The Underestimated Beauty of OPM, According to Noel Cabangon

‍

If each chapter of your life will have a soundtrack, what song will it be?

Taking a hint from what music icon Noel Cabangon shared during a recent Roadshow interview, locally crafted songs seem to perfectly narrate the sentiments of Filipinos — from the mundane and everyday experiences to the most monumental and unforgettable moments.

“Filipinos should keep on supporting OPM because it is part of our culture…I think there’s no better composer that can write something about our lives than Filipino artists,” the folk-acoustic singer told Wish.

“Filipino songs are something that we can give to the next generation,” he added, pointing out the significance of preserving this art form.

Emphasizing this underestimated beauty of the country’s homegrown music, the staunch OPM advocate and former FILSCAP president also appealed to aspiring songwriters.

‍

“To all those who are musically inclined, those creators of music, just keep on writing your own compositions. It’s fine to use English as your medium, but writing in the vernacular language is still different. When it comes to lyrics and interpretation, Filipinos are more expressive,” the “Kanlungan” singer remarked.

Cabangon further said that emerging songwriters must “utilize all the available platforms where [they] can promote [their] music.”

As a piece of advice, the living legend enthused that in order to stand out, writers should “create something that will really make an impact and that will really attract the audience.”

Cabangon underscored that it is the Filipinos’ creativity that can serve as the key to solve the challenges being faced by the industry. “OPM is still very much challenged right now,” he argued, noting that “the musical usage is dominated by foreign songs, around 80 percent, and 20 percent only for local.”

Now, thinking of what Cabangon laid out, if each chapter of your life will have a soundtrack, what song will it be?