“Louder for the
People in the Back”: Indie vs. Popular Filipino Music
By
JESCA C. CANTO
March 18, 2019
Our lives revolve around
music. It has indeed played a major role in shaping people’s lives,
most especially to those who are blessed with the gift of music and
are able to share their unique sounds that led them to pursue their
passion for it.
In the Philippines, it is
widely known that we have outstanding performers in the field of
music that even some are fortunate enough to have their talents
recognized by either local or international scenes, and we are
fortunate enough to go around the world to perform on the biggest
stages. Because of this, many artists are inspired to strive and
attain that same goal. Even more so when their music is something
that catches people’s attention because of the messages they convey.
But as the years go by, the music industry in the country has become
more political in terms that it has a tendency to be more of a
business in making money than what music is supposed to be; an
expression of art at its proper form.
In today’s digital age,
music has become more accessible to many whether through online
streaming sites or downloading them through music applications like
Spotify. It has also given the opportunity to let people share their
music, especially those starting out as local indie artists who want
their work to be recognized in simple ways such as posting their
music on websites like Soundcloud, or promoting their performances
in small gigs at local bars.
These indie artists have
one goal in common; to express what words cannot say through their
passion for music. With this access, many of these artists have
published their songs in the form of covers and even unique
compositions online. By means of publishing their work, their
talents get discovered and are easily shared through word of mouth
via social media. None of which would also have happened if it
weren’t for the love and support that their fans have been giving
them that pushes them to continue doing what they do best.
But even through the small
success of these indie artists, in reality, it is difficult for most
of them to pursue music and get the recognition they deserve. Today,
as much as they want to make their music known at its best quality,
it is being surpassed by what the popular music industries promote.
The Filipino masses are innately attracted to anyone or anything
that’s famous, most especially when they are seen in their famous
movies and soap operas.
Unfortunately, Philippine
entertainment industries use this attraction to their advantage, in
which it influences them to waste their money on artists who are
already famous for their acting career and have them take a chance
on making music, whether or not they can actually sing and hit a
good note. Later on, you would be surprised that music industries
are actually promoting a poor quality album that is filled with
auto-tunes and shallow lyrics sung by a person who just so happens
to be already famous, rather than investing their time and attention
on promoting indie artists who produce songs that have a much deeper
substance.
In line of the
inappropriateness of promoting such artists in the field, most if
not all Filipinos tend to be attracted to the loudest thing, but not
necessarily the best thing, especially when it comes to music. Their
attention is more on songs that do not have much essence, than those
that do. It shows how Filipinos have such a skewed definition when
it comes to the quality of the songs that they listen to, simply
because of the influence that some artists have garnered through
media that is not anywhere related to music.
These indie artists,
however prominently talented they are, are being overshadowed by
songs from inadequate persons in the industry who are only doing it
for their additional source of profit.
Ever since its start in
the early 1970s, Original Pilipino Music (abbreviated as O.P.M.) has
always been prosperous and it never fails to captivate the hearts
and emotions of the people, especially through the way it is
arranged and the true implications of the lyrics.
Filipinos nowadays tend to
say that OPM is dying, or dead even, because all they see and hear
are from our entertainment industries are so-called artists
lip-syncing to international songs and not even promote what is
ours. Others even say that it’s dying because the quality of
Filipino music artists they promote today are shallow or just a copy
of international celebrities. But little do they know that these
indie artists are the ones keeping it alive by giving what’s unique
and sustaining the true meaning standards of OPM, and it’s saddening
that not many people appreciate them.
Music in the Philippines
has become more of a subject of business than of Art. But even if
that is the reality of the industry, it is satisfying to see that
here are still thriving artists who still push themselves into
pursuing their music knowing that the music business in the country
is a hit or miss.
As someone who is
enthusiastic for her love and support for Filipino music, it is
great to perceive that little by little prosperous and authentic
music is being distinguished by its unique quality over other the
qualities being promoted in the media, and that people are sharing
and promoting these indie artists that deserves to be heard and be
proud of. But at the end of the day, the most important purpose
music can achieve is to unite its people amidst its differences.