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Beyond traditional Yuletide carols, hymns and Jose Mari Chan, hereās a sampling of newer, more contemporary celebration of Christmas by Filipino music makers here and abroad.Ā
MARVIN QUERIDOĀ ā āAng Pangarap Kong Regaloā
Marvin QueridoĀ is an A-list musical director, arranger & keyboardist, sought after by many OPM recording artists. His new Christmas song is titled āAng Pangarap Kong Regaloā because as he says, ānowadays, this world could use some more peace, not just on Christmas.ā
On his inspiration for the song, Marvin told Soundstrip, āIāve always liked David Fosterās āGrown Up Christmas Listā, taken from the point of view of a an adult talking to Santa. I wanted to make a Tagalog version, this time, about a man talking to baby Jesus.Ā
āIt seems very timely, with the war between Israel and Palestine, but the truth is, I finished the song several days before the attack on Israel.Ā āAng Pangarap Kong Regaloā would rather make one think itās a gift I want for myself, and yet the last line āang pangarap kong regalo sa iyoā reveals the real intention of the song. I dream (the gift of) a peaceful world that loves Jesus Christ.ā
CLARA BENIN ā āCanāt Wait To See You On Christmas Dayā
With her new single āCanāt Wait To See You On Christmas Day,ā multi-awarded Filipino singer-songwriter ļ»æClara Benin warms up the holiday season on a blissful note. The sweet little tune expresses the joy of returning home in the company of people who matter. āI wrote the song thinking of my family and the heart-warming feeling of our Christmas reunions, where all our worries melt away, replaced by thankfulness and joy,āĀ
According to Clara, the song holds a special place in her heart as it started out as a collaborative effort with her fans in her Patreon community. In a statement, she shouts out to Patreon member Stephen Duma, whose shared line āall the longing finds hope in the faces we call homeā deeply resonated with her.Ā
YGIG and PLUUS ā āMaligaya Ang Paskoā
Just in time forĀ YGIGās first anniversary andĀ PLUUSāĀ recent love song release comes anĀ early aginaldoĀ for fans through the rising P-Pop groupsā collaboration in a Christmas song titled āMaligaya ang Pasko.ā The songās title literally translates to āThe Christmas is happy/merry,ā and itās also a word play on āMaligayang Paskoā which means āMerry Christmas!ā A much larger context of the song is that it tells how a guy desperately aims to win her heart and spend Christmas with the girl he likes. However, his attempts all end in a climactic rejection.Ā
But donāt fret because YGIG and PLUUS are here to bring you laughter and joy. Itās all part of their powerful sibling dynamics so despite their heartbreaking song, āMaligaya pa rin ang Pasko,ā in the end.
GRENTPEREZ ā āChristmas Starts Tonightā
Itās December and the Filipino-Australian rising star grentperez is back with a delicate new song titled āChristmas Starts Tonightā, Grentperez elaborates on the significance thus,Ā āChristmas, the time for presents, laughter,Ā gatherings and greetings, and is a time that I love very dearly. āChristmas Starts Tonightā is about the excitement that comes with the season, the feeling of wonder and cheer with every passing day that leads to Christmas night. In a way, you can make Christmas Day every day if you really want to.ā āChristmas Starts Tonightā arrives on the heels of the release of the artistās highly anticipated EP āWhen We Were Youngerā, a seven-song collection centered around the concept of nostalgia.Ā
FILIPINO PRESS GROUP SYDNEY ā A Christmas Offering album
Christmas spells joy, cheers and love being shared around. This is exactly what the Filipino Press Sydney group, which is comprised of writers, radio broadcasters, photographers and others involved in media, is trying to achieve once more.Ā
In 2012, members of the Australia-based group sang Christmas carols under the guidance of Oliver Gadista who arranged, recorded and produced āChristmas is On The Air.ā Sales from the album were earmarked for the survivors of the Typhoon Haiyan. This new album āA Christmas Offeringā aims to raise funds for the family of slain Filipino radio broadcaster Percy Lapid.Ā
OFFSHORE MUSIC ā An Offshore Christmas albumĀ
Aptly titled āAn Offshore Christmas,ā the 9-track album features holiday-themed tracks from enamori, Mt. Lewis, Elton Clark, and Sansette, among others. As Offshore Music CEO Ely Buendia puts it, āThe album is a kaleidoscope of emotions, from melancholy to euphoria, as well as a feast for anyone who enjoys all kinds of music. Thereās a joyful hymn that brims with life and humanity, a vodka-induced downer who revels in the sentiments of missing home, and a sad song that barely keeps up with the seasonās booming, optimistic energy.ā
Offshore Music General Manager Audry Dionisio captures it best when she says, āWe also made sure that people from different walks of life would not feel left out. Every song on the album can be played way past the Christmas season, thatās for sure.ā
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