Often mistaken for Korean pop stars, Filipino boyband 1:43 (read as “one forty-three”) has released a brand new EP #KalyePop, giving the term KPop a different dimension. The album has been released under MCA Music.
“#KalyePop or KPop is our humble contribution to the rebirth of the local music industry. We hope that our new musical direction will advance our mission of winning back the Filipino audiences to Original Pilipino Music (OPM),” says the group’s spokesman Anjo Resurreccion.
According to their band manager Chris Cahilig, the idea of producing a #KalyePop for 1:43 has been in his mind since he formed the boy band in 2010 as a reaction to the young Filipino audience’s fancy for KPop music and stardom. “#KalyePop is inspired by the musical aesthetics of the everyday Juan dela Cruz on the street. We wanted a selection of songs that can be easily played with a guitar while having a drinking session or danced by the masses young and old, rich or poor in public gatherings,” explains Cahilig.
Except for the song “Ang Saya-Saya” penned by acclaimed composer Jonathan Ong of Sonic State Studio, the rest of the tracks of #KalyePop, including the hit “Hayop Sa Ganda” and the earlier promotional single “Ikaw At Ako” were composed by musician and the group’s road manager Urie Tesorio. Chris Cahilig also produced the album while Ong arranged the songs. Its neo-colonial-themed album cover was photographed by 1:43’s original and former member Kimmeth Nicolas and styled by Ryuji Shiomitsu.
The three remaining tracks of #KalyePop include the cleverly titled song “Istambay Me” which tackles about the rampancy of unemployment among Filipino youth, and the ballads “Langit” and “Pwede Bang Malaman” which carry 1:43’s signature romantic melody and lyrics.
One of the tracks of #KalyePop is now a radio hit. The song “Hayop Sa Ganda” has so far received over 330,000 views on Youtube and is considered the fastest moving OPM song on the social media site. It has brought back 1:43 to the limelight after the success of “Sa Isang Sulyap Mo,” the 2013 PMPC Star Award for Music “Song of the Year.”
