Meet ALAMAT, the Most Inclusive P-pop Boy group in Mainstream OPM
In light of the rising of K-pop internationally and the unexpected reception of K-pop-like boy bands in the Philippines like SB19, Viva Entertainment recently introduced their first k-pop-like OPM boy group, ALAMAT.
Viva is slowly promoting their new boy group, about ten years after they attempted to follow in the footsteps of K-pop group Super Junior with the boy band XLR8. However, the said boy group only garnered negative reviews as it was undeniable that they were following Super Junior at a fault and that one of their singles was exactly a rip-off to Suju’s 2009 hit, “Sorry, Sorry.” At that time, I was never proud of P-pop.
It’s a great thing that after SB19 was brought to prominence, Viva Entertainment followed suit and made sure to build up a boy group that we can be proud of, especially in terms of their talent and music. Now, behold ALAMAT.
ALAMAT is a new P-pop boy group consisting of nine talented boys from all over the Philippines, from north to south. At first sight, ALAMAT is as colorful and fancy as K-pop idols, with all their colored hair and extravagant outfits. One can also say that the guys have received training that is as extensive as our Asian neighbors, and yes, they truly did. The promotion and marketing of the group are also akin to that of Sm Entertainment, where they produce mini-videos featuring the group’s concept and members, plus K-pop’s usual dance practice videos and behind-the-scenes.
However, that’s only as far as the marketing, training, and visuals go. While their music is also reminiscent of Western pop and soul, and South Korea’s K-pop, Alamat incorporates the Philippines’ native music and culture in general. Each of the group members’ outfits represents Filipino ingenuity like t’nalak. So each of their clothing is a mix of ethnic and modern fashion. A part of the group’s branding is also written in Baybayin, a pre-Hispanic Philippine script.
Apart from that, Alamat is very inclusive. Instead of doing an all-English or Tagalog song, they’re mixing up other Filipino dialects in their lyrics, such as Bisaya, Waray, and Ilocano. It will even be the first thing that people, especially those outside of Metro Manila, will appreciate.
ALAMAT recently released their first single, Kbye, which they composed themselves. Kbye, as per many OPM songs, is a mix of Pinoy and Western pop and r&b, while the lyrics are as Pinoy as they can be because of its sentimentality and “hugot,” which is always a huge hit when it comes to Filipinos. But what excited me the most in the song is its fusion of Pinoy ethnic sounds and instruments such as the kulintang and rondalla, which are very evident in the song.
Apart from their inclusive music and culture, what’s great about ALAMAT is that every member has topnotch talent. None of them goes to waste, and they all deserve to be members of the group.
I’m now looking forward to what ALAMAT will offer more in the future. We hope many Filipinos would appreciate and get to know more about the Philippine culture through this boy group. Please support them.
Originally published at https://thepopblogph.com on February 19, 2021.