All the Rising OPM Acts that Opened and Got their Flowers at the FUSION Philippine Music Festival

MANILA, Philippines — Over the weekend, FUSION: The Philippine Music Festival made its resounding return at the CCP Open Grounds with a string of festival-goers’ favorite Filipino music artists, along with some fun side activities that inspired one big celebration for OPM as a whole. Setting things up on a high note for the main show were ten pre-show artists that ultimately got the fans pumped up for the evening’s explosion of musical talent.

Here is a rundown of all the rising OPM acts that are have long since, and will continue to be, in our radar, following their impressive outings on the stage of the recently-concluded festival.

Amiel Sol

Amiel Sol is known to be a Filipino guitar-toting singer/songwriter. His music, bannered by “Sa Bawat Sandali” is considered to be one of his most popular songs in the Philippines as it also became the number 1 spot on Spotify Philippines’ Daily Top Songs Chart. His music is heavily themed on love and in search of long-lasting relationships, which are considered to be a popular choice for Filipino listeners around the country.

Better Days

Better Days is a Filipino duo of Nim Garcia and Nigel Aboy. Their music is known to be themed on enchanting melodies as well as their easy-listening tunes. Better Days was also a part of the biggest campus concert tours, including musical events in Metro Manila and have remained popular to this day.

1st One

1st.One is a P-Pop boy band well-loved for its six members: Ace, Alpha, J, Jayson, Joker, and Max. With influences largely rooted in Korea, the group has managed to lace their style with a familiar purely-Filipino flair. As the group describes, their music delves on themes of dreams, perseverance, hope and unity, as well as a mix of strong beats, catchy melodies and a dynamic choreography making them popular for many people in the Philippines and even on the international pop scene.

Carissa

Carissa Ramos is a Filipino singer/songwriter who rose to fame when she started making music when she was 14 years old. She also became a representative for the Philippines in the International Blues Competition in the United States at the age of 17. Her music primarily explores the themes of love, heartbreak, struggles, and hope, which are mostly inspired by her personal experiences.

G.A.T

G.A.T is a fairly new five-member P-Pop group composed of Charles, Derrick, Ethan, Hans, and Michael. G.A.T, standing for “Gawang Atin ‘To,” is based on the Filipino honorific, “Gatdula,” which represents the Filipino pride and honor. Their music is mostly covers of existing songs such as “Daleng Dale” – which is a mix of dance, hip-hop, and R&B. As G.A.T begins their rise to fame, this band is looking to redefine Pinoy pop music and become the next P-pop sensation.

The Vowels They Orbit

The Vowels They Orbit is a five-member indie pop-rock band composed of Nikka Melchor, Hannah Dela Cruz, Patch Javier, Jeremy, Sayas, and Gene Santiago. Their music treads different genres such as pop, folk, mellow rock, alternative, soul, and jazz. As a visual representation, this band associates their music’s effect to people orbiting in outer space, meaning they want their listeners to associate their music with inspiration and relaxation.

Raya

Raya is a nine-member female P-Pop group of Abel, Anna, Ash, Aviona, Jemima, Kash, Priscilla, Rona, and Sofia. Raya is a sing-and-dance rising sensation with a name derived from the Filipino word “Hiraya,” meaning hopes, dreams, and aspirations. With this, Raya hopes to inspire the youth in following their dreams in the P-pop scene.

Jan Francis

From the city of Naga, Cebu, Jan Francis is a freelance make-up artist and singer who won the title of KWC Philippines 2024. His journey as a singer and as a make-up artist, Jan Francis has become an emerging musical force and an inspiring figure on grit and multi-faceted talent in the entertainment industry.

Pauline Anne

Also known as the “Fusion Freejam Writer,” Pauline Anne is known to be a dynamic and an innovative music artist. With her band, her songs are pop-based, which she blends in well with pop sensibilities and heartfelt lyrics to boot.

KWC ARTISTS

These four artists; Al Lipaopao, Jovie Loon, MJ Parasan, and Nica Jañola, are Filipino singers who made their mark on the Karaoke World Champions Philippines. At the music festival, the four talents showcased vocal chops with familiar songs that allowed festival goers sing as the night went on.

With these selected pre-show performers, FUSION Manila sure made its mark in bringing together talents that made its first ten years all the more memorable since their founding back in 2015. More than a celebration, the festival, since its inception to its decade-long staying power, is a triumph in giving a platform to OPM and a space for a community of its supporters grow stronger with each year.