By Ma. Cristina C. Arayata
MANILA, July 12 (PNA) — The world knows Filipinos are music-lovers. One digital music service, Spotify, gives a platform to OPM artists for them not just to showcase their talents globally, but provide them a greater chance to be in the mainstream.
It’s through Spotify Emerge, a global talent hunt that places local artists in the local artists in the spotlight in a bid to help them go mainstream.
The contest, which have started four years ago, used to have only four markets: UK, US, New Zealand and Australia. Did you know that Spotify chose Philippines as its 5th market for Spotify Emerge? That also means the country is its first market in Asia.
Why the Philippines? In an interview with the Philippines News Agency (PNA), Sunita Kaur, Spotify (Asia) managing director, said, “it is a country with such a deep passion for music.” She added that in one year, they got 2.5 billion song streams from the Philippines, and that’s a real reward for them.
The contest, which Kaur said she hopes to have yearly, takes local music talents to the world.
Kaur was in the country recently to announce the winner of the first Spotify Emerge program in the Philippines. Shehyee, a young rapper, bested nine other OPM artists in the talent hunt.
How does Spotify choose the winner? “We really look at what’s being listened to nowadays,” Kaur told PNA. The winner was chosen based on virality – most streamed, followed and shared.
Emerge serves as Spotify’s way of supporting not just the OPM industry but also the Philippines, which is its fastest growing market in the region.
This isn’t the first time that Kaur had been in the country. She said she had been here many times not just for work. Though based in Singapore, Kaur shared her favorite OPM artists include Eraserheads, Abra, and of course, Shehyee.
Apart from loving the OPM artists’ vocals, Kaur also mentioned she definitely loves the food here. “I like how Filipinos make the Spanish tapas,”she cited.
Meanwhile, to give Filipinos options to pay (access to Spotify), Spotify had partnered with Globe Telecom. Kaur said that even before they launched Spotify Emerge in the Philippines, they saw that they’re very similar with Globe – having a deep passion for music.
As a result of the partnership, Globe customers can access Spotify at denominations Php 20, Php 99 and Php 129. They can also opt to register to stand-alone Spotify Premium (valid for 30 days) by texting SP129 to 8888.
Curious to find out more about the contest and the other OPM artists? One may visit ph.spotifyemerge.com for more. (PNA)