Joey Ayala: Same sounds, same sentiment make ‘OPM dead’

OPM singer-songwriter Joey Ayala (Photo from Wikipedia/Josh Lim)

MANILA – Joey Ayala, one of the speakers at the 6th Elements National Singing-Songwriting Camp held at Hacienda Isabela in Cavite, explained that the reason why people regarded the Original Pilipino Music (OPM) as ‘dead’ was because of the ‘homogenous’ sound local artists produced at present.

“The same sound, same sentiments. Lahat ng input pare–pareho, siyempre ang output pare–pareho (All inputs are similar, of course the output is also similar),” Ayala said in a Philippine Star report.

The singer-songwriter then urged new artists to find their ‘voice,’ embrace their uniqueness and not be too cautious of the ‘unified’ sound.

“If you want to produce a variety of artistry record, boring kung pare–pareho kayo (it’s boring if you’re all the same)… The best way is being ourselves,” he said.

“Hindi ko sinasabing ako walang foreign influence, pero I erase the trace of my influence. I make it different from the original na hindi na nila ma-trace,” he added.

(I’m not saying that I don’t have foreign influence, but I erase the trace of my influence. I make it different from the original that they will no longer be able to trace [it].)

Ayala also encouraged local artists to own OPM, to ‘make it yours.’