Clara Benin, Paolo Sandejas, And More Join Building Bridges Manila
Through this collaborative music camp, OPM is crossing borders and building bridges to the global market.
By Rome Saenz
PAOLO SANDEJAS, CLARA BENIN, DWTA, & ACE BANZUELO: Courtesy of @paolosandejas, @clarabeninmusic, @akoaydwta, and @acebanzuelo respectively
CLARA BENIN: Courtesy of @clarabeninmusic
In this upcoming music camp, your favorite OPMOPMShort for Original Pilipino Music, the body of songs created by Filipino artists, spanning genres from ballads and rock to hip-hop and pop. OPM expresses Filipino identity and heritage, andGo to OPM Glossary artists can soon collaborate with Filipino-American talents.
Co-hosted by Kiana V and Tiana Kocher, Building Bridges Manila is a music camp produced by US API creative collective Mono Stereo Groove in partnership with Sony Philippines. Running from January 20 until January 24, the initiative offers ten Filipino-Americans the rare opportunity to collaborate with renowned OPMOPMShort for Original Pilipino Music, the body of songs created by Filipino artists, spanning genres from ballads and rock to hip-hop and pop. OPM expresses Filipino identity and heritage, andGo to OPM Glossary acts like indie darling Clara Benin, rising artist Ace Banzuelo, indie-pop singer-songwriter Paolo Sandejas, and Albay native artist dwta. The program will also foster connections for Fil-Am music creatives and Filipino artists, songwriters, and producers at Wild Grass Recording Studio.
Spearheaded by Rosemarie Tan, founder of Mono Stereo Groove, the initiative is unique in nature as it aims to connect these Fil-Am talents to their heritage and roots, all the while creating innovative and global music. The creatives themselves boast of a portfolio working with international wavemakers like the K-popK-PopA genre of South Korean popular music known for polished production, intricate choreography, and elaborate visuals, built around trainee systems and global fandoms. K-pop has a huge following in theGo to K-Pop Glossary superstars BTS, Black Eyed Peas, and more.
As a whole, Building Bridges Manila aspires to introduce Filipino music to the global market and unlock opportunities for local artists to work with international talent, all the while deepening the ties these Filipino-American creatives share with their heritage.