Episode- 80| Aired-March 1, 2015

If last Sunday’s entries were any indication of the talents in the weeks to come, then we are in for an exciting month.

(L-R) Doc Mon del Rosario joined by guest judges Fe delos Reyes and Jet Montelibano of the famed show band Music and Magic.

Participants wait nervously for the judges’ verdict. (L-R) Marielle Corpuz(interpreter), Rica Miranda (composer), Jay Jimenez (interpreter), Ardel Rivera (on-screen; composer), Almira Cercado (interpreter), Jinnie Adilan (composer)

First off, it was a retro pop reunion of sorts with singer/director Jet Montelibano and singer/comedienne Fe delos Reyes as guest judges joining resident critic, Dr. Mon del Rosario.  Both artists started their careers with the 80’s show band Music and Magic.  Host Toni Rose also worked with Fe on the defunct Philippine noontime variety show Lunch Date.

Ardel Rivera – “Sa Piling Mo’y Langit,”

This month’s first weekly winner, Ardel Rivera hails from the land of the champs: General Santos City. Working as a mechanical plant operator at a fish port, Ardel couldn’t make it to the ASOP studio physically so he had to present his masterpiece “Sa Piling Mo’y Langit,” via Skype.

His face loomed at the studio on the wide LED screen in the background while he listened to the judges’ verdict from GenSan. His magnified reaction to winning the week’s round was so amusing and satisfying because he clearly deserved it.

“Sa Piling Mo’y Langit,” is a rock ballad aptly interpreted by rocker Jay Jimenez of the J Brothers band. It is a welcome contrast to the power ballad variety filled with deep Tagalog poetry that has become a staple in this competition.

The song’s simple lyrics; clear message and engaging melody make for a strong recall worthy of LSS. Even judge Jet Montelibano couldn’t resist singing a line from the refrain, giving the audience a glimpse of his pop-rock roots.

2010 WCOPA’s Grand Champion Performer Marielle Corpuz wows the judges with her powerful rendition of Rica Miranda’s “Purihin ng Bayan.”

While “Sa Piling Mo’y Langit,” was written in one day, it took OFW Rica Miranda one year to finish her entry “Purihin ng Bayan.”

Although Doc Mon acknowledged her lyrics as golden, her penchant for extending melodic patterns confuses the listener.

The third entry, “Ikaw Lang” was another power ballad written by avid ASOP viewer turned composer, Jinnie Adilan.  A factory worker by profession, Jinnie has never written any song until “Ikaw Lang.”  His faithful viewing of the show inspired him to give composing a try. Although the judges found a lot of things that needed tweaking, qualifying for this round was already an achievement for a rookie like Jinnie.

Interpreter Jay Jimenez rocking out “Sa Piling Mo’y Langit” while composer Ardel Rivera looks on via Skype.

So far, compositions that break away from the ballad genre seem to be the trend, as seen by the reggae piece of February’s monthly finals and last Sunday’s rock number. The level of creativity in this competition is indeed heating up!