Love songs have been the OPM industry’s pride and joy throughout history. We’ve tried similar means of confessing our feelings, but no artistic medium captures the warm embrace of a love story quite like a Filipino serenade.
No wonder we deem our music “pinnacles of yearning” across generations. The sheer fondness for finding the best OPM songs to dedicate to our past, present, and future relationships remains unparalleled.
Rhodessa in the “Kisame” music video (left), Ashtine Olviga and Andres Muhlach for the music video of “Sa Bawat Sandali” by Amiel Sol (right). Photo: Viva Records, Amiel Sol/YouTube
There’s a new generation of Filipino balladeers in town, and they have their hearts set on shaking up the music scene. Get to know these four rising OPM artists who are making us feel all the feels:
Amiel Sol
Amiel Sol’s songs are a warm embrace. They’re the tight hug you need from your significant other at the end of the day when life stretches you too thin. His music is for you to share with your soulmate, who brings you peace and solace when the world gets too burdensome.
Amiel Sol’s chart-topping single, “Sa Bawat Sandali,” embodies the quiet and unassuming love that every chronically single young adult secretly seeks. In a music video for Ang Mutya ng Section E (AMNSE), leads Ashtine Olviga and Andres Muhlach showed fans a tender side to their typically rebellious characters, Jay-Jay and Keifer. Olviga covered the song, too, for the series’ end credits.
Try these songs out, too:
- “Ikaw Lang Patutunguhan”
- “Di Na Akin”
Earl Agustin
Nobody truly forgets their first crush, and Earl Agustin will help you keep them in your memory. This crooner knows a thing or two about writing chart-topping love songs. He became the first Filipino artist to make Spotify’s Global Top 50 chart, and his viral hit, “Tibok,” became the first OPM song to surpass two million daily streams.
“Tibok” won the nation’s hearts with Agustin’s signature soulful vocals and feel-good lyricism, which allude to the cheesy tropes between couples in our favorite movies and books. Meet-cutes and stolen glances between secret admirers have never been the same since the song’s release. Following the song’s participation in the AMNSE soundtrack, the music video of “Tibok” starred Olviga and another one of her AMNSE co–stars, Rabin Angeles, in their own five-minute dose of kilig.
Try these songs out, too:
- “Dalangin”
- “Dito Sa’kin”
Eliza Maturan
Destiny, fate, and soul-stirring melodies take center stage in Eliza Maturan’s artistry. She saw a golden opportunity in the star-crossed dynamic between former Pinoy Big Brother (PBB): Celebrity Collab Edition housemates, Will Ashley and Bianca de Vera (endearingly known as WillCa), to take her musical prowess and yearning expertise to the next level.
When WillCa’s comforting conversations in the PBB house made waves online, Maturan collaborated with recording artist and producer, ICEBOX, for “ikaw, ikaw, ikaw.” The track is an emotionally charged duet about rekindling relationships inspired by the two actors’ journey from being “taping friends” to sharing something deeper and worth cherishing.
Maturan took a similar route with her 2024 hit, “Museo,” which portrays an unforgettable love that lingers through every dream and memory between two lovers.
Try these songs out, too:
- “Sisig”
- “Museo” (The Cozy Cove Live Sessions)
Rhodessa
Every day feels like a vivid dream with Rhodessa. Her love songs harbor a heartfelt, whimsical tone that helps listeners momentarily escape reality. Think “Enchanted,” “Last Kiss,” and other tracks from Taylor Swift’s Speak Now album, which belong to a fairytale.
Rhodessa found her musical breakthrough with “Kisame.” It captures the all-too-familiar push and pull between two people who can’t clear the air or close the distance between them. It’s easy to say, “Life’s too short, tell that special someone you like them” with an encouraging smile, but everything changes when unrequited feelings are at play. You can’t control who you and your crush fall for. Sometimes, you’re just left with no choice but to leave things unsaid, stare at the ceiling, and hope it’ll still be you one day.
Try these songs out, too:
- “Jeep”
- “Sa’yong Sa’yo Lang Ako” (with mrld)
ALSO READ: 15 Classic OPM Love Songs That Will Make Us Say “Ang Pag-Ibig Nga Naman”
Have you listened to these OPM artists and their latest songs? Tell us your favorite tracks from them in the comments below!
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