The power of Original Pilipino Music (OPM) took center stage last Saturday as the musical variety show VIBE delivered an “out-of-this-galaxy” lineup that shook the MVP Theater.
The epic showcase kicked off with high-energy opening acts featuring VIBE jocks, Gen Vs, and special guests. The stage ignited with performances of hit tracks like “Bomba” and “Sabay-sabay Tayo.” Vocal powerhouse Jed Madela joined forces with Thor Dulay and Junno Delos Santos for “Kiss (Never Let Me Go),” before treating the audience to a nostalgic medley of “Minamahal Kita,” “Bakit Ikaw Pa,” and “Lumayo Ka Man Sa Akin.”
Following his performance, Madela expressed his joy at sharing the stage with the program’s fresh talents and offered heartfelt encouragement to the next generation of Filipino musicians.
“Tuloy-tuloy lang. Especially sa lahat kabataan na mangaawit ngayon, magsulat kayo, magcreate pa kayo ng magagandang awitin tsaka wag kayo mawalan ng pag-asa. Ilabas niyo lang kase one day in the right time, right timing, maririnig din ng mga boses ninyo at mga gawa ng aawitin,” Madela stated.
(“Just keep going. Especially to all the young singers today, write, create more beautiful songs, and do not lose hope. Just put it out there because one day, at the right time, the right timing, your voices and the songs you made will be heard.”)
The momentum continued with Star Worx Block One returning to the stage to perform “Sumayaw Sumunod,” followed by Chan and Carmela’s rendition of “Namumula.” Reflecting on the milestone, Gen V member Selina shared their collective gratitude for having their television launch on the show, promising fans their absolute best. Meanwhile, fellow member Adam highlighted how honored and privileged they feel to be mentored by industry legend Mr. M.
The episode then transitioned to the “VIBE Spot” segment. Viral sensation Mommy Mila kicked off the segment by showcasing her viral dance moves, expressing her happiness over inspiring people of all ages. Right after, cultural dance group Anak Bale-Balayan traveled all the way from Angeles, Pampanga, to bring traditional Philippine culture to the forefront. The group expressed their excitement over performing on the major stage and reiterated their advocacy of preserving local heritage for younger generations.
Adding a fierce wave of nostalgia, “Original Garage” (OG) rap pioneer Lady Diane made a highly anticipated comeback, performing her classic hit “Sa-Sa-Saddam.” Reinterpreting the track to address modern socio-economic issues, specifically skyrocketing fuel prices, the hip-hop icon left the audience with a sharp, unfiltered message regarding local labor conditions.
“Sana tumaas yung sahod natin. Kung hindi man pababa yung ating gasolina, bale ang minimum wage 40k na dapat!” Lady Diane proclaimed.
(“I hope our wages go up. If our gasoline prices won’t go down, then the minimum wage should at least be 40k already!”)
History was also made during the show’s “Uprising” segment, which saw a first-ever dead heat tie for the “Uprising Star of the Week” title, with two OPM songs perfectly splitting the top spot at 26.07% of the total votes.
The first winner, MATÉO, earned the crown with his track “Lalim.” He shared that his ultimate inspiration is simply contributing to the local music ecosystem, whether working behind the scenes or performing in front of the camera. Sharing the historic tie was Queen Manica Money featuring Lil Jay for their hit “Kwento Mo Yan!”, with the female artist extending her profound gratitude to the fans who rallied behind them.
The OG stars struck back once more as veteran singer Jun Polistico serenaded the crowd with timeless classics “Mahiwaga” and “Mahawi Man Ang Ulap,” sharing how thrilled he was to feel the energy of the live studio crowd.
The energy surged during the “Main Vibe” segment, which featured back-to-back live debuts. Hitmakers Nik Makino and Shao Lin secured the number two spot on the charts, delivering the very first live television performance of their viral collaboration “MOVES.” Makino couldn’t hide his excitement about finally bringing the song to a live TV audience.
Meanwhile, singer-songwriter Arthur Miguel dominated the charts, reclaiming the coveted top spot with his melancholic anthem “Sindi.” The young artist opened up about the emotional weight behind the track and why he advocates for vulnerable storytelling.
“Alam mo naman na It’s Okay Not to be Okay and parang gusto kong i-normalized na gawin natin siyang parang okay lang na maging okay palagi hangga’t hindi ka okay, iparamdam sa sarili mo kung gaano kasakit kasi dun ka matuto,” Miguel explained.
(“You already know that ‘It’s Okay Not to be Okay’ and I want to normalize making it seem like it’s [not] okay to always be okay—until you are actually okay, let yourself feel how painful it is because that is where you learn.”)
Closing the stellar night was none other than the “Concert Queen” herself, Pops Fernandez. The legendary icon dominated the stage with her classic hits “Little Star” and “Don’t Say Goodbye.” Fernandez admitted she deeply missed the thrill of live singing and shared her perspective on what gives an OPM record its enduring, timeless quality.
“I think timeless, is because of the—I think the song can relate to the audience and the people so mainly the lyrics, kasi diba mahilig tayo sa mga masaskit na kanta? Yung masakit na nga ang pinagdadaanan natin, pero gusto pa rin natin yung masakit,” Fernandez observed, adding that true longevity happens when generations of audiences continue to appreciate and love the art.
(“I think it’s timeless because—I think the song can relate to the audience and the people, so mainly the lyrics, because aren’t we fond of painful songs? Even when we are already going through painful things, we still prefer the painful ones.”)
To give fans greater power in charting the success of their favorite artists, the show officially announced that the voting window for both the “Main Vibe” and “Uprising” leaderboards has now been extended to a bi-weekly format. The extended two-week cycle gives fandoms more time to rally, vote, and dominate the charts, with the current voting block running from May 14 at 12:00 PM until May 28 at 11:59 AM.
VIBE airs weekly on TV5, One PH, True TV, Kapatid Channel, and via its official online streaming platforms.