FlipMusic Productions On Developing VVINK And The Long Game of Second Chances

If you’ve been paying attention to the Philippine pop scene in recent years, then FlipMusic Productions is undeniably one of the most prolific names that you’d come across within the burgeoning P-pop movement.  

Few names ring as steadily and significantly as FlipMusic, as over the past fifteen years, the production powerhouse — helmed by the collaborative genius of CEO Jellica Mateo, Co-Founder, COO, and Head Producer Jumbo “Bojam” de Belen, and Director Nolan Bernardino — has quietly but forcefully shaped the sound of modern OPM. Their musical touch is unmistakable, from genre-defining hits within the realm of pop, ballads, to breakout tracks in the fast-emerging P-pop movement; there’s no questioning just how much FlipMusic’s sonic DNA has echoed through the speakers of a generation.

Known for their ability to curate artist-specific soundscapes and push genre boundaries, FlipMusic played a crucial role in some of the foundational moments of the new wave of Pinoy pop. Their groundbreaking collaborations with acts like Sarah Geronimo, BINI, and G22 have proved to be not merely commercially successful, but pivotal in shaping how modern P-pop would be heard—lush, forward-thinking, and emotionally resonant. 

Having spent years empowering other groups to find their footing, FlipMusic has now embarked on its most personal project to date: the official debut of their very own P-pop girl group, VVINK. After years of behind-the-scenes contributions to the rise of the genre, this move acts as a culmination of the team’s dreams, resilience, and commitment to telling stories through music that resonates worldwide.

“Having a group has always been a dream of FlipMusic,” says Jellica. “We kept that dream alive and said that one day we will again create a group when we find the right people to join that team. Something just aligned. And so I think VVINK is what’s going to bring forward that longstanding dream of FlipMusic.”

A Dream Fifteen Years in the Making

FlipMusic’s formation of VVINK didn’t happen overnight, for it was the product of a long-burning vision over two years, revived only when both the timing — and the people — finally felt right. As Jellica explained, “We kept that dream alive and said that one day we will again create a group when we find the right people to join that team and the right timing, we counted for people who emulated the same values [of] artistry, authenticity, and resilience.”

The idea of launching a group of their own had actually surfaced before — twice, in fact, in collaboration with other labels. But it wasn’t until this particular convergence of talent, timing, and experience that FlipMusic decided to go all in the moment. After working intimately with some of the country’s most promising young artists, their team knew exactly what they were looking for, and also what they weren’t.

“When we decided [to choose who would be a part of the group], sabi ko lang naman [what I said was] is one: they have to be willing to work for it,” Nolan shared. “We just wanted to get to know them more, their personality… and ako, ang isang criteria ko [for me, one of my criterias was] is yung [the] hunger. Are you hungry enough?”

The hunger in each member chosen was surely unmistakable, as the five eventual members of VVINK were not necessarily new to the grind. Their collective backgrounds read like a blueprint for resilience: a medley of competition veterans, ex-idols, and reality show semi-finalists who never seemed to have made it big. “There’s a certain magic with artists or performers who have tried and failed and tried again,” notes Jellica. “Some came from the mainstream, some were from The Voice Kids, some are Idol Philippines semi-finalists, but they all kept on trying.”

“We saw ourselves in that way as well,” she added, “Parang okay, this is in alignment with who we are at FlipMusic. So those stories, put together of those five individuals, of their journeys, helped us decide that they’re all different — but at the core, they’re all the same.”

Bojam also echoed that sentiment, recalling how even external recommendations reinforced their gut instincts. “I asked some of my friends point blank, who do you think is a missed opportunity in these contests? And Jean was one of the names given,” he said. “Many of the group’s members weren’t given that opportunity to show their vocal character as an artist during their time at such shows. And since I believe that in this project, I noted that we should embrace their vocal age and characteristics in singing to really make the most of their talents as artists.”

Solo First, And Then Unity

In a significant departure from the usual idol playbook, FlipMusic launched VVINK through a pre-debut strategy that emphasized their solo work before group synergy. Each member was introduced through two solo songs in VVINK: The Pre-Debut Album, which was a marketing approach and developmental tool rolled into one.

“It played a major part in our training,” Jellica explained. “We built on what they are, where they come from, what they already have skills-wise… we wanted to afford them that opportunity to feel whole and self-aware before they enter into a group setting.”

The idea for the effort was simple: let each girl shine individually before fusing them into a cohesive unit. “Usually, in the route of girl groups, they first form as a group,” Bojam said. “What we wanted was to create songs that are familiar to the people, at least the different characters and voices. We set it up to have the audience familiarize themselves with their voices and personalities individually.”

Beyond familiarity, it was about identity. Jellica explained, “The reason why there are two songs each was to also create a multi-dimensional character that says there’s a duality in each person.”

This duality extended to every creative decision, including their very own name. “VVINK is spelled that way because it represents double victory and second chances,” Jellica explained. “Together, the two Vs form a W. In Gen Z language, it’s a win — not just for us as FlipMusic, and not just for the girls.”

“It reflects two years of training, two solo tracks each, and a reflection of duality and support from each other, so you can lean on each other, with both Vs making the W.”

Rigorous, Reflective, and Real

If FlipMusic’s approach to production has always been deliberate, then their training of VVINK was methodical and deeply personal. The girls underwent two years of intense preparation, not just in singing and dancing, but also in songwriting, mental health, and holistic growth.

“It’s not just how we train celebrities here or singers,” said Nolan. “It’s going to be two years of extensive work of recording, of singing, of living together, and we wanted to check on their determination their their commitment, and their willingness to sacrifice a lot of things, family, and even personal endeavors.”

Their training included the usual programs of dancing, singing, hosting, etiquette classes, and even media training, while also integrating avenues for boxing, meditation, yoga, and self-reflection. “We had the channels and open communications for open dialogue to ensure that mental health is also taken care of,” said Jellica. “We learned that each individual learns differently, at different paces and in different styles.”

“We wanted them to be open to [all of] it and absorb everything that they can,” adds Jellica.  “Take whatever works. If this tool that we’re teaching you doesn’t work, then park it aside. Try it on — just like clothes. If it doesn’t fit you, next, try it again. But at least try. Try it and see if it fits. And I think through the process, they have discovered themselves individually and as a group.

Another significant aspect of their development program included an emphasis on songwriting, which was something the group’s members were already familiar with. Angelika, for instance, penned BINI’s “Pantropiko,” while Mariel wrote Calista’s “Alas Dose.” Bojam added, “They were technically trained to do everything. So by the time we were thinking of their positions, it was a bit difficult,” he jokes. 

“We always have reflections,” Jellica said. “Because as much as we want to push the girls to become the best in what they do, we want longevity. We want a solid foundation. They won’t hate themselves, us, or what they’re doing. But they fall in love with it every single day. And as contributors to the OPM sound, we looked at how we can elevate Philippine pop music to an international level.”

FlipMusic Philosophy in Action

What makes VVINK a uniquely FlipMusic product isn’t just the rigorous training or the strategic rollout that preceded their debut, but is ultimately the philosophy behind it all. FlipMusic has always emphasized storytelling, collaboration, and emotional honesty.

“With every artist that we work with, we really are storytellers at heart,” Jellica shared. “So for every artist, we do our best to sonically curate something special and unique just for them.”

It’s a methodology that’s worked wonders for collaborators like Sarah Geronimo and BINI, giving them some of their most iconic hits that have dominated airwaves across the Philippines, even making their way internationally to put Filipino artists and their music on the global map. “It’s such a privilege for us, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to be entrusted with their sound. We are giving our sonic DNA as FlipMusic, but at the same time, share it with their DNAs as well,” she adds. “It’s like a convergence, and that’s what we’re also applying for VVINK. We wanted their identities to stay as they are, but also develop the openness for collaboration.”

This artist-centered philosophy has now been applied fully to VVINK. “It’s not really about what we want or what they want; it has to be a collaborative effort,” Nolan said. “Like with VVINK, we know who they are, how they are as a group, and how they are as individuals, which is what we aim to translate with their music and imagery as artists.”

And for FlipMusic, it always circles back to honesty and connection. “If someone is going through what it is to be 20 years old, 25 years old, or 28 years old, what are their feelings?” Jellica asked. “We want to tell their stories from where they are, because it goes in line with what we’ve always said in our work, which was “let’s flip the scene and say, just present artists as they are.”

Filipino Roots With A Global Reach

As P-pop expands globally, VVINK stands as a proudly Filipino act with international ambition. “We believe that anything relatable to Filipinos will be relatable globally,” said Bojam. “We just have to embrace it.”

Nolan emphasized the cultural aspect, stating, “As much as it is a risk, we want to introduce Filipino to the world. Just like how Koreans did it. Before, there was Psy’s “Gangnam Style” and “Nobody” by the Wonder Girls, which worked because they believed in themselves. They believed that one day, the world would embrace Korean songs and dance and sing to it, even if they don’t understand them. So we want to do our part in promoting OPM or P-pop, because it sounds as beautiful as any language, because gusto namin i-uplift ‘yung image ng Pinoy [we wanted to uplift the image of Filipinos].”

“It’s very aligned to how we think as FlipMusic producers,” mentions Jellica, agreeing with Nolan’s sentiments. “P-pop is not just expanding and growing, it’s maturing as well, because our first-gen artists are also maturing and their fans are also growing with them.”

“P-pop has matured into more than just dance breaks, high notes, hashtags, and virality. We now have the capacity to tell stories as well and go beyond nice dance moves and the colorful, perfect pictures, but to also relate to them as humans, as people who come from families with dreams, backgrounds, and stories of how rigorous and hard it is to become a pop idol,” she continues. 

“I think there’s space now for that journey to be embraced as well. As producers, we want VVINK to sound true, real, and to inspire. And at FlipMusic, we always believe that we can capture culture, the humor, the heartaches, the pain, how we communicate our highs and lows in songs that are always sonically layered, forward in sound, and global in quality.”

The Path Ahead 

Now that VVINK have officially made their debut with the single “Tulala,” it only marks the beginning of a much larger journey ahead — not merely for them, but also for the rest of the FlipMusic team. “The album is [actually] done,” said Nolan. “They’ve recorded all songs already. And all songs are under production.”

Though they tease what to expect from the group’s upcoming album, FlipMusic continues to dream big — not just for VVINK, but for the rest of the P-pop movement itself. “I really want to see a Top 200 Billboard chart with P-pop songs,” said Bojam. “It may be a stretch to reach that, but it has to start somewhere. Not just with the current number of groups now, but it needs to increase.”

But more than chart success, what FlipMusic hopes for is a long-term impact that is not only felt, but also inspirational to several other aspiring artists out there. “We want VVINK to stand out in a way that you believe in yourself and second chances,” said Jellica. “We’re not here to compete with anyone else, because what we want VVINK to do is to encourage others to try to invest, and believe in the Filipino dream. Because you never know, something wonderful might just happen.”

“For us, though, having our girls at VVINK debut is already a big, big win for everyone, for us as well. It’s just the beginning for VVINK, but it feels so major because we’ve waited for this for a long time. To now put out a group that can move in that scene, and can contribute and elevate, hopefully elevate the people, quality, standards, and success, not just within the country, but globally,” she adds.

The team’s belief is simple, yet radical in its sincerity, for with the help of heartfelt music, made by resilient artists, rooted in identity, it has the power to uplift an entire community.

“As long as we can physically and mentally [do it], we will still be in the music industry,” Jellica concludes. “All of what VVINK embodies comes from our hearts and our songs. It’s a win not just for us, not just for the girls. It’s a win for everyone.”

Listen to FlipMusic and VVINK’s debut single, “Tulala,” below: