For more details, follow PhilPop’s official social media accounts: Facebook: Philpopmusic Twitter: @philpopmusic; Instagram: @philpopmusic;_Youtube: Philpopmusic and Vivamusic1