Ogie Alcasid praises SB19, Zack Tabudlo, other young artists

MANILA, Philippines — OPM icon Ogie Alcasid has named the young singer-songwriters who have impressed him the most.

Among those the veteran hitmaker commended are Arthur Nery, Zack Tabudlo and Adie.

“Madami,” he began when asked by The STAR during a roundtable interview if there’s any young artist who has caught his attention. “Si Arthur Nery, si Zack Tabudlo and si Adie. Si Adie, nakatrabaho ko sa Wish, hinintay ko, nasa likod lang ako, pinapakinggan ko, tilian ang mga babae, galing! Then last New Year, narinig ko si Arthur Nery, I said, ang galing naman ng mga batang nito. Of course, Zack, who doesn’t know Zack?

“Then I go to their Spotify, eto na yung mga bago… Eto na yung mga pumalit sa amin and it makes me happy that most of them are singer-songwriters. Hindi ko naman iniiba yung singers, of course, but yung singer-songwriter kasi, that’s me. I can identify with their journey more.

“Ang hirap talaga ng songwriter to be heard. Ang dami kasing magaling and it’s a very personal thing, kwento mo yun and it takes courage for you to expose your experiences. So, I tip my hat off to these young guys,” he said.  

Ogie, who’s the president of the Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mang-aawit (OPM), the country’s largest and longest-standing organization of performing artists, also expressed his admiration for the top P-pop group SB19.

“You know, SB19 for me, is one of those groups that we should be really, really proud of and elevate… and maybe we should also study them,” he noted, referring to reports that a special course on SB19 will be offered at the University of the Philippines.  

He noted how SB19 and other young artists are getting noticed by audiences beyond the country. 

“Si Zack is already making a mark, sikat siya sa ibang countries na, so is SB19, very popular in other countries. That’s why I said we should elevate them, we should push them,” he said.

“Kaya lagi akong nagtu-tweet ‘pag nag-Billboard Top 10. I would (post about that) because as OPM president, pagnakakita ka ng ganun, parang wow, what an honor for a Filipino singing group such as SB19 na ma-elevate ng ganun and I would encourage everyone.”

Meanwhile, Ogie, who’s on his 35th year in the industry, shared that he’s working on some collaborations with younger artists this 2024. “So, I’m excited for these ventures,” he said. 

Even so, he admitted encountering difficulties when trying to work with a young artist. He didn’t say who, but made it clear it didn’t offend him.

“No. I feel sad sometimes because well, they have their reasons ‘di ba? It’s hard to say kung ano  yung reason. Sometimes, a simple yes or no will suffice. But if you keep waiting and waiting (for a response), it’s hard,” he said.  

Besides the new-gen artists, Ogie is also looking to explore the possibility of writing a new song with fellow OPM hitmaker Odette Quesada, whom he’s collaborating with in a two-night Valentine’s concert, Love, Q & A, on Feb. 13 at the NUSTAR Convention Center in Cebu, and on Feb. 14 and 15, 8 p.m., at the Newport Performing Arts Theater in Pasay. 

Asked what he admires in Odette as a songwriter, he said, “So simple what she says, but Pinoy na Pinoy, alam na alam mo kaagad. Tsaka nung sinusulat niya yung mga kanta niya, teenager palang siya nun or maybe in her early 20s…and to have that kind of sensibility, ‘We used to be young…’ She’s a genius,” he said.

Expect their joint concert to feature both their biggest hits, from Odette’s Till I Met You, Don’t Know What to Say (Don’t Know What to Do), Farewell, Growing Up to Ogie’s Kailangan Kita, Pangarap Ko Ang Ibigin Ka, Pangako, Mahal Kita Wala Ng Iba,  just to name a few. Tickets are available via SM Tickets, TicketWorld or for more details, contact these numbers 0917-8105031, 0917-8292173, 0917-8189847, and 0917-8079387. Love, Q & A is presented by Newport Resort Casino together with NY Entourage Productions.