Traditional music and dance
Very schematically, traditional Filipino repertoires are generally divided into three families: firstly, indigenous traditions, then Hispano-European-influenced traditions, also known as "Westernized folk traditions", and finally American-influenced traditions.
The music of indigenous peoples is closely linked to rites, ceremonies and major life events: birth, marriage, funeral rites, but also planting, harvesting or healing, while that of Hispano-European influence was introduced during the Spanish colonial period, such as subli and sanghiyang, ancestor and spirit cults assimilated from Western religious traditions. Finally, the influence of the American colonial period is still remembered for having transformed local music, notably by improving the training of musicians.
Drawing on more than three centuries of Spanish domination, it is clearly the Hispano-European influence that is most palpable in local traditions. The Spanish soul, for example, can be seen in the rondallas, traditional string orchestras born in medieval Spain and still very much alive in Catalonia. But also in harana and kundiman, two types of serenade dating from the colonial period. In the 1920s, both trends became more popular, with artists such as Atang de la Rama, Jovita Fuentes, Sylvia La Torre (the "Queen of the kundiman") and Ruben Tagalog bringing them to a wide audience.
That said, the most remarkable traditional musical forms are those associated with dance. The most famous - among Filipinos and tourists alike - are undoubtedly the Tinikling and the Cariñosa (the national dance). The former is a highly spectacular dance - performed to the sound of the rondalla - in which two or more performers strike bamboo poles on the ground, in coordination with one or more dancers who straddle, jump and perform all manner of acrobatics between the poles. Singular and stunning, this is one of the most emblematic choreographic practices in the Philippines and, as a result, unofficially one of the national dances.
This is also true of the Cariñosa, a dance of seduction distinguished by the use of a fan and a handkerchief to amplify the couple's gallant gestures.
More theatrical, another popular choreographic form is the Singkil, recounting an episode from the Darangen - the Maranao version of the Ramayana, the great Indian epic. It is always accompanied by the kulintang, the Filipino equivalent of the Indonesian gamelan or the Thai piphat. Very traditional - and particularly emblematic of Philippine music - the kulintang is a cousin of the xylophone, and can be likened to a series of oval pots with lids. Each emits a different sound.
A little more confined to the mountains of northern Luzon and certain Mindanao tribes, the pandanggosa ilaw is a traditional dance derived from the fandango (a mainstay of Spanish folklore), all agile movements performed with an oil lamp placed on the head.
The Bayanihan Philippine folk troupe, founded in the 1950s, is the country's oldest and most internationally renowned company. It has performed on stages in 700 cities on every continent, and remains firmly committed to its role of preserving and promoting the country's choreographic traditions. The company is renowned for its flawless execution of tinikling and singkil.
A true national treasure, it's worth noting that traditional dances inspire and infuse much contemporary practice. Agnes Locsin, the famous Filipino choreographer and dancer, for example, draws much of her inspiration from Bagobo dances.
The archipelago abounds in folkloric events offering a close-up view of Filipino music and dance, starting with the Bolibong-Kingking event dedicated to them, the Hungduan Festival in April, which celebrates the end of rice planting, and the Kadayawan Sa Dabaw Festival, a celebration of the abundant harvest of fruit and orchids, the Lanzones Festival, featuring this very sweet tropical fruit resembling the lychee, and the Naliyagan Festival, six days of socio-cultural events by the tribes of the Agusan Valley.
And let's not forget the Ati-Atihan festival in Kalibo, the most famous in the archipelago. It's one of the most spectacular celebrations in honor of the Santo Niño, with incessant parades.
Popular music
In the 1970s, the worldwide popularity of folk, rock and reggae music coincided with the Vietnam War and the Marcos dictatorship in the Philippines. An era that saw traditional music become a vehicle for protest, as witnessed by the career of Heber Bartolome, the face of resistance to the Marcos dictatorship whose work tirelessly summoned the many musical traditions of the Philippines.
It was also during this period that more mainstream artists such as Freddie Aguilar achieved success by introducing traditional music into rock. The most popular singer in the Philippines, he is the author of highly committed texts written in Tagalog, such as his song Bayan Ko ("My Country") - which was even the anthem of a revolt movement against President Marcos in 1986.
The 1970s were a turbulent period for the archipelago. It was also during this period that the ManillaSound emerged, a catchy, smooth and accessible soft-rock movement heavily influenced by American music (but written in Tagalog), often considered the smiling face of the Marcos era. A movement that has profoundly marked local music, and initiated another: OPM.
Original Pilipino Music is a term that originally referred to a type of Filipino pop song, mainly ballads. Today, the term has become a catch-all for all popular music composed and performed by Filipinos. In the 1970s, popular OPM artists included pioneers Danny Javier and his group APO Hiking Society, Nora Aunor, the national "Superstar", and Claire dela Fuente, considered the queen of Tagalog song alongside Rico J. Puno. Little by little, these idols have been superseded by others such as Régine Velasquez (a star: several million albums sold in the Philippines in a career spanning more than thirty years), Kuh Ledesma, who exports very well, or Lea Salonga, known in the English-speaking world for being the voice of two Disney princesses: Jasmine in Aladdin (1992) and Fa Mulan in Mulan (1998).
Iconic as ever, it's impossible not to mention the extraordinary artist Levi Celerio. A pillar of Philippine popular heritage, the compositions of this simple man knew how to exalt national sentiments with heady melodies. Extremely prolific, he remains famous for his gigantic discography (over four thousand works), his immortal Christmas carols and his ability to play music harmoniously with nothing more than a tree leaf (yes, yes). He was awarded the title of "National Artist of Literature and Music" in 1997, the highest distinction given to Filipino artists.
Since the 2010s, the country has also cultivated a local response to K-pop and J-pop: Pinoy Pop (or "P-Pop"). Thanks to the country's rapid economic growth and increased investment in artists and labels, the quality of the genre has grown, as have its sales. Stylistically, the recipe is more or less the same as in Korea or Japan, with some adaptation to the national market. Famous P-Pop artists driving the genre include 4th Impact, Sarah Geronimo and SB19. A few OPM icons, such as Regine Velasquez, are also trying to penetrate this market.
Contemporary music
Since the birth of the genre, the archipelago has always adored rock. Recently, however, a young guard has been daring a little more, playing post-rock with a very atmospheric sound. Following in the footsteps of pioneers Legarda, Moscow Olympics and Monochrome, good bands are abounding, such as Odd, whose airy, minimalist sound is rich in vaporous atmospheres; Tide/edit, more "math rock" and percussive; and Earthmover, both progressive and frenetic.
Here too, hip-hop has found a home. The Philippines is reputed to have been home to Asia's first hip-hop scene, which emerged in the early 1980s, largely due to the country's historical ties with the United States. Pioneers here include Francis M, Andrew E. and Gloc-9, veterans who paved the way for the new wave of trap artists such as Abra, Shanti Dope and Ex Battalion.
In recent years, the Filipino scene has modernized and become more professional, to the extent that the American label Def Jam has opened a local branch and Filipino rappers such as Ez Mil are making a name for themselves in the USA.
