Ebe Dancel praises rise of P-pop group SB19, calls for welcoming ‘all forms of Filipino music’
SB19. Image: Facebook/@SB19Official
Ebe Dancel called for accepting Filipino music in different forms as new artists explore various genres, such as rising P-pop group SB19.
Dancel was asked about groups which do not fit into the usual mold of Original Pilipino music (OPM) during his signing with record label PolyEast Records on Thursday, Feb. 6, as seen in a video on YouTube channel LP UL.
SB19 is an all-Filipino boy group that trained in Korea. While the band espouses a typical K-pop sound, song lyrics are in Filipino, hence the genre P-pop.
READ: Filipino boy group trained in Korea impresses local K-pop fans
The singer-songwriter behind hit songs such as “Prom” and “Bawat Daan” said, “I think all sorts of Filipino music should be welcomed, whatever the genre.”
“Siyempre (Of course) hoping that the music is tastefully done. You pay attention to your songwriting, you pay attention to your craft.”
He also praised them for making it to international charts. “I’ve heard about them, SB19. Like apparently wildly popular. I’m happy for them. Umabot pa ng Billboard (They even reached Billboard). We should be really proud of them.”
As of December, SB19 is the first Filipino artist to make it to Billboard’s Social 50, which ranks artists’ popularity on social networking sites.
Dancel mentioned too that Filipino music is not just one sound, citing UDD (formerly Up Dharma Down), which produces synthpop songs.
“There are groups like Up Dharma Down. Hindi rin naman sila ‘yung nakasanayan natin na OPM eh. Malayo sa APO, malayo sa Eheads, malayo sa The Dawn,” he said, referring to bands that lean more toward pop or alternative rock songs.
(They are not what we are used to in OPM. [Their sound] is far from [APO Hiking Society], far from [Eraserheads], far from The Dawn.)
“Like I said, we should welcome all forms of Filipino music. Keep writing and writing and writing,” he urged.
Dancel released his latest single last Feb. 1 titled “Hanggang Kailan Kita Mahihintay”. He announced today, Feb. 10 that he signed again with the record label for a new album, “Baliktanaw”, which will feature the single and hit Sugarfree songs. Niña V. Guno/JB
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