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Metro Manila Popular Music Festival

Philippine festival

Summary

Philippine festival

The Metro Manila Popular Music Festival (also known as Metropop) was launched by the Popular Music Foundation of the Philippines in 1977 and was held annually from 1978 to 1985. It was "the country's pioneering and once foremost songwriting competition", according to The Philippine Star. Its objective was to promote the advancement of Filipino music, and its chief proponents were journalist Teodoro Valencia and politician Imee Marcos. Over the years, the festival helped launch the careers of many singers and songwriters, among them Freddie Aguilar.

The songwriting competition was originally open to all composers. From the fourth festival onwards, it was divided into professional and amateur sections, to give new songwriters a level playing field without competing with more well-known composers. After 1985, the festival was discontinued due to a decline in public interest.

It was later revived as the Metropop Song Festival, which aired on the GMA Network from 1996 to 2003.

Original Metropop (1978–1985)

YearWinnersFinalists
1978

"Anak" failed to win any of the prizes but went on to become one of the most popular Philippine pop songs ever and to launch the career of Freddie Aguilar. This was right at the beginning of the Original Pilipino Music (OPM) boom, and after this first festival, the singing careers of Hajji Alejandro, Celeste Legaspi, Maricris Bermont, and Anthony Castelo took off. Heber Bartolome's "Tayo'y Mga Pinoy" became a protest anthem, and Ryan Cayabyab's "Kay Ganda ng Ating Musika" became representative of Original Pilipino Music. Emil Mijares was the musical director for this festival. The first grand finals were held at the Folk Arts Theater, with RPN-9 as the official broadcaster.

YearWinnersFinalists
1979

This time, Freddie Aguilar's interpretation of Snaffu Rigor's composition won the grand prize. However, the biggest pop hit to come out of the Second Metropop was "Ewan", by Apo Hiking Society. Rico J. Puno, already a big star at this time, interpreted the third-place song, which also became a hit. The song "Umagang Kay Ganda" failed to place, but it went on to be used as the main theme of ABS-CBN's now-defunct weekday morning show of the same title, and it also became the campaign song for the presidential bid of Bongbong Marcos in 2022.

YearWinnersFinalists
1980

Leah Navarro and "Isang Mundo Isang Awit" represented the Philippines and won the bronze prize at that year's Seoul Popular Music Festival. "Ikaw, Ako, Tayo (Magkakapatid)" turned out to be the biggest hit from the Third Metropop.

YearDivisionWinnersFinalists
1981Amateur
Professional

Established singers like Florante, Eugene Villaluz, Leo Valdez, and Marco Sison interpreted their first Metropop entries. Emil Sanglay Sonny Nicolas were the only performers who interpreted their own songs.

YearDivisionWinnersFinalists
1982Amateur
Professional
YearDivisionWinnersFinalists
1983Amateur
Professional
YearDivisionWinnersFinalists
1984Amateur
Professional
YearDivisionWinnersFinalists
1985Amateur
Professional

Metropop Song Festival (1996–2003)

The Metropop Song Festival (also known as Metropop) was an annual music festival that served as a relaunch of the original competition, running from 1996 until 2003. It was broadcast on the GMA Network. The festival promoted non-mainstream musicians such as Gary Granada and Angelo Villegas, and it boosted the singing careers of Jaya and Carol Banawa, who participated as interpreters.

Another associated event, called Metropop Young Singers (later renamed Metropop Star Search) ran at the same time. Unlike the main festival, this event served as a talent competition for young aspiring singers. The contestants were judged based on their interpretation of existing songs. The most notable participant was Melanie Calumpad, who came third in 1997 and later returned as an interpreter for the actual song festival in 2003, under her stage name Kyla. She went on to have a successful career in music and competed as an interpreter for the winning songs at the Himig Handog and Philippine Popular Music Festival song contests.

Metropop Song Festival winners

1996:

  • "Sometimes You Just Know"; composers: Danny Tan, Edith Gallardo; interpreter: Jaya (grand prize)
  • "Shine"; composer: Trina Belamide; interpreter: Ima Castro (recording only) (second prize)
  • "Aawitin Ko, Ang Awit Mo"; composer: Greg Caro; interpreter: Rannie Raymundo (third prize)

1997:

  • "Para Sa Inyo, 'Tong Kanta Kong 'To"; composer and interpreter: Gideon "Jungee" Marcelo (grand prize)
  • "If I Could"; composer: Dodjie Simon; interpreter: Lloyd Umali (second prize)
  • "Delikado, Delikadesa"; composer: Soc Villanueva; interpreter: Judith Banal (third prize)

1998:

  • "Mabuti Pa Sila"; composer and interpreter: Gary Granada (grand prize)
  • "Bring Back the Times"; composer: Eunice Saldaña; interpreter: Dessa (second prize)
  • "You Make Me Smile"; composer: Rica Arambulo; interpreter: Carol Banawa (third prize)

1999:

  • "Can't Stop Loving You"; composer: Dodjie Simon; interpreter: Lani Misalucha and the Noisy Neighbors (grand prize)
  • "Tayo Pa Rin"; composer: Soc Villanueva; interpreter: Zebedee Zuniga (second prize)
  • "Clara's Eyes"; composer: Joey Benin; interpreter: Side A (third prize)

2000:

  • "Forever and a Day"; composer: Angelo Villegas; interpreter: Rachel Alejandro (grand prize)
  • "Paano Na?"; composer: Arnold Reyes; interpreter: Bituin Escalante (second prize)
  • "Ganyan Ako"; composer: Vehnee Saturno; interpreter: Jeremiah (third prize)

2001

  • "Pag-Uwi"; composers: Louie Ocampo and Joey Ayala; interpreter: Martin Nievera (grand prize)
  • "Kawikaan"; composers: Laverne Ducut and Catherine Carlos; interpreter: Cynthia Alexander (second prize)
  • "Heaven Sent"; composer: Dennis Garcia; interpreter: Ella Mae Saison with the Saisons and Friends; music arranger: Emil Mayor (third prize)

2003:

  • "Malayo Man, Malapit Din"; composer and interpreter: Bayang Barrios (grand prize)
  • "Pretend That I Don't Love You"; composer: Mike Villegas; interpreter: Cookie Chua (second prize)
  • "Buti Na Lang"; composer: Jonathan Manalo; interpreter: Kyla (third prize)

Metropop Star Search winners

1997:

  • Jonard Yanzon – "I Believe I Can Fly" (champion)
  • Carmela Cuneta – "Di Ko Na Kaya" (second place)
  • Melanie Calumpad – "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" (third place)

1998:

  • Champagne Morales – "Journey to the Past" (champion)
  • Roxanne Barcelo – "Part of Your World" (second place)
  • Xaxa Manalo – "Bakit Pa?" (third place)

1999:

  • Miles Poblete – "Anak ng Pasig" (champion)
  • Idelle Martinez – "...Baby One More Time" (second place)
  • Jericson Matias – "Stay the Same" (third place)

2000:

  • Anna Katrina Lara – "On the Wings of Love" (champion)
  • Camile Velasco – "How Could an Angel Break My Heart" (second place)
  • Jacky Garcia – "I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing" (third place)

References

References

  1. (2005). "Continuum Encyclopedia of Popular Music of the World". Continuum.
  2. Modequillo, Archie. (January 23, 2011). "31 Years of Cebu Pop: Picking Potential Hits". [[The Philippine Star]].
  3. Rodriguez, Ces. (May 1, 1982). "Manila Festival Hits on Hit Potential". Billboard.
  4. "Ryan Cayabyab distances self from alleged Philpop scam". Philippine Entertainment Portal.
  5. San Diego, Jr., Bayani. (March 4, 2008). "When fame is not top priority". [[Philippine Daily Inquirer]].
  6. Velarde, Emmie. (May 19, 1979). "Aguilar's Fame Stirs Japanese Quest for Femme Counterpart". Billboard.
  7. Jackson, Leon. "Freddie Aguilar: Biography". Allmusic.
  8. Concepcion, Pocholo. (September 25, 2011). "Leo Valdez cites PDI critic for pushing him to excel". [[Philippine Daily Inquirer]].
  9. (2003). "A Night of Second Chances at the Metropop Song Festival". ManilaTimes.
  10. Cayabyab, Ryan. (June 3, 2000). "And the Metropop winners are...". [[Philippine Daily Inquirer]].
  11. Lo, Ricky. (May 29, 2000). "Metropop 2000: A night of 'all winners'". [[The Philippine Star]].
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