PROUD and happy si Maestro Ryan Cayabyab dahil nasa panglimang taon na ang songwriting competition na Philippine Popular Music Festival (PhilPop), kung saan siya ang tumatayong Executive Director.
Inihayag ni Ryan ang kaibahan ng mga entry ngayong taon. “This is the first time that we have a very few slow songs and this is the first time that PhilPop received a lot of fast songs, a lot of uptempo materials, a lot of dance materials, upbeat. I’m excited because the sound is very young.
“And I think this is what we should rejoice in, that PhilPop is really going to the younger composers. I’m not saying na iniitsapuwera natin ’yung mga older composers, but it seems like siyempre the listeners are also young, so they would prefer listening to younger sounding materials. And ’yung kanilang pinagsususulat kakaiba e, mayroon silang tema,” sabi ni Ryan.
Ipinagmamalaki nga ni Ryan ang napili nilang mga bagong awitin at composers ng mga ito na pumasok sa Top 12 finalist ng PhilPop 2016. Kinabibilangan ito nina 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”).
Muli ring nakipag-partner ang PhilPop sa Viva Entertainment para sa album compilation ng 12 finalists, pagpo-provide ng interpreters, promotions, at pagsasagawa ng grand finals night na gaganapin sa July 23 sa KIA Theater. Ang grand prize winner ay mag-uuwi ng premyong P1 million in cash at Orlina trophy.
Samantala, nilinaw ni Ryan na hindi nakikipagkumpetisya ang PhilPop sa isa pang songwriting contest na “Himig Handog P-Pop Love Songs” ng ABS-CBN. “We are complementing each other e. I don’t think na we are competing because we support ‘Himig Handog.’ As a matter of fact, every time they come out in social media, isine-share ko iyon e. Kasi ang mananalo rito ’yung songwriter,” paliwanag ni Ryan, na todo ang suporta sa songwriters na katulad niya.
May pagkakaiba rin naman daw ang PhilPop at Himig Handog. “Ang ‘Himig Handog’ I think they are concentrating on love songs, ang PhilPop kasi is open genre, open themes. So, hindi kami namimili, kung ano ’yung sinubmit parang they’re pitting against each other. Maganda rin naman kasi ’yung sa ‘Himig Handog’ very focused ’yung hinahanap nila.”
(GLEN SIBONGA)