OPM

  • Eto na! Musikal nAPO! is a Hit!

    Eto na! Musikal nAPO! is a Hit!

    A jukebox musical is always an exciting idea. To the regular theater-goer, it might seem like a simple formula: take a musician’s existing catalog and make a story out of it. But, in reality, it is very hard to execute. Jukebox musicals are either a hit or a miss. 9 Works Theatrical and Globe Live’s first original Filipino musical takes on APO Hiking Society’s greatest hits. And like APO’s songs, Eto Na! Musikal nAPO! is definitely a big hit.

    At the core of Eto Na! Musikal nAPO! is a heartwarming story of love and friendship. Set during the country’s turbulent 70’s, a group of college friends decide to join a singing and songwriting contest. At a time when originality and creativity, especially in the music industry, was not particularly celebrated, they decide to submit an original composition.

    Jon Abella (Donnie), Alfritz Blanche (Sonny), Jef Flores (Jaime), Jobim Javier (Butch), and Vyen Villanueva (Bobby) for 9 Works Theatrical and Globe Live's Eto Na! Musikal nAPO! the APO Hiking Society Musical
    The barkada preparing their song contest entry (Photo: Leo Castillo)
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  • Eto Na! Musikal nAPO! – A Musical that Transcends Generations

    Eto Na! Musikal nAPO! – A Musical that Transcends Generations

    Globe LIVE! and 9 Works Theatrical are back with Eto na! Musikal nAPO! an original Filipino musical based on the music of the APO Hiking Society, nonetheless. Globe and 9 Works’ first Pinoy musical centers on a barkada’s colorful college life in Manila 1975. It isn’t auto-biographical (let’s straighten that out) but it is inspired by the story of how APO started and came about.

    Eto Na! Musikal nAPO! cast & crew with APO Hiking Society's Jim Paredes
    The cast and creative team of Eto Na! Musikal nAPO! with 1/3 of APO, Jim Paredes

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  • Mossimo Music Summit 2015

    Fashion brand Mossimo is always looking for fresh new talented people in singing, dancing, and modelling. This is why the brand has created an annual event that will showcase these new talents and give them the chance to be in the spotlight — the Mossimo Music Summit. The summit is coming to a close, after months of auditions and performances. The competition is now down to the final four musical acts: solo singers Kristel Herrera, Mark Francis Reyes, Zsaris Mendioro, and trio OTM, with Jenz on percussion, Kaye on guitar, and Matthew on violin, with all three contributing on vocals.

    Mossimo Music Summit 2015 Finalists
    Mossimo Music Summit 2015 Finalists (Photo: Manila Bulletin)

    Show your support to the finalists by sharing and liking their Facebook posts. You might get the chance to win cash and GCs:

    Share this post to your friends using the hashtag ‪#‎mossimomusicsummit‬ for your chance to win P5,000 in cash and P5,000 in gift certificates. Cut-off is at 12noon on August 21, 2015.

    Also check out the official Mossimo Music Summit Youtube channel to view all the performance clips from the finalists AND the semi-finalists. Your favorite semi-finalist might also win fan favorite:

    The semi-finalist with the most number of YouTube views by 12noon of August 21, 2015 will be declared as the winner of the special award. Winner of each special award will receive P5,000 in cash and P5,000 in gift certificates.

    Here are the semi-final performances from the four finalists, with the Facebook post for each to share and like:

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  • #ClassA Aicelle Santos’ First Major Concert

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    Class A for Aicelle
    Class A for Aicelle

    February 25, 2015 — While everyone was worrying about how they would get to work on time, I was excited to end the day and go straight to Aicelle Santos‘ first major concert at the PETA Theatre. I was skeptical at first if I would make it on time but, through God’s grace, everything just went unexpectedly smooth. I found a friend that carpooled me from Megamall to Cubao. Passing through the Ortigas station, we could see that the queue was a hot mess. Whew! Really dodged a bullet there.  My friends and I have followed Aicelle’s career since she was a runner-up in the 2nd season of GMA7‘s Pinoy Pop Superstar (PPS).  She became a regular in the now defunct show SOP, eventually being grouped with Jonalyn Viray (PPS Grand Champion Season 1) and Maricris Garcia (PPS Grand Champion Season 3) as the sorely missed girl group La Diva. After the group disbanded, each diva pursued their careers as solo artists. In 2013,  Aicelle bagged the title role in Katy! the Musical and, later that year, made a deeper mark in the theater world as Aileen, the biritera of Barangay Venizia, in Rak of Aegis.

    Finally, it has happened to me.

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  • #ListenTo 8 Quintessential Birit Songs

    Since we’re all sad from what went down at this year’s (or last year’s) Miss Universe pageant, the best remedy for our sadness is singing. Karaoke, in particular. If you’re in need of karaoke songs for maximum cathartic effect, here are 8 quintessential birit songs for you to sing:

    8. Basang Basa sa Ulan (Aegis)

    Drenched in the Rain, translated. This is everyone’s favorite karaoke song. The challenge is to sing the song in the same octave as it was originally sung. Birit moment: The key change

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CA6SMDQoUtk]

    7. Through the Fire (Chaka Khan)

    Chaka Khan! This song is far from chaka, because this is a birit classic. Birit moment: “Through the test of tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiime”

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tyj1uLacxtg]

    6. Listen (Beyoncé)

    A favorite in singing competitions, singers auditioning sing this song to flaunt their range. This is the quintessential diva song in her catalog. Birit moment: “I’ve tried and tried to say what’s on my mind, YOU should have known oh”

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGYEDhWuP_w]

    5. Through the Rain (Mariah Carey)

    Classic music video. This was during Mariah’s Charmbracelet era. Birit moment: This is one of Mariah’s softer songs, but the song soars to birit levels by the last line of the bridge, then key change.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRNdmkH8zrI]

    4. When You Believe (Whitney Houston & Mariah Carey)

    Diva showdown! This is from the animated film, The Prince of Egypt. Birit moment: The glorious bridge (“…says hope is very neaaaar”) and final chorus

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKaXY4IdZ40]

    3. Dadalhin (Regine Velasquez-Alcasid)

    Will Bring, translated, as in The wind will just bring my dream away. The primera biritera of the Philippines, Asia’s songbird. Sad lyrics + epic melody = karaoke classic. Birit moment: “Ang lahat ng ito’y pinangako moooooo-oh-oh-oh-ohhh”

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEE4N3Zg4RI]

    2. And I am Telling You I’m Not Going (Jennifer Hudson version)

    Another one from the Dreamgirls soundtrack, for which Jennifer Hudson won her Grammy. Her performance in the movie was her breakthrough moment into stardom. Birit moment: “Tear down the mountains, yeah scream and shout…” to the end

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsiSRSgqE4E]

    This song was originally sung by Jennifer Holliday, who also gave us this iconic moment from American Idol. Slay!

    1. I Will Always Love You (Whitney Houston)

    Arguably, the mother of all birit songs. Birit moment: “And IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII”

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JWTaaS7LdU]

    (You may listen and sing along to all of the aforementioned songs in this Youtube playlist.)

    What are your go-to karaoke birit songs? Share them in the comments below.