My Two-Cents On The Pinoy Music Biz

 My music-journalist friend Karl De Mesa once asked me a question for a piece he was writing, and in return, gave him a very long piece of my mind. Am reprinting it here. Thanks Karl for making me think about these things a little more!

 ————————————————

Dear Karl –

I really thought long and hard about your question, kaya heto…nobela!

Full disclosure: I have been a recording artist, songwriter, music journalist, TV and film scorer, music producer, wedding singer, assistant to the music licensing manager, events organizer since 2004 so I’ve been able to observe a lot of pretty cool stuff about the Pinoy music biz firsthand.

If you look at the Pinoy music industry in terms of it being a real “industry” contributing to the GNP and all, then I believe parang status quo pa rin naman. Pinoy musical talent is still one of our biggest exports. In fact, when HK Disneyland opened some years back, I was told Pinoy musicians came there in droves to apply for the entertainment job items. Some friends of mine actually made it there. Of course, there’s Ariel Pineda and Charice Pempengco, who along with Lea Salonga and various alumni from Miss Saigon, continue to drive up the value of Pinoy talent in the international live music circuit. In the world of international choral music, Pinoys are still the heavyweights, as groups like the Madrigal Singers and UPSA have proven time and again by continually trouncing their American and European counterparts in choral competitions.

Our live performance scene is well and thriving as it’s always been. There’s always work available for working class musicians as long as there are weddings and events – but as always, now and forever, when budgets are tight, it’s the musicians that get the first cut. Showbands get paid fairly well at events; sessionists get at least P1500 for one gig, and more if they make “lagari;” students and dilettantes who play music for fun and camaraderie get at least some food or transpo money in return. Artists of average popularity like myself get paid extremely well for performing two to four songs in a high-profile gig. Backing bands for popular artists are so tight and quasi-unionized that they actually have the luxury of getting off the stage when they smell something fishy. I witnessed this happen at an event I was doing some PR for – due to a lapse in judgment on the producers’ part, the band wasn’t told beforehand that their performance was going to be taped, so less than an hour before the show the musicians promptly got off the stage until a contract was produced to compensate them for broadcast rights. Actually, live performance musicians are pretty spoiled out here – especially if you compare their rates to the minimum wage – I think a construction worker gets only P350 for a whole day of back-breaking work. Yes, I know musicians have talent and that they’re “kissed by God,” to borrow Conrad De Quiros’ term – but honestly I don’t like the attitude of certain musicians who have such a strong, almost egomaniacal sense of entitlement just because they can sing, or play an instrument, or write a song. So whenever I get a gig that requires me to play three long sets and my hands are about to fall off, I only need to think about our manual laborers and I’m cheerful again. But enough about me. He he.

Contrary to the notion that piracy and the download culture have spelled the death of the Record Label, these “threats” have only allowed the record labels to switch and repurpose some of their internal functions around to maximize their efficiencies. Now there are new revenue streams, like licensing for ringtones and ringbacks and other new media. While record labels are not making as much profit from retail as before, they’re now making a killing from licensing and publishing, which is why old hits are news again, and these old songs are being rehashed, reworked, recompiled ad nauseam so that they stay alive in the public ear via the karaoke, videoke or traditional radio airplay, thereby providing many music publishers (mostly transnational) and songwriters (mostly non-Filipino) with an eternal source of royalties which help contribute to the GNPs of their respective nations –and some fame and fortune for our local cover artists who sing them over and over. Come to think of it, THIS has always been the state of affairs in the Pinoy music biz since the beginning of time. Ok, not since the beginning of time, but you get the drift…

Which brings us to Pinoy songs and Pinoy songwriters. I find it sad that our international talents – Ariel, Charice, Lea, numerous showbands here, there and everywhere– aren’t singing enough songs by Pinoy songwriters, because the real dealbreaker in this biz is the perpetuation of music. Yes, you read it right: they’re singing Pinoy songs, yes, but not enough. Music industry is all about making the music become industrious, literally, by making the songs work for you. Ariel is singing Journey’s songs and creating more value for those songs; Charice is creating value for David Foster’s music, and Diane Warren’s music, and so on. Apl D’App appears to be an exception, introducing the international audience to our “Bebot” and Asin. Maybe our international-grade talents can use more of their clout by creating value for, say, Cayabyab’s songs, or Canseco’s songs, or Karl de Mesa’s songs –maybe they can even rework a Jose Maceda piece or a Grace Nono/Bob Aves song, why not?!

On the local front, I was really thrilled when a major Pinoy band like Bamboo licensed Rom Dongeto’s “Tatsulok” for their album and a major rockstar like Rico Blanco reworked Ethnic Faces’ “Golden Boy,” opening up Pinoy listeners to a whole new level of Pinoy songwriting. I’m thrilled about Sandwich and Imago and Sugarfree and Itchyworms writing their own stuff and being all over the airwaves. But imagine if all these big bands made a habit of performing and licensing a Dong Abay or a Cynthia A. or a Mang Dhel masterpiece  – it would make the Pinoy music industry more industrious indeed! Music for and by Filipinos. That said, I’m thrilled by the producers of artists like Nikki Gil and Regine V. and Zsa Zsa P. who solicit OPM material for their albums and allow Pinoy songwriters a chance to earn their living. I was thrilled when the Eheads and APO tribute albums were produced, and kudos to their music publishers for infusing more value to these songs (and getting some much-deserved income into the pockets of main songwriters Ely B. and Jim P.) Kaso siyempre I’m sad that this practice doesn’t appear to be the norm when it should be, when it is in other nations!

But overall, I think the Pinoy music industry is still up and running, though what it really needs is more than a shot in the arm – it needs a megadose of optimism! It will continue to adhere to and emulate the Western model, which reaches far and wide into local markets like ours to sell their glossy, overproduced products. But instead of railing against getting caught up in this “globalization” framework, we can actually make it work to our advantage. Pinoy music and talent can be made to be really competitive in the global market - because we have it in such good abundance and it comes so naturally to us Pinoys. We excel in music without really trying, pramis. In fact, Pinoy music and talent is already competitive as it is without our government lifting a finger to improve things. Just imagine if it did. Kahit pinky finger man lang. Did you know that right this very moment, some foreign production is using some Visayan or Tausug music for their movies or projects? Such usages from foreign music users should be monitored more closely because it is in our effortless musical talent and culture that our comparative advantage as a nation truly lies. We are truly capable of giving all those foreign musicians and American Idols a run for their money –if we want to. But we need to get our act together. Enough of crab mentality at ‘yung “kanya-kanya” mentality. The Pinoy music biz is alive – but we can make it better!

I understand now that Pinoy artists are only trying to survive. Local artists are done in by their last hit song. If they were male and wearing pink tights when they performed their last hit song, they need to wear pink tights forever so that they won’t lose their market! (Nostalgia is super big business!)

It’s sad! It’s crazy! It’s music!

Here’s one idea: We need more Pinoy music executives attending MIDEM and all those important international music fairs to push more Pinoy songs into the global consciousness. I don’t really mind if it’s Lito Camo’s novelty songs or original compositions by some wonder boy from UP or UST Conservatory of Music that are getting the push. Basta Pinoy at may potential to enter the global zeitgeist. It would be great if songs were written in the vernacular or in any of our 120+ Pinoy languages so that they can really stand out and be more competitive in the international music market. I heard about Toti D’s efforts to market Terno artists internationally and I hope he makes more headway pa. My record label, Candid Records, is also doing the same, and it’s challenging because our albums, which are produced locally for cost-efficiency, are being held up to First World standards. How does your eight-track song hold up to some American Top 40 piece containing 100 tracks? Imagine how many hundreds of hours these guys spend inside a studio! That’s super expensive. But it’s not just the hours you need; it’s the technical know-how. It would be great if we had the money to send producers to study abroad and then have them apply the knowledge here. But you know what, what it really comes down to is passion. We need super passionate producers, artists and people, because their passion will make them work hard to perfect their craft. If First-Worlders become very good at what they do because they focus on just one kind of work, we Filipinos have to be virtuosos – we have to excel in everything we work on, ‘coz we can’t afford to do just one type of work! Kelangan nating maging Renaissance people, at ganun na nga ‘ata ang nangyayari! “If you’re not strong enough….then grow stronger!” ika nga sa pelikulang “The 13th Warrior.” He he.

Kahit ‘yun lang muna ang gawin. Paisa-isa or dalawang delegate lang muna to these international music fairs, kasi nga I understand it requires a lot of investment. Or better yet, maybe our government can establish an ASEAN version of MIDEM right here in Manila. Tsaka somebody should bring back the Metropop Competitions. Nangarap pa…haayyy.

But I guess it seems we don’t want success as badly as other nations do. What a waste. But again, what’s new? The more things change, the more they stay the same…right?

Meanwhile, I try to contribute to our GNP in my own small way by remaining active in the Pinoy music biz, writing and singing my heart out. At ikaw rin Karl, by writing your kick-ass stuff and applying your astute analyses to the music industry, you are already doing your part to keep our music biz alive.

Hope this helps. Mabuhay tayong mga musikero!

Thanks!

Isha Abubakar