Marion Aunor and her dreamers

Marion Aunor has music destiny in her blood. Her aunt is Nora Aunor, one of the country’s greatest singers and actresses. Her mother, although now retired, also had her turn at the top, as Maribel Aunor, one of the famous Apat na Sikat. So, although she dutifully finished her studies, there was no stopping her from pursuing a music career.

And she is not only performing and writing songs. As founder and head of the label Wild Dream Records, Marion is not only a talent scout, she’s also record producer, marketing person and mother figure to a growing number of talents.

Here are some of them: Singer and songwriter and former school teacher Matt Wilson likes being airborne. Just take a listen to his hit songs. These are titled AIitaptap or firefly and Planeta as in a planet from outer space. No wonder his music elicits this dreamy, trancelike reaction from listeners, thanks to that hypnotic beat. Matt was Marion’s first dreamer, and listening to him now after some well-received singles shows how well she did on her first try.

Across as dreamy, hypnotic, eliciting reactions with his e studio, magic happens. Known for his hypnotic beats and lush arrangements, Matt has been making waves in the indie-electronic scene, earning accolades for his album that topped several music charts, especially with his single Alitaptap. His artistry feels like a sonic hug — warm, unexpected, and unforgettable.

Emdee Sanchez calls himself Minimal Days. He first drew attention with the heart-tugging tune 11,100 kilometers. I dare you to check out the video on YouTube to find out what that distance measure means. His latest Gunita is no less touching. Here is proof that music, no matter how simple, when performed from the heart, can generate a strong impact.

Wild Dream also has a hiphop artist in its roster. And he has such an interesting name. He calls himself Pecado, which means sin in Spanish. I do not know if he is indeed sinful. You might check out his first single Ahon and judge for yourself. But sinful or not, Pecado has a deep, soulful voice whose smooth rapping makes for relaxing listening.

Sentimental souls will surely fall for Preza’s heartfelt ballad, Saksi. However, Jho on vocals and rhythm guitar; Alecz on vocals and bass guitar; Mark on drums; and Renz on lead guitar are capable of more. They can also dish out fiery rockers alongside their sweet romantic tunes. By the way, they all hail from Baguio and call themselves Preza as a tribute to the fresh strawberries of the region.

Bianca Denise creates poetry when she starts to sing. Add to this the fact that she has looks to match. Her writing style leans towards romantic ballads, done in an acoustic style. Her debut single is titled Ihahatid echoes the sweetness of the Manila Sound era. Very good, but I really see her as a chanteuse. Heartbroken but very sexy.

Midnight Talking makes groovy basslines with infectious hooks rendered with a splash of retro charm. Watch out for these boys of the cutesy boyfriend types from the ‘60s. They are young, just out of high school, during which they formed a singing group which has now grown into a band. They also write their own songs and might just be Wild Dream’s answer to Cup of Joe.

I say that Marion found a most talented and exciting batch for her first set of dreamers. It is also a blessing for these singers to be under Wild Dream and Marion, who is working very hard to make their dreams come true.