What’s hot in the music and podcast scenes in the Philippines—plus, a dialogue with Arthur Nery
Two of the “big three” philosophers once stressed the importance of self-knowledge. Socrates said, “Man know thyself.” Aristotle, on the other hand, claimed that “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” Both aphorisms are essential in achieving a meaningful life. If you know yourself, you will learn to accept who you are. You’ll be able to release self-doubts. You’ll express yourself more freely, and make decisions for yourself easier.
As a guide for developing self-awareness, author of motivational books Changepower! 37 Secrets to Habit Change Success and Silver Sparks: Thoughts on Growing Older, Wiser, and Happier, Meg Selig, coined the term VITALS, which stands for values, interests, temperament, around-the-clock activities, and life-mission and goal.
We may not realize it but each day we learn about ourselves better thanks to our undertakings, from our conversations with others to the travels we take, from the films we see to the music we listen to.
For instance, from VITALS, under “interest,” research has proven that the songs you like are indicative of your personality. Your musical taste tells a great deal about you including your political inclination. This means, more than a novelty, Spotify Wrapped, a personal review of users’ music and podcast experience, is also a useful tool to help you discover things about yourself.
Looking back at the songs and podcasts we’ve enjoyed over the past years reveals how much we have changed over time. It reflects our feelings, emotions, and even the music we may have missed—conveniently so, as there is a feature in Wrapped that recommends a personalized playlist of the songs we didn’t listen to. Access your Wrapped playlist via spotify.com/us/wrapped.
We may not realize it but each day we learn about ourselves better thanks to our undertakings, from our conversations with others to the travels we take, from the films we see to the music we listen to.
Wrapped also communicates our listening habits as a collective, as Filipinos. Clinching five out of the top ten spots in the 2022 Top Artists are Pinoys. Breaking through the list is Zack Tabudlo, who secured the third spot and emerged as the Top Local Artist in the Philippines. Pulling listeners into his own cinematic universe, Tabudlo’s cathartic “Episode” album is also the second most streamed album in the country. Ben&Ben proved themselves to be a mainstay among the local favorites as they maintained their fourth place from 2021 and kept a spot in the top list for the fourth consecutive year.
“We are thrilled to see that Filipino artists have continued to shine on the local stage, as seen on 2022’s Spotify Wrapped results. This shows that the Philippines is increasingly listening to and supporting its homegrown talent, and we have seen an almost 50 percent increase in streams of local music the past year,” said Spotify Asia's head of music Kossy Ng. “We’re excited to continue working closely with local musicians and pave the way for more aspiring artists to flourish on the platform.”
It has been another stellar year for podcasts in the country as well, as the audio streaming platform continued to launch exclusive and original content with a slate of Filipino podcasting talent. Filipino content creators reign in the Top Podcasts. Intimate sharing of life stories and advice is a hit among Filipinos with Barangay Love Stories, Skypodcast, Dear MOR: The Podcast, and Hugot Marcelo taking up the top four spots. Comedic conversations also resonate among locals with Punchline with Alex Calleja taking up the fifth spot.
“Our skypodcast is our first collaboration together as a couple, and it had been truly amazing to receive overwhelming support from our #skyfam. Podcasting has enabled us to talk in-depth about intimate topics. It’s even been a real help for our relationship as we’re able to spend time together and discuss things we normally wouldn’t. Being part of Spotify’s Wrapped Top Lists inspires us to keep growing as individuals so we can keep sharing new ideas to our listeners.” shares Kryz Uy of skypodcast.
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In all, the music and podcast scenes of the Philippines are showing great success and potential. To support this observation, I spoke with Arthur Nery, one of the most streamed and listened-to singers in the country.
Have you seen your Spotify Wrapped? What are your top songs this year?
Yes, I am overwhelmed by the support of my fans and listeners. My Artist’s Wrapped of 2022 showed me the following:
· 10.3 million listeners with 281.7 million streams
· Top song: “Pagsamo,” listened to 78.4 million times
· Listened to in 183 countries. The top markets are the Philippines, the US, Canada, UAE, and Indonesia.
· Most shared lyric: “Kung mang-aakit, akit ka naman, Pwede bang sa akin, akin na lang?”from“Isa lang.”
I am grateful I have listeners all over the world. Through the Spotify RADAR program, it has enabled me to reach those listeners from different corners of the world. I am thrilled about what 2023 has to offer. Here’s to reaching and touching the hearts of more listeners!
Have you also seen your listener profile? Do you agree with the finding?
The listening personality I had was ‘The Early Adopter.’ I’m always excited to see what’s new and trending. Listening to fresh music inspires me as a creator.
How did you become part of Spotify’s RADAR program and how has it been able to help you so far?
Being part of Spotify’s RADAR program has helped me reach fans all around the world, Knowing that they appreciate my craft also changed my perspective on music as an artist. It also motivates and encourages me to focus on my craft—music.
How did you change or improve as an artist during the pandemic?
My perspective changed when my dad passed away at the start of the pandemic. It’s been hard, but I realize everything has a purpose. I realized I needed to be firm and strong for me to become the man I am supposed to be. I just need to be focused on my passion and mental health for me to connect with more people who may be going through the same losses. Moving forward to this year, I’ll still use this mindset to be able to craft more relatable music that touches the souls of those who need it.
What is your advice to young budding artists for them to reach your level of success?
“What your mind can conceive, your body can achieve.” This mindset helped me so much in all aspects. It helped me focus more and push myself up little by little. The only competition I recognize is myself so I try to be better than the person I was the day before.
Any new gigs or plans that fans should look forward to?
This 2023, my fans can expect new releases, my first world tour, and my second album, which is almost done!