Pinoys, playlists and pets: How Spotify celebrated National Pet Day
MANILA, Philippines — Last April 12, the world celebrated National Pet Day, honoring all our furry, feathery and scaly friends whom we love. And streaming platform Spotify took the celebrations in the Philippines to even more paw-some levels.
Spotify highlighted five Filipino artists on different playlists with their respective pets, showing their love for music is as big as their love for their animals.
The initiative came at a time when Original Pilipino Music (OPM) is gaining ground in worldwide streams. In the previous year alone, OPM accounted for billions in all-time streams.
For the "Tatak Pinoy" playlist, members of the band Ben&Ben and real-life couple Pat Lasaten and Agnes Reoma are featured with a dog and bird.
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The two shared that one of their dogs, Archie the corgi, is anxious but loves chill and classical music which is why they made him a playlist. Another of their dogs, Maxene the pug, loves to cuddle with them whenever they are practicing.
Their fellow member Andrew de Pano added that he loves that they're naturally emphatic pets, saying, "It's as if they always know how you're feeling and adjust to how you are, making them the best companions."
Boy wonder Zack Tabudlo is featured on the "Hot Hits Philippines" playlist, which showcases his own hit "Asan Ka Na Ba." The OPM singer shared how his family's two bulldogs Masen and Cosmo bring them joy.
"[Cosmo] would be in my studio when I'm producing," Tabudlo said, "I hope they stay with me for as long as they could."
Fast-rising star Clara Benin has amassed streams in the tens of millions, thus getting featured on the "OPM Rising" playlist with her English Cocker Spaniel-Poodle Novo.
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Benin said she feels like Novo is half-human, "Whenever I talk to him, he really makes eye contact as if he understands what I'm saying."
In the "Pinoy Rakrakan!" playlist, one can find both classic and up-and-coming OPM rock songs from Mayonnaise, Eraserheads, The Juans and The Itchyworms, whose frontman Jugs Jugueta is featured with one of his tortoises.
Apart from tortoises, Jugueta also has three dogs and several turtles, "I love hugging our dogs! For the tortoises, they love back rubs and head scratches."
Meanwhile Alisson Shore and his pet dog Kira are featured on the resurging "Kalye Hip-Hop," which includes songs by Ex Battalion, Lo Ki and Flow G.
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