As a child, I often felt disconnected from Filipino culture. Struggling to create and find a connection, I finally found my answer in the music genre of Original “Pinoy” Music, allowing me to embrace Filipino culture as my own.
OPM connects Filipino culture with relatable lyrics and is not nearly as popular as it should be. Many Filipino Americans do not recognize Pinoy artists and do not understand how meaningful OPM truly helps to explore cultural roots. Through OPM, I discovered a powerful way to celebrate my heritage, bridging the gap between my upbringing and my identity.
Music as a whole has always been something imbued with meaning. It is an art form that allows individuals to express themselves and their lives, in turn creating a platform where individuals may listen and gain a new understanding of others.
The article “How Music and Culture Work Together: Science Behind Music” by Autumn Huerter explains how music is a product of culture, emotions and shared experience. These factors all represent how music is able to grow a community. OPM can help disconnected Filipinos dive into the richness of their culture, listening and learning about traditions through music.
OPM, however, does not shine in mainstream media because of a language barrier, making it harder for Filipino-Americans to take note of it. Many Filipino-Americans are not fluent in Tagalog, which can make it difficult to fully connect with songs performed in the language.
In fact, a Pew Research Center study found that only about 22% of second-generation Filipino-Americans speak Tagalog at home. This language gap often turns people away from OPM, preventing them from engaging with the music that could help them reconnect with their culture.
Even so, there does not have to be a stark separation between languages. An artist for people who have not mastered the language yet is JAE’roze Tate. Tate writes Filipino rap music that adopts Taglish (Tagalog and English) lyricism into her songs.
With this blend of language, Filipino-Americans can both learn the language and tap into Filipino culture. In her song, BAYANI, JAE highlights heroism and hero culture in the Philippines.
“There’s no silver spoon in their mouths / They weren’t born with gold / They worked for everything that they got / And they are always awake / And never sleeping,” Tate sings (English translation).
Tate vocalizes the struggles of so many Filipinos who work day and night and cannot complain about their situation. The Philippines Statistic Authority reported that around 55% of 116 million Filipinos are poor, with 27.2% of Filipinos experiencing involuntary hunger.
Filipino-Americans need to be grateful for artists like Tate who acknowledge and broadcast Filipino struggles, acting as a voice for the community. Through listening to OPM, Filipino-Americans foster a deeper understanding of the realities their families and homeland must face.
Some may argue that Filipinos already get enough recognition. Beabadobee for example, is a famous Filipino singer known for making relatable music for everyone. During her Asia tour in the Philippines, she performed “Panalangin,” a Tagalog song about yearning – a song meant to be relatable to everyone.
“Panalangin” is a great representation of how people all over the world can be united in certain experiences. The song, however, does not connect people with Filipino culture in specific. This is why disconnected Filipinos should still listen to OPM and artists that genuinely explore Filipino culture, such as Tate, Juana and Rico Blanco.
Juana’s lyrics often explore her journey of womanhood in Filipino society. Rico Blanco’s music tackles themes of national pride and social justice in the Philippines. Together, these artists offer an authentic glimpse into the Filipino identity and experience.
It really is as simple as popping on some headphones and heading to Spotify. Many OPM artists are waiting to be heard and finally highlighted in mainstream media. The power to do this lies within the hands of the public, beginning with those who really should care: Filipino-Americans.