Are Filipino musicians marketable? | The Chismis | Episode 1 | One Down

Summary

The video script discusses the challenges Filipino artists face in the music industry, despite their talent and passion. It highlights the irony of Filipinos' underrepresentation despite their influence on K-pop and the success of artists like Olivia Rodrigo. The script calls for community support to break the cycle and make Filipino music more marketable, emphasizing the need for the industry to recognize Filipino talent and potential.

Takeaways

• 🎤 Filipinos have a deep love for music and often start performing at a young age, but face challenges when pursuing music as a career.
• 🚀 The music industry has historically been reluctant to embrace Filipino artists, despite their talent and potential for success.
• 🌐 Filipino artists have had to innovate and utilize the internet to gain recognition, as seen with AJ Rafael's early YouTube success.
• 🔝 Despite the popularity of K-pop, which was influenced by Filipino artists, Filipino musicians still struggle to achieve similar levels of mainstream success in America.
• 🏆 Reality talent shows and record labels have often overlooked Filipino artists, even when they possess exceptional talent.
• 💬 There is a debate around the racial ambiguity of successful artists like Olivia Rodrigo, which complicates the recognition of her Filipino heritage.
• 🎶 The script highlights the irony that while Filipino artists have contributed to the success of K-pop, they have not received the same level of support in their own music careers.
• 🌟 Successful Filipino artists in the West, like Jessica Sanchez and Philip Phillips, are rare exceptions rather than the norm.
• 🎬 The video script also promotes a show called 'DIY Director' aimed at educating and supporting aspiring artists in the industry.
• 🔄 The script calls for the Filipino community to support their own artists more actively, as this will increase their marketability and opportunities.
• 🚀 The script concludes with a call to action for Filipino artists to embrace their identity and for the community to help prove that a music career is possible for them.

Q & A

What is the main issue discussed in the script regarding Filipino musicians and the music industry?

The script discusses the struggle of Filipino musicians to gain recognition and success in the music industry, despite their talent and contributions, which are often overlooked or undervalued.

Why does the script mention AJ Rafael and his journey on YouTube?

AJ Rafael is used as an example of a Filipino artist who innovated on YouTube early on but only achieved significant subscriber growth much later, highlighting the disparity in opportunities for Asian artists compared to others.

What is the significance of K-pop's success in the context of Filipino musicians?

The success of K-pop serves as a counterpoint to the struggles of Filipino musicians, showing that Asian music can indeed succeed in America but also pointing out the irony that Filipinos, despite their talent, have not received the same level of support or recognition.

Why does the script mention Olivia Rodrigo and the discussions around her ethnicity?

Olivia Rodrigo is mentioned as an example of a Filipino artist who has achieved success, but the script also points out the racial ambiguity and debates around her ethnicity, which complicates her ability to claim her Filipino heritage.

What was the advice given to the group Far East Movement by their label regarding their Asian identity?

Far East Movement was advised by their label to play down their Asian identity and adopt a more ethnically ambiguous look, with the belief that it would help them sell more records.

What is the script's perspective on the role of social media in Filipino musicians' careers?

The script suggests that while social media platforms have large Filipino followings, they do not necessarily translate into success in the music industry, as these artists are often not signed by record labels or promoted effectively.

What is the script's view on the importance of the Filipino community's support for Filipino musicians?

The script emphasizes that the Filipino community's support is crucial for the success of Filipino musicians, as it can help them gain visibility, marketability, and recognition beyond their own community.

What is the role of the Kumu app in the script's promotion of the show 'DIY Director'?

The Kumu app is mentioned as the platform where the show 'DIY Director' will be broadcast, and viewers are encouraged to download the app, follow 'One Down,' and tune in for the show to learn about navigating the media and entertainment industry.

How does the script suggest the music industry can better recognize Filipino talent?

The script suggests that the music industry should embrace Filipino sound and talent, and that this can start with the Filipino community supporting their own artists, engaging with their social media, streaming their songs, and sharing their music.

What is the historical context provided by the script regarding Filipino artists' impact on the music industry?

The script provides historical context by mentioning the success of the Sex Bomb Girls and the contributions of Filipino choreographers to the success of K-pop groups, indicating that Filipino artists have had a significant impact on the music industry in the past.

Outlines

00:00

🎵 Filipino Struggles in the Music Industry 🎵

The first paragraph discusses the love Filipinos have for music and the challenges they face in the industry. It highlights how Filipinos are often overlooked despite their talent and innovation, using AJ Raphael's slow rise on YouTube as an example. It contrasts the success of K-pop, which was influenced by Filipino artists, with the lack of recognition for Filipino musicians in the American market. The paragraph also touches on the racial ambiguity of successful artists like Olivia Rodrigo and the difficulties faced by Filipino artists in reality talent shows and record labels.

05:02

🌟 Empowering Filipino Artists Through Community Support 🌟

The second paragraph emphasizes the role of the Filipino community in supporting local artists to gain recognition in the music industry. It suggests that by engaging with artists on social media, streaming their songs, and sharing their music with a wider audience, the community can help break the cycle of invisibility. The paragraph encourages Filipino musicians to embrace their identity, as it can signal to other Filipinos to support them and pave the way for future artists. It concludes with a call to action for the music industry to recognize the potential and contributions of Filipino artists.

Keywords

💡Filipinos

Filipinos refers to the people of the Philippines, an archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. In the video's context, it highlights the passion and talent of Filipinos for music, as well as the challenges they face in the global music industry due to racial and cultural biases. The script mentions Filipinos' love for music and their struggle to gain recognition and success in the industry.

💡Music Industry

The music industry encompasses the businesses involved in the production, distribution, and sale of music, including record labels, publishing, and promotion. The video discusses the difficulties Filipino artists have in breaking into this industry, often facing rejection and underrepresentation despite their talent and potential.

💡YouTube Innovators

YouTube Innovators are early adopters and pioneers on the YouTube platform who create content that gains significant attention. The script cites AJ Raphael as an example of a Filipino YouTube innovator who gained popularity but struggled to achieve the same level of mainstream success as other artists who rose to fame through social media.

💡K-Pop

K-Pop, short for Korean Pop, is a genre of music originating from South Korea that has become a global phenomenon. The video contrasts the success of K-Pop with the struggles of Filipino artists, noting that K-Pop has managed to infiltrate mainstream Western media, while Filipino artists often do not receive the same opportunities.

💡Ethnic Ambiguity

Ethnic ambiguity refers to the perception of an individual's ethnicity as being unclear or mixed. The video discusses how some artists, like Olivia Rodrigo, face challenges in claiming their Filipino heritage due to racial ambiguity, which can affect how they are perceived and marketed in the music industry.

💡Reality Talent Competitions

Reality talent competitions are television shows where contestants compete in various talent-based challenges, often with the aim of launching a professional career. The script mentions that Filipino participants in these competitions have not won, suggesting a systemic bias against Filipino artists in such platforms.

💡Marketability

Marketability refers to the potential of a product, in this case, an artist or their music, to be successfully sold in the market. The video points out that record labels often do not see Filipino artists as marketable, which contributes to their lack of representation and success in the music industry.

💡OPM (Original Pilipino Music)

OPM, or Original Pilipino Music, is a term used to describe music that is created by Filipino artists and is popular within the Philippines. The video highlights the rise of OPM, particularly in the hip-hop and rap genres, as a sign of Filipino music's potential to gain wider recognition.

💡P-Pop

P-Pop stands for Pinoy Pop, which is a term used to describe a new wave of Filipino pop music that is gaining popularity. The video mentions the launch of P-Pop groups as a sign of the growing interest in Filipino music and the potential for it to break into the mainstream market.

💡Social Media

Social media refers to platforms that enable users to create and share content or participate in social networking. The video discusses the role of social media in promoting Filipino artists and their music, noting that despite having a strong online presence, they often struggle to translate this into mainstream success.

💡Community Support

Community support refers to the backing and encouragement from a group of people who share common interests or identities. The video emphasizes the importance of the Filipino community's support for its artists, suggesting that this support can help break the cycle of underrepresentation and pave the way for greater success in the music industry.

Highlights

Filipinos are passionate about music but face rejection when pursuing it as a career.

Filipinos have had to innovate on the internet to gain a foothold in the music industry.

AJ Raphael, an early YouTube innovator, gained significant followers but struggled to achieve mainstream success.

K-Pop, created by Asian artists, has become a multi-billion dollar industry in America.

Filipinos have tried various methods to break into the music industry with limited success.

Far East Movement was advised to downplay their Asian identity to sell more records.

Olivia Rodrigo's success as a Filipina artist has been overshadowed by discussions about her ethnicity.

Filipino artists like Jessica Sanchez and Philip Phillips have faced challenges in talent competitions.

The music industry has consistently doubted the marketability of Filipino talent.

Filipino artists have been overlooked despite their talent and potential.

Filipino choreographers have significantly contributed to the success of K-Pop groups.

New Filipino pop groups are emerging, indicating a growing market for Filipino music.

OPM Hip-Hop or Pinoy Rap is rising to mainstream popularity.

The support of the Filipino community is crucial for the success of Filipino artists.

Filipino artists should trust their community and embrace their identity to gain broader support.

The music industry needs to recognize the contributions and potential of Filipino artists.

Transcripts

filipinos love music but the music

industry doesn't love us back

as toddlers our parents made us their

prized performers at parties

but the moment we take the leap to

pursue music as a career our dreams

are rejected filipinos have to

revolutionize the internet just to get

their foot in the door

take aj raphael who innovated youtube in

its early days

but only broke a million subscribers at

the end of 2020 while tick tock stars

today can book late night appearances to

promote their music after

barely singing in 15 second snippets aj

an asian artist and his decade of

internet popularity has not led to the

same results

but we know asian music can succeed in

america an entire music genre was

created by

asian people copying american pop we

know this today as k-pop a multi-billion

dollar industry that has infiltrated

coachella

the grammys and every late night show so

why can't filipinos sell why are we

worth a viral four-chair turning

audition video but never worth promoting

a debut album

is this not a real career for us i'm

trace dana

and here's what you missed on the cheese

filipinos have tried every way to break

into the music industry

social media we have the numbers but

never leave the platform

reality talent competitions never won a

single one

record labels never sign us they just

don't see us as marketable remember the

group far east movement

and their massive hit like a g6 from the

beginning of their career

they were told to play down their asian

identity their signature sunglasses look

was given to them by their label to seem

more ethnically ambiguous

they were instructed that they would

sell more records if they could hide

that they were asian

but wait we do have filipinos making it

big in the music industry

olivia rodrigo whose debut album sour

had the biggest opening week for an

album by a female artist on spotify with

over 385

million streams good for you olivia now

we know olivia is filipino but

conversations around her ethnic

ambiguity took

over twitter and tik-tok whether it's

arguing that white celebrities have

shifted to look more ethnic

or filipino celebrities have shifted to

look more white

what's clear is that it's made it harder

for olivia to claim her filipinoness

when half of the internet is arguing she

can count it all

because of this racial ambiguity olivia

is an example of the exception for

filipino success in the music industry

take jessica sanchez and philip phillips

the finalists of american idol season

11.

jessica was a powerhouse singer in

comparison to phillip phillips but

phillips won

how many white men with guitars do we

know in the music industry compared to

how many filipino women with vibrato and

four octave vocal ranges we know

now we're not trying to pit any artists

against each other there's plenty of

success to go around

but while filipinos clearly have the

talent to compete the music industry has

consistently doubted our ability to sell

for every youtube discovery that has

given the world justin bieber and

charlie puth there was the aj raphael

and jeremy paschem

while vine gave us sean mendes there was

also leanne v

and we know tick tock has become a game

changer in music

with lil masak doshikat and even addison

ray

but while addison booked promotional

late night appearances within a week of

releasing her first single

bella porch who created the most liked

video on tik tok

ever has yet to book any appearances

weeks after her first song

but let's stay hopeful because bella

porch who immigrated from the

philippines has a lot of potential for

exposure

which can't be said about a lot of

filipino artists yet so it's ironic that

filipinos are so overlooked today

because before k-pop

we had some up-and-coming filipino

artists the best-selling asian girl

group for 11 consecutive years before

k-pop became mainstream

was a filipina group called sex bound

girls the sex bomb girls walked so to

anyone could run

so black paint could sprint and best

believe that filipinos had an impact in

the major success of k-pop groups

the dancer teams that brought in

millions of views on music videos and

sold out concerts

were originated by some filipino

choreographers like shawna varisto

amy lee lucas brian puspos and keoni and

mari madrid

when industries trust our work we have

proven that we can sell take show bt

a korean entertainment management

company that has recently launched a new

division serving the filipino

the p-pop boy band sp19 who's already

had some number one hits in the

philippines

but the market for a k-pop turn filipino

doesn't stop there

as 2021 welcomes the launch of other pop

groups

bgyo and beanie launched by abs-cbn star

music and alema launched by viva

and while institutions are preparing for

this emerging market the masses have

already embraced it with opm hip-hop or

pinoy rap rising to mainstream

if you made it this far into the episode

you might be like me you didn't go to

film school but you have an interest in

media and entertainment well

we've created a show to fill this gap

called diy director

and every monday at 8pm pacific time

we'll be teaching you how to navigate

the industry all you need to do

is click and download the kumu app

follow one down and tune in every monday

night for the show

now back to the cheese as industry

players and consumers continue to

embrace filipino sound

american labels will eventually have to

catch up too and it actually starts with

us

the filipino community our artists will

only be as marketable as we allow them

to be

with our support our ears and our money

engage with their social

media stream their songs share their

music with your friends

especially your friends outside the

filipino community for us to make it big

we need to expand past our own

let's break the cycle that this isn't

possible stop asking your family to

perform and then not expect them to love

singing and for filipino musicians

trust your community lean into the fact

that you are filipino

not only does it signal to other

filipinos to support their own

but it makes the way just a little

easier for the next filipino singer

we can prove that this can be a career

for us filipinos don't need to reinvent

anything

we've been here from the start it's just

time the music industry

recognizes it

[Music]

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