The new OPM
MANILA, Philippines - Thanks to the Internet, kids today have the best music to ever exist on the planet available at their fingertips, and as a result, this era’s young musicians have a wonderful musical upbringing. You can see this in their influences, and in the offbeat, accelerated direction their music develops.
We at Supreme feel it’s time to put the spotlight on these young talents. This is a list of six fresh, loud voices who are starting to gain recognition for their music, be it from blogs or word of mouth. These upstarts have worked through a post-MySpace era of music, where DIY means writing music while you’re holed up in your bedroom with a laptop and iPad spread out in your own bed — a stark contrast to the grimy and noisy beginnings of garage bands (a phrase that for them will probably mean a Mac and iPad application).
Take notes and bookmark these talents’ respective SoundClouds and BandCamps, and load their tunes on your iPod. In the world of Original Pilipino Music, these kids are the shape and sound of things to come.
Zai Millar, 22
I play the ukulele, guitar and heart CHOS

Age you started playing/writing music: In college (I’m incredibly shy.)

Musical crushes: George Gershwin, Ella Fitzgerald

Earliest musical memory: Singing My Heart Will Go On, and my relatives making fun of me for trying to copy her “nginigâ€â€¨
What I think I sound like: An old record

What I actually sound like: Tunog galing sa lata
Age is nothing but a: ...heartache! Hits you when it’s too late! Hits you when you’re down!
What is love? It’s being alone, but not lonely.
Best thing someone told me about my music: It sounds sad but hopeful (LIKE ME).

Listen to my music on: My secret SoundCloud: soundcloud.com/aluckysoandso
Spirit Ocean
Zeon Gomez, 19 (vocals, synth)
Hana Acabada, 21 (vocals, synths, guitar)

Age you started singing/playing or writing music: 

Zeon: I started singing at age 5, Drums at 8, writing at 13, Synths at 18.
Hana: Started playing piano at age 7, then went on to learn more instruments.
Musical crushes:
Zeon: Millionyoung, Swimming with Dolphins, Lullatone and tons of Japanese and Korean Indie.

Hana: Cat Power, The XX
Earliest musical memory: 

Zeon: When I was 4, Dad sampled my voice saying “check it out†from some beat he made, it was really old school…listen to it for the lelz

Hana: Piano recital somewhere back when I was 7
What we think we sound like: We think we sound cool. Haha Korean Indie pop/twee?.
What we actually sound like: Some say Indie pop, We really don’t know.
Age is nothing but a: TRAP
What is love? Love is mysterious, something we desire and loathe at the same time.
Best thing someone told us about our music:

Zeon: Vandals on the Wall wrote about us once-he said two things that I really love “It’s every inch pretty and melancholic, making music about having your heart ripped out while making it sound like they’re having fun†and our songs are about “ Heartbreak and teenage infatuation with girly cuteness. “I find it fascinating.
Hana: “You are not ordinary� Haha.
Where you can listen/buy our music:
soundcloud.com/spiritocean
and soundcloud.com/hannahmichi
No Rome
Guendoline Rome V. Gomez, 17
I play bass, drums, keyboards, and synths

Age you started singing/playing or writing music: 9 or 10?

Musical crushes (Influences): Friendly Fires, Saint Pepsi, Kamp!, Vanguard, VentureX, Shook and such
Earliest musical memory: I remember performing in school for like this annual singing contest then somebody laughed at me then I cried and ran, I didn’t even finish the song!

What I think I sound like: I think I sound like George Benson of the 2013 Internet world haha. I think I sound like this Dreamy Dance Pop, a bit of nu-disco?
What I actually sound like: I think I sound like Katy Perry haha! Well blogs tell me I sound like chillwave/dreampop/electro-dance music.

Age is nothing but a: Hindrance, being young is a great thing I mean if we could on stay as teenagers forever. Age can also deprive us to do something we want, people can downgrade us telling us were too young but, yo there’s no such thing as too young, homie.
What is Love? Love is a positive emotion we feel. It’s an emotion. I would love to share unto the world. I’m serious though!
Best thing someone told me about my music: It inspires them, so I should keep making them.
Where you can listen/buy my music:
Bea Valenzuela, 17
I play guitar and the keys and other instruments, sing and compose scores when I’m not with my band The Kinder Friends.

Age you started singing/playing or writing music: I started playing at 11 kasi nainggit ako sa birthday gift ng ate ko — gitara. Haha. Biglang naging uso matuto gumitara noon, so I learned by myself. Now, I’m not so sure. But I’ve been trying to sing and write music my whole life.

Musical crushes: William Fitzsimmons, Ben Howard, John Mayer, Mat Kearney, Beyonce (!)

Earliest musical memory: Singing Reflection from Mulan and learning Chopsticks on the piano. Groundbreaking stuff.

What I think I sound like: Beyonce

What I actually sound like: Beyonce. Or acoustic/electronic music
Age is nothing but a: A ton of betrayal! Actually, I still look like I’m 11.
What is love? Love is lanzones season and noise canceling headphones.
Best thing someone told us/me about our/my music: This is odd and personal to recant these things, but some people left anonymous comments on my blog saying I inspired them to write their own music and play guitar themselves! It was really sweet. It started as a side project because I was too shy to really go out there and play alone, but my friends also started showing their friends and it got around, and they share and show their parents and even strangers and they respond and reach out! I’m just happy I get to meet other people who relate with my music and other musicians, when I was apprehensive about it before.
Where you can listen/buy our music: It’s mostly self-released on Soundcloud! Check out soundcloud.com/bpvalenzuela and soundcloud.com/happyseabear for my scores. I’m releasing stuff on Bandcamp soon.
Paolo Arciga, 18
Band: Mount Analogue
Age you started singing/playing or writing music: I started learning to play the guitar at age 12, and started writing as soon as I could play more than three chords!
Musical crushes: Sharon Van Etten and Karen O! Hehe!
Earliest musical memory: I remember watching Myx and singing along to Savage Garden and Ronan Keating, more than a decade ago.
What we think we sound like: Sonic Youth
What we actually sound like: Like nothing you have ever heard before, /pramis/.
Age is nothing but a: Way of knowing how many years you’ve been alive. It’s what you do with those years. (Yuck, ang corny!)
What is love?: Love is when your mom buys plenty of copies of the The Philippine Star because you’re in it. Love is Corinthians 13. Pag-ibig, e.
Best thing someone told me about my music: Besides playing for two bands, I also write my own songs and post bad recordings of them on the Internet, and the best thing I’ve ever heard anyone say about my music is that they can relate to it. Thomas Mars of Phoenix once said, “I imagine it’s ultimately the role of an artist, to transcend his inner pain so that it speaks to as many people as possible,†and that’s what it all really is about, haha!
Where you can listen/buy our music: Mount Analogue is still working on releasing some material, but it should take a while. It’s the Kevin Shields’ way of doing things!
The After-School Special

Anton Salvador, 21, (Laptop and Midi controllers)
Age you started singing/playing or writing music: 11
Musical crushes: I have a lot, so sorry in advance hihi. TOKiMOSTA, Leslie Feist, Annie Clark, Cacie Dalager, Jess Abbott, Armi Millare, Zooey Deschannel, June Marieezy, Alexandra Lawn, Miki Hahn, Soulflower, Karen O, and Sandy Buladaco.
Earliest musical memory: I really got into Jason Mraz when I was in grade school because our radio alarm clock played Sleep All Day and The Remedy pretty often in the morning.
What I think I sound like: a weirder version of Nosaj Thing
What I actually sound like: a weird mix of The Album Leaf and some of the guys at Brainfeeder I guess?
Age is nothing but a: non-essential thingy
What is love? An inside joke two people share. Naks, p*ta.
Best thing someone told us/me about our/my music: “Hey, I really like your music *wink na medyong malandi*â€
Where you can listen/buy our music: soundcloud.com/theafter-schoolspecial | facebook.com/BuwanBuwanCollective
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Tweet the authors at @donutjaucian and @JunellHernando.
