Coke Studio returns

The thought of music and Coca-Cola brings back memories of the one of the greatest commercial jingles of all time. Back in 1971, Coke very sweetly proclaimed its intentions to the world with, “I’d like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony/ I’d like to buy the world a Coke and keep it company/ it’s the real thing/ Coke is what the world wants today.”

Nearly 50 years later, Coke is still doing that. I do not mean merely selling Coca-Cola. What I mean is teaching us to sing in perfect, if even at times discordant, harmonies. And not just through an iconic jingle but through the first-hand experience of creating music for everybody to enjoy through the Coke Studio. 

The Coke Studio is a popular TV series in the Middle East and other Asian countries that Coca-Cola brought to the Philippines a year ago. It is now back for its second season and airing at 11:15 every Sunday on ABS-CBN’s Channel 2. And with the local music industry on the brink of what promises to be major upheavals, Coke Studio can litereally fill itself with the most exciting artists and the music to go with them.

Coke Studio basically features live performances by local artists. It is unique in the sense that these numbers are mostly collabs by unlikely pairs. Think rapper Shanti Dope with rockers IV of Spades in a mash of Bata Dahan-dahan and Nadarang or of hip-hopper Quest with spoken word artist Juan Miguel Severo.  Remember him from the TV series, On The Wings of Love? It also takes viewers through the almost magical creation of a new song, from the writing through to the recording process. 

In keeping with Season 2’s Homecoming theme, last Sunday’s Coke Studio featured the DJ from La Salle Patty Tiu in an interesting pairing with the South Korea-based Filipino artist Kriesha Chu. The two performed, talked about memories of home and their early days. Then with guidance from producer Jimmy Antiporda, Patty got to remix a song that Kriesha did to close the set. It all made for a fun show.

It made me think. Not only because the show brought in the rarely seen Patty and Kriesha but also because it is an excellent platform for Filipino talents. Now Patty and Kriesha are both pretty, talented and boast of a big following. But do you think they will be invited as guests to the regular variety shows on local TV? Maybe once or twice. 

The shows in our local networks want performers of the same look and the same sound and almost the same age and woe to anyone who dares to challenge that. With that, can you imagine how many talented singers or bands around us are just dying to get into national TV and show what they can do but never will. Now Coke Studio with talent as its main criteria, has the guts to change that while also imparting positive vibes of home, family, friends and fun times with Coke.

That is I why I am glad we have Coke Studio again this year.  Because of Coke Studio, the talented acts around us, no matter how they look or how old they are, now have a chance to perform their songs on television. That is, if they prove themselves worthy to be part of the Coke and music partnership. The plug for this Sunday’s edition has somebody named Sam. Is that Concepcion?  Maybe. But what I am really curious about is the second guest, a homecoming Pinoy who made good in a foreign country. Wonder who that is. 

Speaking of original Filipino music, also working hard to keep the music going and new and fresh all the time is the Philpop songwriting competition. Fans are now in the thick of voting for their favorite semi-finalists. All of you out there still have time to vote at Philpop 2018. Log on now to www.philpop.com.ph for the complete instruction on how to vote via SMS or Twitter. A tracking list of the voting progress is available 24 hours a day, everyday, until next week.

Other ways to support the songs is to download the recordings or stream them. You can keep listening to the songs on Spotify and watching the lyric videos on YouTube. Each time you do, you are helping to create hits out of this awesome batch of new works. Then judges will take over the contest for 50 percent of the total votes. The top 10 finalists will be revealed via Philpop’s social media pages and website on Oct. 22. Then, it will be see you all at the finals night in November.