MANILA, Philippines — Both icons from distinct generations of Original Pilipino Music (OPM), Kuh Ledesma and Christian Bautista believe that OPM is enjoying a surge with the arrival of digital platform.
“It’s possible that we are in the golden age (of OPM) again because of widespread digital usage,” said Christian at a recent press conference heralding his upcoming back-to-back concert with Kuh on Oct. 20 at The Tent of Solaire Resort & Casino.
Both singers claimed to have witnessed the height of OPM’s popularity before rampant piracy and eventual drop of CD sales took place — and until the recent reversal of fortune due to on-demand music streaming.
“I’m very excited for what’s to come because we have so many good talents coming out now with their own base and niche market,” said the Asia’s Romantic Balladeer. “All it needs is a little push and you will again hear new hitmakers that will start a new era of OPM.”
Kuh, the durable pop diva, is hoping for the emergence of an influential ally just like the late media practitioner Teodoro “Ka Doroy” Valencia, who was credited for giving that push to OPM on airwaves in the ‘70s by penning a proclamation signed by then Pres. Ferdinand Marcos mandating radio stations to play three OPM tunes per hour. In 1987, the late Pres. Cory Aquino also signed an executive order requiring radio stations with a musical format to play at least “four OPM compositions in every clock hour.”
Meanwhile, both Kuh and Christian are all praises for Solaire for showcasing OPM for the last two years with theater giant Audrey Gemora, director of entertainment for Solaire, at the helm.
In fact, the Oct. 20 show Kuh Ledesma Christian Bautista Sing Streisand Groban Legrand will be the first offering of the resort’s newest entertainment venue called The Tent with some 2,000 capacity.
Audrey said both Filipino and foreign performances — especially concerts and musicals — enjoy equal success in terms of crowd attendance.
“Solaire has been bringing the icons first like Basil (Valdez), Celeste (Legaspi), Pilita (Corales), Martin (Nievera) and Kuh (Ledesma, with Music & Magic) to establish Solaire’s The Theater as a venue for OPM,” Audrey said. “Next year, we’re gonna start bringing in the younger artists and more venues will be opened to cater to that market.”
The concert will be Christian’s last concert as a bachelor before he ties the knot with fiancé Kat Ramnani, a telecommunications executive, in December in Bali, Indonesia. The show will also usher in Kuh’s 40th year as a solo artist; she’s now in the midst of putting up a personal museum at her Hacienda Isabella, as well as a book on her four decades in the business, plus a new solo album.
In their show, Kuh said they are paying tribute to Streisand, Groban and Legrand who are the biggest influences in their careers.
“We put this fabulous show because we love singing the songs of these three artists,” said Kuh. “But make no mistake, we will always sing our OPM songs, we’ve always been singing them for everyone, and we always carry them with us, especially when we go abroad.”
“My real mentor was (Barbra) Streisand in terms of voice placement,” Kuh shared. “I didn’t have the budget to go to a voice teacher, except later on with Cecille Azarcon. So Streisand became my mentor because I would emulate her and would sing her songs and learned how to place my voice.”
Christian, meanwhile, said his style has been likened to Groban since he started. Simply put, Groban’s songs fit his voice nicely, he said.
As for Legrand, his songs suit perfectly well with the vocals of the two Filipinos artists. “And Legrand is the only one that rhymes with Streisand and Groban,” added Christian that drew laughter from the reporters.
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