This year, Linggo Ng Musikang Pilipino (LMP) celebrates its second digital edition, with the goal of raising awareness and knowledge of OPM musicians from all over the globe through a variety of social media platforms. The weeklong festival will feature a wide range of music events, including concerts and gigs, open mic competitions, special launches, workshops, and a lecture series. From July 23 to August 1, a series of virtual events will be broadcast live on Facebook and KUMU. We had a zoom meeting with the special persons that lead this year’s Linggo Ng Musikang Pilipino 2021. It is so much fun and full of learning engaging in this kind of event. I felt proud and delighted because even in this time of pandemic we still had the chance to preserve and deliver our very own culture through this kind of entertainment. It will surely help the young ones to be more informed and be amazed by our music and culture.
Aside from a diverse set of homegrown talents performing online, LMP also partners with key and emerging stakeholders in the music industry such as AmiananPop, MinPop, Kadasig & Artist Ko, Soupstar Music, and Warner Music Philippines to ensure that artists with different backgrounds, and from different regions, are given equal opportunities to perform and engage with the community.
As Christian Bautista puts it, “We wanted there to be a balance between independent artists and mainstream/signed artists from all over the country and to try to cover as many styles and genres as possible. OPM already has a large roster of artists and we wanted to be able to feature as many as we can from the organization. We took into consideration their music and styles as well as the platforms that they are active in for the artists performing the LMP DigiGigs.”
Aside from the music shows and online concerts featuring the roster of PhilPop’s past champions and finalists, LMP is partnering with PETA for a special online showcase featuring the songs from Rak Of Aegis, as well as songwriting and learning opportunities that are spearheaded by the institution’s other partners, FILSCAP and PhilPop.
Even as the music industry is struggling to get back to its former glory and a lot of plans are derailed by the pandemic, LMP refuses to back down in its efforts to persevere and push through with mounting an online celebration that champions Filipino musicians not just from Metro Manila, but also from other parts of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, and the rest of the globe.
Hence, the tagline ‘Ituloy Ang Awitan’ was formed. In the words of LMP Project Manager Gab Cabangon, it was developed as part of a “desire to just challenge the situation that we are in.” He explains, “We wanted to highlight how Filipino Music is here to stay and will continue to be a part of our lives and a sense of hope despite the challenges in these trying times. The creation and support of Filipino music should never stop because our songs are able to reflect the story and the culture of the Filipino people.”
OPM Icon and OPM Board Member Noel Cabangon maintains that nothing can stop this important milestone in the history of Philippine music from happening. He reaffirms, “In an ideal situation, we would have wanted to have live shows and concerts so that fans of Filipino Music will get to have that real-life concert experience once again. But of course, there are a lot of considerations that we have to make. Our priority is to mount this festival safely and responsibly for everyone. For the time being, the social media platforms are a suitable alternative to allow artists to perform without the health risks brought about by the pandemic.”
LMP has been there since 2014 and has proven itself as the top yearly music festival of Filipino music, organized and produced by Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mang-aawit (OPM) and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).
Noel Cabangon, Christian Bautista, Sandwich, 6cyclemind, Gracenote, Bayang Barrios, Cookie Chua, PhilPop Grand Champions reon and Chud Festejo, Miss Ramonne, Warner Music Philippines singers Ferdinand Aragon and Y ARA, and many more will lead this year’s edition.
Private enterprises like Max’s Restaurant, KUMU and KUMUSIKA, The Medical City, and Shopee are also supporting this event.
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