• Claudia Barretto debuts with hit single
• The first Barretto music artist
• Claudia is ready to take the music scene by storm

#Blessedt

Aside from having a rich celebrity heritage and a surname dubbed to be the ‘home of the biggest stars’ in Philippine showbiz, Claudia Barretto is now ready to be heard, literally. The 17-year-old Barretto unleashes her singing prowess after signing with Universal Records. Creating her mark in the industry, Claudia surely knows how to make a statement.

Not just a pretty face

Claudia proves that she is more than just a pretty face as she releases her debut single “Stay”. The said song came out to take the 4th spot in Spotify Philippine‘s Viral 50 Chart, and its music video has garnered a whopping 100,000 views all in 5 days after release.

Known for being a huge Taylor Swift fan, this young lady’s smash debut single has been a hot topic on social media lately; leaving netizens surprised. Many did not expect her music to be that amazing–soothing and refreshing as some described it.

Why music industry?

Unlike her mother Marjorie, her aunties Gretchen and Claudine, and older sister Julia who have taken Philippine showbiz by storm in Movies and TV Dramas, Claudia rose to be the first young Barretto music star. According to her, she has chosen a ‘rather entirely different path’–the world of music, her greatest passion.

Claudia bravely brings their last name to the local music industry, proving that they can also become a household name in the world of music.

Her debut single ‘Stay’ is now available for streaming and download on iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, Deezer, Apple Music, and Spinnr.

Ever since Mayor Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte announced his intention to run for the 2016 Presidential elections, a number of critics have been airing their thoughts about the mayor. However, there are also those who are quick to defend Duterte against his detractors. One of them is Mocha Uson, one of the members of the sexy girl band, Mocha Girls.

In her Facebook post on December 4, 2015, she talked about a prominent OPM artist who had a “patriotic family man” image who once asked to interview her, which eventually turned into a series of questions that were all too sexual.

Here is the full text of her post:

BLIND ITEM:
ANTI-DUTERTE NA AKALA MO INOSENTE
(by MOCHA USON)

I just can’t believe what I read about a blog of an OPM artist bashing DUTERTE calling him a very immoral person.…
This OPM artist is very well-known and is considered as an icon in the music industry. He has very close ties with the AQUINOs and has a very religious public image.

He was hitting so hard about the immorality of DUTERTE hindi po kinaya ng aking damdamin ang nabasa ko. Dahil noong panahon na ako ay nasangkot sa isang controversy about my sexuality, this OPM artist invited me for an interview. He said he wanted to feature me on his column. Since he’s a very “RESPECTABLE” man in the MUSIC INDUSTRY, I agreed to meet with him. But I was shocked how the interview went. His questions were not in anyway related to my group or my career. He asked me, “Gaano ka ba KA-LIBOG?” (How lustful are you?) I almost spit out my coffee and he went on saying “pero iba ang libog ni Mae, noh?” (Mae is my bandmate). Literally, this very respected OPM artist was hitting on Mae and me. The questions continued but it was all about SEX. I was really shocked because this OPM Artist has an image of being a PATRIOTIC FAMILY MAN. I was disappointed and left in disbelief. I never told anyone about this. I just kept it to myself thinking maybe he was just carried away by his own lust.

But when I saw his tweet/post on his verified social media account that he was bashing Duterte’s character, I was enraged. This really bothered me. SIR BOSS HONORABLE, napaka-plastic mo po. Mahiya ka naman po sa sinasabi mo. Ako kinikilabutan sa mga sinasabi mo po. (Sir Boss Honorable, you are such a hypocrite. You should be ashamed of what you are saying. I am getting goosebumps because of what you are saying.) Before you start pointing fingers make sure your hands are clean. Duterte is not a good role model to the youth but HE is a GOOD LEADER. Hindi puro salita na tulad mo.Sya may DAVAO. Ikaw? Hit song. [He’s not just a man of words like you. He has Davao City. How about you? Hit song(s).]  So don’t bother posting your input on how to run our country.

Mocha pointed out in her status that the man in the blind item  was a hypocrite who shouldn’t be giving his opinion about running the country.

In just a matter of hours, Paredes posted a comment on Mocha’s status, stating that she knew the questions would turn sexual even before the interview and that she asked for them. He also revealed a lot about Mocha’s family background and even said that he will post the said article.

He said in his comment:

Mocha naman. We are all entitled to our own opinion. My beef with Duterte is human rights. I interviewed you extensively sometime ago to write a article for my column but editor said it was not for Sunday reading. Yes , my interview with you was about largely about your sexual persona and you knew it was about that prior to the interview. You volunteered a lot of lurid info even without my asking. YOu liked sex and you were proud to be an advocate of free sex. Nothing wrong with that. Did I ask those things? I honestly cant remember. I can look for the audio. You were very candid, almost bragging pa nga which from an interviewers point of view is great. I dont think anything can shock you. But there was MUCH MORE to the interview.. I also asked you about your childhood. YOur mom who is a psychologist,. your dad who was murdered, where you went to school. How you felt about the murder and so many other things. I wanted to understand where you were coming from since your public persona is about sex and your sites were getting millions of hits. I wanted to humanize you. I think its pretty darn cheap of you to twist things just because you hate my politics. Labo nun. I treated with great respect. I did no harm to you. I will post the article if you wish.

A couple of days before Mocha’s status, Paredes had posted several tweets against Duterte on his personal account about Duterte’s cussing and the crime rate in Davao City.

Some crime stats on Davao.https://t.co/RBANWuB5vN

— Jim (@Jimparedes) December 1, 2015

Can anyone fact check how many times 'Putang Ina' was mentioned in duterte rally today & was1addressed to Pope? Totoo ba to?

— Jim (@Jimparedes) November 30, 2015

Putang ina!!! Totoo pala.

— Jim (@Jimparedes) November 30, 2015

Paredes even posted a tweet against the netizens who were defending Duterte on social media.

I pity those defending him on twiitter. Lame excuses. Nagpacute daw. Kinabahan daw. He is funny daw. There is a serious flaw in this man.

— Jim (@Jimparedes) November 30, 2015

As of this writing, Mocha’s post has been shared over a thousand times on social media.

With the help of social media, ordinary people with extraordinary appearances can easily become a household name. Recently, a good-looking ophthalmologist from St. Lukes and an attractive branch manager of the fast food restaurant KFC rose to fame because their photos and videos captured the hearts of netizens.

Members of the Filipino boyband 1:43 seem to be capitalizing on this strategy in order to gain more fans. Composed of four hunky talents namely Gold, Yheen, Yuki, and Anjo, the group released photos of themselves posing as vendors of meat, rice, buko, and taho at various locations.

Carrying the hashtag #PogiAlert, their photos easily garnered likes and shares on Facebook particularly from clueless netizens who had no idea that they’re from the entertainment industry.

While their viral photos earned praises from netizens, some commented that what the band did was a failed attempt for publicity. Unlike ordinary citizens such as the “Hunky Doctor” and “Mr. Gravy” who unintentionally took the Internet by storm with their candid photos, members of the 1:43 group obviously shared their staged photos to attract attention.

1:43, the group which popularised OPM songs such as “Sa Isang Sulyap Mo”, “Hayop sa Ganda” and “Ang Saya Saya”, debuted online in 2010. Currently, the group has 67,000 fans on Facebook.

Featured image credits to Facebook/1:43.

Titus John Monterde also known as TJ Monterde is a Filipino songwriter and singer who is now currently making a name in the music industry and studied Bachelor of Science in Developmental Communication in Xavier University in Cagayan de Oro. Currently pursuing his singing career in Manila.

He was described as a big fan and an advocate of OPM this is how newbie acoustic singer TJ Monterde describes himself.

With his unique soulful voice, heartwarming and soulful storytelling that have left you with a smile on your face after watching his YouTube video, TJ Monterde is changing the game as he releases his first record, “Ikaw at Ako” via Galaxy Records. From being Cagayan de Oro’s radio personality to a local TV host of ABS-CBN’s regional show to YouTube-born balladeer he surely has the package for entertainment. He auditioned to MYX VJ Search 2012 Auditions.

According to him, singing is his passion. TJ’s song “Ikaw at Ako” undertakes the story of the song that the persons who hear the song are his family only but dream come true, the whole nation is listening to it now.

Getting to know more of him.

Personal Background

Full name:  Titus John Dabuan Monterde 

Nick name:  TJ

Date of Birth:  December 30, 1989

Place of Birth: San Pedro, Davao City

Current location: QC, MM, Philippines

Motto in Life:  “Just when you think everything’s falling apart, don’t fret, everything’s falling in place.”

General interests and hobbies: Music, Guitars, LA Lakers and everything basketball.

At some points, TJ remains a childlike heart by expressing his own favorites in life like expressions, food, color and more.

Expression/s: “That’s right!”

Food: Korean food, chocolates, street food!

Color: Blue

Pet: Dog

Drink: coffee, coffee, coffee

Fruits: Mangosteen, green apples, bananas

Vegetable/s: Maybe carrots? Medyo picky ako sa vegetables, haha.

Cartoon character: Captain Planet and Hey Arnold! 90s kid represent!

Sport/s: Basketball, basketball, and all basketball.

TV shows: Don’t watch much TV anymore, but I check out some Jimmy Fallon on the internet, and some “Got talent” episodes too, I love it when I see more talented people.

Music Influences: Jack Johnson, John Mayer, Jason Mraz, Apo Hiking, Gary Granada, Rey Valera

Aside from knowing his favorites, our interview wouldn’t be complete without asking him some personal thoughts and feelings.

TJ described himself as sweet as ever.

As an entertainer, how do you describe yourself?

Sweet? Haha. I treat every performance na parang harana e, haha. I’ve always been a fan of the idea of harana, sana nga maibalik natin yun e.

What makes you unique?

I’d say my music’s pretty easy listening, chill lang, not everybody may like it, some would say it’s boring, but some would also completely appreciate it, kanya kanyang trip lang yun.

What is your ULTIMATE DREAM in your career?

To be able to inspire people through this music that I have. Pero you know what, in my wildest dreams, I’ve always imagined to be a motivational speaker, I mean, I’ve always believed na we are meant to be on stage for a deeper purpose, more than performing for people. And since we have this authority while on stage, I’d rather speak life to those who listen 🙂

What do you consider as the turning point in your career?

When I decided to get out of my comfort zone, when I decided to move to Manila from CDO, it was really a leap of faith. Moved here with nothing, but my guitar, my music and a dream.

Do you consider acting?

Maybe, but actually, I miss hosting on TV more; it was my former job in CDO. Twas Awesome! Getting paid for having fun.

What inspires you the most? Or who inspires you now?

LIFE itself, and what it has in store! Inspired by the people around me, and those who believe in me.

Are you fearful that you will lose your Internet fame once you grow old, and doing the things you do now are no longer cute?

Well, that’s why I always wanted to share my music and not me. I mean, most of the time during shows, people just go “Who’s this?”, coz admittedly, I don’t have that much TV exposure, so they just sit and watch, but when I sing my songs, then nagugulat ako na some of them know of it coz they have it their phones but don’t know that it’s me. Sometimes, I like it that way. I like the Music>TJ setup, I like the element of surprise on it.

When you start your career, what are the struggles you face?

Adjustments talaga. It was pretty much of an easy life back home, but when I got here, I didn’t know what to do, who to approach, and where to go to, I had no idea about Manila, but what I knew was that there was a plan and a purpose for me, and I wanna play.

Is there a time you want to quit your career? Why or why not?

The time I thought about quitting were in my first few months of stay here. But, yeah, the first step is always the hardest. Parang moving on lang, haha.

Most embarrassing moment so far?

It’s embarrassing sometimes when some people say “Sino yan? Ay, di ko kilala yan e.” literally, in your face, as if you’re not there. Well, actually until now, I still experiences this a lot of times, kasi hindi naman ako super sikat e. But, it builds me up, it makes me want to strive more as a songwriter.

Being known as a newbie acoustic singer, he plays the vital role in OPM. He is promoting OPM and always does OPM songs, doing covers and more. He writes his song based on how it feels and how it will bring hope and love to listeners.

What was the toughest challenge you had to face?

When I had chosen between a regular job and a music career, this career’s just so uncertain, but I’m happy, and that’s what’s important to me.

What was your most unforgettable moment/experience?

Of course when I got the chance to release an album, it has always been a dream. And, now, by God’s grace, I’m working on my second album 🙂

What was your biggest frustration?

Dancing, I always admire people who can dance. Pang gitara lang talaga ako e. Haha

What was your biggest regret?

Everything happens for a purpose, no regrets 🙂

If you are not living as an artist, what is your other career?

I couldn’t Imagine, a teacher? I don’t know. Haha

As an artist, how do you develop your skills more?

I spend time with myself a lot. I lock myself in my room, listen to music, and try to write. Plus, listening to different kinds of genre also helps.

On a personal note, who is KZ Tandingan in your life?

She’s my best friend, my sweetheart, and my last, hopefully. Haha. I mean, mahirap magsalita ng patapos, pero sana, sana siya na 🙂 Sabi nga, “kung tayo, tayo talaga. Kung hindi, tayo parin.” Hahaha

Five years from now, who is TJ Monterde?

A successful singer/songwriter, but still a maturing artist, coz we never really reach that certain point of maturity as an artist, growth and learning is unending.

Any parting words for your fans?

I wanna thank those who listen to me and continue to inspire me every day through social media, thank you so much, I appreciate every tweet and every comment. To those who bash me, sana one day I’ll be able to write a song you’ll probably like, hopefully. To my TJFs, thank you for always believing, thank you for never giving up on me, as I continue to write songs to those who want to listen to me. I love you.

Aside from these questions, TJ also shares that he wants to do music in the mainstream like Mark Bautista and others who really give inspirations to others. He even wants people know him as a singer-songwriter that able to relate his songs in people’s lives and put smiles and “kilig” in their lives.

Check out our IS cover for TJ Monterde:

TJ is busy doing some songs under Polyeast Records and currecntly working on his next album and sometimes doing covers with KZ Tandingan. You can follow him in Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.

With the crummy weather that’s slammed Metro Manila and some parts of Luzon and Visayas region the past few weeks, it’s hard not to be bummed out. It’s raining outside, you’ve cuddled yourself in the warmest blanket you could find, you have a hot cup of cocoa kept in your reach, and a melodious, soothing playlist is playing softly in the background. It’s hard to wake up in the morning, bad weather is also bed weather. But don’t let bed weather days get you down. Crank up your computer speakers and spend some time with our rainy-day playlist. It may not make you love this miserable weather, but it should lighten your mood.

We are now coming up with a list is quite difficult because engaging so much on the usual pop categories of music would give the other side a hype of being to shallow in terms of taste while delving on the ‘indie’ side would always give us the inclination of being to boring and not fun at all. The songs we chose is fresh, just like the newly wet earth; and the combined feeling of the aroma of the ground and the music should make the hair on your skin stand up.

Listen to ten of our favorite new OPM songs below, including tracks by Julie Anne San Jose, Sarah Geronimo, Janice Javier, Klarisse de Guzman, Kyla, and a lot more. Let’s all support Original Pinoy Music. Mabuhay ang musikong Pilipino!

1. ‘Ikot-Ikot’ by Sarah Geronimo

2. ‘Right Where You Belong’ by Julie Anne San Jose

3. ‘Dahan-Dahan’ by Maja Salvador

4. ‘Di Kayang Pilitin’ by Klarisse de Guzman

5. ‘Kunwa Kunwari Lang’ by Kyla

6. ‘When I Was Your Man’ by Paolo Onesa

7. ‘Never Knew Love (Until I Met You)’ by Janice Javier

8. ‘Runaway’ by Myk Perez

9. ‘+63’ by Sponge Cola ft. Yeng Constantino

10. ‘Wasak’ by JC Regino

Sometimes the rock world can get noisy, and we don’t just mean in decibels or fuzz. Often the signal-to-noise ratio is more noise than signal. But no worries; we read, listen to and watch everything so we can sort it for you. Music is all personal taste, and if you like the song playlist, feel free to share it to your friends.

Discover, enjoy, and share the music you love with Deezer, now available in the Philippines. You can now listen more with over 30, 697, 294 tracks and still counting on your mobile or tablet with the best offers only from Smart. For more information on Smart’s Deezer offers, visit smart.com.ph/Deezer.