Why Filipinos Excel in Singing

You have seen videos or heard some of our Filipino artists with great voices. If you're familiar with Lea Salonga - broadway musical theater actress and Disney Animation song singer, Arnel Pineda - current Journey band lead singer and Charice Pempengco (introduced by Oprah and David Foster), you know that a lot of Filipinos have extraordinary vocal chords.

The love of music for Filipinos starts young. Growing up, and everywhere we go, whether at home, in the streets, in bus and jeepney rides, there's a radio. Children start young and are encouraged to sing by family, peers, onward to school and business activities. I remember in my childhood my aunts and uncles would offer me candy just to sing for them. And boy, did I happily obliged. If I sang more they'd give me a few pennies and I was a merry kid. My favorite song to sing back then when I was four years old was Sheena Easton's "Telephone"". I would do it with matching actions and and dance steps.

In town festivals we call "fiestas", there is always a singing contest in the town hall or gym. And you could see that the contestants are quite competitive. Children are mostly the main attraction. People would flock to see these kids sing and cheer for them. You can see them belting old songs like a pro and you would be amazed by their singing prowess. They would choose songs from Frank Sinatra, Whitney Houston and Celine Dion. During my elementary years I mastered "The Greatest Love of All". If you could sing like Celine or Whitney, you are qualified to join any singing contest.

During the teen years, a group of friends we call barkada or clique, the common hobby would be music. One of the friends should or probably know how to play the guitar because they would do "jamming" acoustic music sessions during their free time or during special occasions. There is also a main vocalist who knows most of the songs either old or current. Music livens the gathering, and it can just be an ordinary fun day.

The common thing young Filipino young professionals do to unwind after a whole week's work is to go to a videoke (karaoke) bar. These popular bars are divided into exclusive rooms for every group of people. Payday and weekends are usually the peak days of these bars so people must reserve in advance. And inside these bars friends take turn singing their favorite emotional songs whenever alcohol is around.

My friends and I in a videoke bar

Special occasions like birthdays, weddings, even baptisms, there is always a relative or a very close friend of the family who is a good singer. The relative will undoubtedly sing a song or two to entertain the crowd. Songs from the 70s or 80s are usually sang.

Joining choirs are usually popular in school and church activities, Filipinos are very known for the world class choirs like the Philippine Madrigal Singers and the Loboc Children's Choir. They have participated in various competitions and won a lot of awards.

If a popular music is played on the radio, you would hear children in the neighborhood sing along with it. Music and singing is part of the Filipino's life and culture, we still sing if we can't carry a tune. It's already deep-rooted within us because there's even a Filipino quote that says: "Ikanta mo na lang ang iyong problema"(Just sing your problems away).

So let's just sing to our heart's content. :)

@shellany

video sources:
https://www.youtube.com/user/engchi93
https://www.youtube.com/user/festivaldevinachile
https://www.youtube.com/user/inoorac
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLEKgoTUuNydpscaToRKI2Q
https://www.youtube.com/user/bErNiCeShAnEsAbIn
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCeHTzx6e0PHj5GVw2E-FIw
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaV884pP-39-I7ucJE163FQ
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA8mXNRSOedwKX_uiiD9y7g