OPM is not Dead

It seems that when I fancy myself to go to work, wash off catastrophes in the shower, or perhaps when I am in the middle of cleaning my room and decluttering all toxicities I've inhaled in the first half of 2023, music has always been a part of me. Mainly because my mother's way of making me sleep when I was a baby was a tender and beautiful lullaby. What a pleasant amusement to have grown up loving music— one thing that society has never ceased to declare is that there are delirious ways life can be enjoyed. Its pride was produced to be with us as we journey through our obstacles and celebrations. Music communicates by its genre, tune, instrumental, singing voice, and lyrics— something that proves it always, always works for in the absence of music lay a setting of gray. Canonically speaking life is nothing without the help of music.

Original Pilipino Music better known as OPM has been living in the Philippines rent-free. Its strong singular pattern was nitpicked during the 2000s touching the simple lives of many. The class set the bar so high that it took years for OPM to be revived towards the continuously growing competition against international candidates but fortunately, its napping has ended.

Is OPM really dead?

Frankly, to tell, I have been indulging myself in foreign music rather than spending my time listening to Pinoy Pride as it distended to decline better lyrics and melody. Most of the original soundtracks were marketed by artists who aren't good singers in the first place or from movies that were forced to produce with a dearth in plot and narration, at least for me. There cannot be different pointers about it truthfully during those times, nevertheless, it feels so alive now that many artists and bands are sprouting their talent with captivating lyrics and utmost talent voice. May God bless you for saving OPM.

Blue Bird app has been spouting comments ever since about a call to revive the OPM Music Industry as it lacks support and promotion but I couldn't help but yearn to smile as all these had to happen for artists to start making dope original Pilipino music again. To this rhetorical speech, as a mere fan of classic OPM, I have been saving this draft to find the perfect time to post as I incorporate OPM as an anime soundtrack that suits a scene, an arc, and an opening and ending song.

From all I can collect out of all PNE songs is the ordinariness of their music. It's fun, sweet, simple, humorous, relatable in terms of lyrics, and indeed has a very friendly tune. No wonder why they are one of the most popular OPM bands of all time. Your Song tells a person who tried to get away from his/her lover for some reason but find themselves coming back to him/her hence the lyrics "I take one step away, and I find myself coming back to you, my one and only, one and only you". The constant pulling and pushing I feel in this song reminds me about Misaki and Usui. The duo's relationship introduced me to a love and hate ornamentation disguised to welcome a deep-seated connection. "One smile, then I died, only to be revived by you"– oh to have your own Usui. With such a right amount of withdrawal of in denial, one has to say, we loved a love that was more than a love, so much more that it had to turn to setbacks before it could grow.

 

I shall be in jeopardy of praising this agonizing song. Whenever it plays, I am constantly brought back to the very first time I watched the anime novie, Hotarubi no Mori e. The danger of taking pleasure from your alone time whilst listening to Hale's most famous song is very alarming. Putting myself in the spot where it is easy for me to cry the whole night, I never thought happiness was possible in that movie. How could a 44-minute anime hurt me this way? I swear I was never the same. As I swum over waves of hurt and regret the lyrics "And I do reside in your light, Put out the fire with me and find, Yeah, you'll lose the side of your circles, That's what I'll do if we say goodbye" sung to me like a crying and hopeless melody of "How am I supposed to live without you?"

Because I couldn't.

 

 

"I will be here for you, somewhere in the night, somewhere in the night, I'll shine a light for you, somewhere in the night, somewhere in the night". This song speaks volume. When I first heard it in a local television series, I rushed to find its lyrics. I love the melody, and Kaligta definitely succeeded in portraying the feelings I have felt for Akatsuki No Yona for the first time. Was it overwhelmed? Was it sentimental? I couldn't quite pinpoint exactly but hearing this song flashes me back to the main protagonists, Yona and Hak. I was instantly reminded how Hak protects Yona against their enemies. It's as if the song was made for these two and what lies in Hak's heart that wasn't in the anime. This also applies to Yona as she strives to be a strong independent woman who is now ready to take back her lost throne.

 

“I will be here for you", such promising words only those two could understand on the same level.

 

 

It appears that the contents of my OPM playlist are relatively sad. I apologize but this song is not to be skipped. Kabilang Buhay or "Afterlife" in english speaks a heartfelt emotion by Bandang Lapis that depicts the lost of a love one to which Kaori had the same fate as the band went through the lyrics, "Hindi ba't sabi mo hindi mo ako iiwan? 'Di pababayaan na ako'y mag-isa, 'di ba't sabi mo sabay tayong tatanda, bakit bigla ka nalang nandyaan sa kabilang buhay" translates to "Didn't you say you won't leave me? Wouldn't let me be by myself all alone? Didn't you say we'll grow old together? So why did you suddenly leave and go to the afterlife?". Listen to this song and even if you couldn't understand the lyrics, the melody says it all. I desire no more heartbreaks from anime but Your Lie in April explains why such a beautiful song exists.

 

 

No amount of words I could say to exactly explain how I felt about this movie. Such anime is full of... restraint and regrets. 6cyclemind's Biglaan describes how so sudden a certain event happened unbeknownst to the narrator. "Hindi ako sanay sa biglaan, unti-unti nalang sanang nawala" (I am not used to sudden changes, I wished that you just slowly slipped away) elucidates Makoto's recklessness backfired to her twice as she regretted wasting and hoaxing time to her liking. If I were her, I would've let time naturally heal whatever occured in that lifetime but since the movie was telling a lesson, it surely is one of the best plot twists I had encountered.

 

 

Back to PNE because this song gives me so many butterflies in my stomach and reminds me of the slow burn process between Kazehaya and Sawako. These two are so "for real". I like how their love story grew throughout. Both are shy to tell their feelings when you know it's been there the whole time. For how "Gitara'' declares a man who doesn't know how to convey his love so he'll just confess his feelings using a song and guitar.  Their love story is one of the proofs that love wins despite the ups and downs.

 

 

Against abusive power, towards the light, one way or another, we should fight. Record of Ragnarok is stunning to show how humans vs. gods look like in an arena, fighting each other. Gods are more powerful obviously but humans are as strong-minded as they are. I have been selfishly admiring this series because I am soft to literary motivated shows such as Record of Ragnarok. Upuan by the great Gloc 9 himself suits this anime. "Kayo po na nakaupo, subukan nyo namang tumayo, at baka matanaw at baka matanaw ninyo ang tunay na kalagayan ko" (Those of you who are sitting, try standing to see our situation). The lyrics describe how the higher-ups are blind to help others who are in the lower class of society. Just as how the gods in Record of Ragnarok don't care about human beings and do not even try to address the issue by simply negotiating, instead, they turned it into a battlefield. "Huwag kang masyadong halata, bato bato sa langit ang matamaan wag magalit" (Don't be too obvious; Whoever gets hit by throwing stones in heaven, don't get mad because you are obvious) pertains to all-powerful gods telling them to not get too transparent by their selfish desires because who knows, karma is just around the corner.

 

 

“Sumang-ayon ka man sa'kin o hindi, kung anong meron ako hindi ko hiningi, pagod, puyat, dugo, pawis bago makuha 'yung nais, kumilos ako 'di lang basta humiling". I'm not that fan of Flow G but this song spits lyrics. Says, "Whether you agree or not, I didn't just ask for the things I have. I worked hard for it, full of blood, sweat and tears, I took actions not just hoped”. This song or should I say a rap song, reminds me of Haikyuu. How the Karasuno team worked and played harder to be at the top. They put their hearts into volleyball, to the sport they love so dearly and earned the respect they truly deserve. Proud of my boys for being so hardworking and always putting their hearts in every game they're into.

 

 

These are the reasons why I don't think for once, OPM has completely perished. Even anime can relate to it. All the relatable words and phrases are put together to create a masterpiece– elegant, classy, funny, hip-hop, melancholic, etc. With the right amount of support, it will continue to inspire many artists who are aspiring to be one of the country's pride and joy. Or maybe in time, OPM will be featured as one of the anime's opening or ending songs.

 

It just simply implies that music is part of everyday life. In many areas, it is assumed that music inspires almost everything in the world. One example is anime. Every anime has its own opening and ending song— it always starts with a song. Somehow I thought, why is that? As I searched for an answer, perhaps maybe because no matter how strong or profound an emotion is, it is always summarized by a simple song or music. I noticed how it's easy to sing the words we want to say rather than speak of it to the person we want it to hear. It is one of the magics of music that even Game of Thrones is titled A Song of Fire and Ice.

 

So no, OPM is definitely not dead.