New artists and songs pop up everywhere nowadays. It doesn’t take much for us to stumble upon a fresh face in music and tune in to their work until we can proudly say we knew them before they got famous. All we need these days is one scroll through our For You pages and Spotify’s weekly Discover round-ups to help aspiring singers and songwriters get recognized.
If you’re an avid music lover, you might even hear new names from your favorite stars, as well as the industry’s big leagues. That’s what Blooms experienced during a recent question-and-answer (Q&A) session with BINI’s leader, Jhoanna Robles.
Photo: Jhoanna Robles, JAO/Instagram
On October 7, 2025, Jhoanna hosted a quick Q&A catch-up with Blooms on X. When a lucky fan asked her for stan-worthy Filipino artists, Jhoanna didn’t hesitate to share her knowledge with Blooms and the Pinoy Pop (P-pop) stan community.
JC Herrero
JAO
Chrstn
LEILA— Jhoanna Robles 🦋 (@bini_jhoanna) October 7, 2025
Jhoanna doesn’t just immerse herself in the P-pop genre. She enthusiastically supports Original Pinoy Music (OPM) as a whole—always sharing her latest music discoveries with her fans online. She even accompanies her social media posts with songs by her favorite Filipino artists, old and new.
If you want to learn your way around the local music scene like Jhoanna, start by checking out these four OPM artists on the rise, whom she recommends to Blooms.
JC Herrero
Fans of acoustic pop music (with hints of ballads and folk songs) are in for a treat with JC Herrero’s songs. If you’re a fan of feel-good OPM bands like Ben&Ben, The Ridleys, and Over October, then JC’s discography is right up your alley. Listening to him sing about love, life, and friendship so fondly feels like watching a sunset in full view from your cozy bedroom window.
In 2022, JC collaborated with the six-member folk-pop band Sugarcane for “Paruparo,” a simple, laid-back love song that will make you believe in love at first sight: “Tila paulit-ulit mo akong inaakit, kaya’t hayaang ika’y dalhin sa kalawakang ‘di napapansin.”
Here are more songs by JC Herrero that you can check out:
- “Patintero”
- “Balang Araw”
JAO
John Aaron Obra, better known as JAO, is giving a new voice to coming-of-age experiences and young love through his vibrant discography. As a storyteller at heart, he writes and produces songs that capture the youthful, quirky, and endearingly awkward stages of a relationship.
JAO’s music will transport you to a cheesy Pinoy campus rom-com with lyrics that every hopeless romantic can relate to. We can easily picture his words in the soundtracks of pop culture staples like Ang Mutya ng Section E, She’s Dating the Gangster, and Diary ng Panget.
In “Torpe,” for instance, JAO’s most popular song to date, he sings, “Bumibilis tibok ng puso, Diyos ko, heto na nga. Bakit ba ‘pag lumapit, nawawala angas ko?”
Here are more songs by JAO that you can check out:
- His six-track debut EP, Kabanata
- “Ikaw Lang Po”
Chrstn
Chrstn first rose to prominence with her mellow, stripped-down covers of OPM and P-pop hits. On TikTok, she has gained over one million followers thanks to her viral renditions of “Awitin Mo, Isasayaw Ko” by VST & Company, “When I Met You” by APO Hiking Society, “Lagi” by BINI, and “Mahika” by Adie and Janine Berdin, to name a few.
@tinapughh obsessed w old opm songs :>
Chrstn’s passion for performing and making music now shines through with her original songs. She still carries the simple and tranquil tones of her covers. But this time, she’s finally sharing her own stories about the ups and downs of love and life.
Fans of Viva One’s University Series book-to-screen adaptations might recognize Chrstn’s popular ballad, “Paksa,” from the soundtrack of Chasing In the Wild. Here, she muses over how people choose to be with their one true love in every lifetime: “Isa-isahin ko pa man ang bituin, ikaw lang aking hinihiling.”
Here are more songs by Chrstn that you can check out:
- “Paano Ba? (Umibig)”
- “Di Na Ako”
LEILA
Rising OPM star LEILA is on a mission to evolve as an artist through acoustic pop, jazz, and city pop influences. She also got her start in music through OPM covers, such as her version of “Jopay” by Mayonnaise, which she transformed from a heavy-hitting rock track into an intimate, easygoing love song on the guitar.
In “Magkasintahan,” one of her new singles, LEILA portrays the giddy butterflies that follow you home after a successful date, as well as the rush of kilig in anticipating your next special day together. She sings, “Wala nang pipiliing iba, sa piling mo ay ayos na. Isantabi muna ang mga alinlangan, ‘pagkat tayong dalawa ay magkasintahan.”
Here are more songs by LEILA that you can check out:
- “Ikaw Na”
- “Pagdududa”
ALSO READ: LOOK: BINI Makes History as Part of Coachella 2026 Lineup
What do you think of BINI Jhoanna’s OPM recommendations? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
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