munkey music, banana feelings...

I have always enjoyed watching talent searches, particularly singing contests. As a young boy I have sat through singing competitions on television like Tawag ng Tanghalan, Student Canteen and Bagong Kampeon. (Ha ha ha ang luma!) I cheered for my favorite crooner and/or chanteuse week after week, glued to the set I would guess who the winner would be. Several local shows of the same mold followed years after but they weren’t the same. Contestants weren’t as good, the hosts were stiff and booooring, they used canned minus one music instead of a live band, singers started screaming instead of singing... overall the new shows sucked.

Then came AMERICAN IDOL. 

The Singing Contest to top all Singing Contests.I have never seen a show so effective that practically every music-loving Pinoy who has a tv set watches it every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night. It has a wonderful formula. It started a trend where judges speak out and give a critique on every contestant’s performance while the viewers get to vote for the winner! Now, how brilliant is that? 

Watching it as an imported show from the US, it worked well because it was a perfect medium for selling the Great American Dream. And Pinoys are suckers for anything Kano. We ate up the concept that whether you’re Indian-American, Russian-American or a Fil-American you can be an American Idol so long as the public votes for you and make you win. But more than anything I think it was really the music and the quality of contestants that kept us glued to the show. Of course, as expected, other local shows immitated and copied the format of A.I. but no one matched the magic and the vibe of the show.

And here comes PINOY IDOL.

I didn’t get to watch the ABC-5 version of the show (called Philippine Idol) because it aired on nights where workload seemed to be the heaviest for me. So, ayun, natapos ang season ni hindi ko man lang nasilip. Now, GMA Network bought the franchise and re-named it PINOY IDOL.

Eh paano kaya itong local version natin?

I will not even comment on the choice of judges anymore because everybody has an opinion as to who the judges should be. (And the host. Hmm... what were they thinking.) People have asked why Wyngard, Jolina and Ogie are there on the panel instead of Ryan Cayabyab or perhaps Mel Villena. Some have even suggested Regine Velasquez, Lito Camo and even Bayani Fernando. (Toink!) “Bakit wala si ganito... si ganun?”  Yeah, yeah, yeah. In my opinion, whether you put a brilliant musical expert, the Queen of England or even the NASA chimp in that panel it really wouldn’t make much difference because the viewers are the real judges and NOT THE PANEL OF JUDGES. The judges are there to spice things up, give their professional opinion and personal views on a performance. (Although it helps to have a respected personality in the panel to add credibility to the show.) But knowing how Filipinos vote and the Pinoy's obssession with loud vocalists I'm sure the one with the highest, loudest voice will definitely win this gig. The voters wouldn't really care much about what the judges would say. Wanna bet? 

Don't get me wrong. I have nothing against the three local judges. It's a tough job because it's so hard to look at them and NOT compare them to Randy, Paula and Simon. I wouldn't want to be in that panel. Mahirap na trabaho. Parang kahit na ano ang gawin ko... they'll compare me to the original three. Pero iba pa rin talaga ang pagiging artist/performer sa pagiging judge/mentor. It takes skill to perform onstage (where both Jolina and Ogie are experts at) pero ibang skill ang pagbibigay ng comments sa iba. Being a good artist/performer does not automatically make you a nurturing teacher able to affect others; nor a mentor able to guide and inspire contestants; nor a judge able to make a critique. Maraming qualified na maging judge pero mukhang maraming nag-beg-off kasi nga magkaiba ang skill ng pagiging artist sa pagiging judge.

I was also hoping for a more relaxed, sincere-looking host. Someone very Pinoy --- warm, witty, approachable, loose, kuya-type. Yung mabilis mag-improvise ang utak. Someone in the mold of Drew Arellano perhaps. Or maybe a Luis Manzano-type of guy. 

I’m blabbing. I hope to get to my point in a while.

When I saw the pilot episode of PINOY IDOL, where they were choosing finalists from a sea of contestant-wanna-bes, I felt I was watching a different show altogether. I thought I was watching... uhm... “Wish Ko Lang” because they showed clips featuring some contestants and their unbelievable struggles to get through the harrowing audition process. One contestant told her depressing tale, how she sold her car to get to Manila to join the contest. “Gusto ko talagang manalo sa Pinoy Idol para makaahon kami sa hirap.” Or something like that. Another contestant was parang even taped during her father’s burol (?)  complete with coffin in the background. Maybe I was seeing things. I hope I was. Another contestant, who looked barely 18, when asked why he joined the contest answered something like “Para mapag-aral ko ang mga kapatid ko.” Another girl said “Para gumanda ang buhay naming pamilya.” It went on and on and on and on. Wow. I thought this was a singing contest. Bakit parang naging KAPWA KO, MAHAL KO with musical production numbers in between segments? Kulang na lang mamigay si Tita Mel ng relief goods sa mga contestants para tumigil na sila kakaiyak. 

Question: why does everything have to be OVERLY DRAMATIC? Why are we romanticizing poverty so much that it feels like everything we do is suddenly motivated by money? Yes, times are hard but should we milk every melodramatic moment in front of the camera? This is a singing contest --- not “Wowowee” where, as a contestant, “the more tears you shed you get more chances of winning.”

Whatever happened to following your dream? Whatever happened to having “pride” and “dignity” in performing? Of becoming a real artist? Of pursuing your passion? Of expressing yourself and communicating to others through a performance? This contest should be about talent and musical passion. Nothing else! Show their love for music, their motivation to succeed and their willingness to grow to be a better performer. Konting dignidad naman sa Sining ng Pag-awit. Wearing your heart on your sleeve in front of a camera while sad music is being played in the background is getting kinda... old. Tama na ang draaaaaama...pleeeeeeeeeeease lang po.

It’s not the contestants’ fault they have tragic stories to tell. (Heck, my life will make an interesting Maala-ala Mo Kaya episode but I’d rather keep my sob stories to myself, thank you.) They were asked sad questions by the segment producers and the poor hopefuls, willing to do anything and everything to be in the final 12, willingly answered. The Pinoy Idol writers obviously exploited the more “heart-warming” and “human interest” angles of the contestants’ lives to make the show more “touching” and “relevant.” Dapat merong “Awwww...” moment. Lagi na lang ba? Is it really necessary? They have so many shows focusing on mushy stuff already. Geez. Pati ba naman singing contest? 

Give the contestants the dignity they deserve. Don't strip them naked and make them look like this contest is their last hope. It's true, Pinoy Idol may be the most wonderful thing that ever happened to them but don't make it look like it's their ONLY hope. Because it is not.

If we want to produce real singers who can experiment and innovate, and hopefully bring in a breath of fresh air into this already putrid music industry, we should be asking these young singers the right questions:

1. What makes you different from all the other singers?
2. What can you contribute to the music industry?
3. Can you offer something new to Pinoy music and not just become another pre-fabricated artist?
4. What is your idea of Pinoy sound?
5. Are you happy with the present state of the Pinoy Music Industry?

A real artist, in my opinion, will do what he/she has to do whether he/she gets paid or not. There shouldn't be any other reason to be an artist other than YOU WANT TO BE ONE because you have to express your soul and you have something to say. When you do things because you are driven by the energy to create, innovate and to express... money will naturally come your way. It may not come in millions but you’ll never grow hungry, that I can assure you. Your passion and hard work will be enough to tell everyone “Hey! I’m good and you know it. Hire me and I’ll make it worth your while." But if from the very beginning you are motivated by money and fame I don’t think art can really flourish. Yeah, you’ll be successful for a while, maybe save enough money, but when the need for money isn’t there anymore... the drive to perform disappears. The passion dies... well, if there was passion there to begin with. So ano yun? A flash in the pan? 

It's only the first season of Pinoy Idol. Hopefully the producers will see which elements of the show they should keep and which to discard. And I sincerely hope the winners of this competition will prove to be vocal forces to reckon with in the future and help enliven the arid Pinoy music industry... and not drown in the sea of promising talents whose musical identity depends on what the marketing office dictates.

“Ano ka ba, Vince? Ang OA mo ha. Singing contest lang ito! Ikaw ang melodramatic. Matulog ka na nga!”