FROM THE HORDES of hopefuls in last year’s GMA Network search for the next boy band, ‘To The Top,’ five lucky guys reached the zenith, and months after being named winners, they’re staying there, if not soaring even higher.

The vocally gifted heartthrobs met with us again earlier this week, not to compete for media attention anymore but to offer Filipino music lovers worldwide their debut album.

What we saw were no longer boys in their twenties but a more refined group of young men, more confident in their style and musicality, with awesome music just waiting to be listened to and loved by the Filipino people. The album is called T.O.P., short for Top One Project, which is also the name of the group: MIKO Manguba, MICO Cruz, LOUIE Pedroso, JOSHUA Jacobe, and ADRIAN Pascual.

T.O.P. members (from left to right) Mico Cruz, Louie Pedroso, Miko Manguba, Adrian Pascual, and Joshua Jacobe.

A Sampler, Impromptu

At our request, they gave us an a cappella sampler of each of the six tracks on the album, impromptu, for our respective YouTube channels.

T.O.P. didn’t disappoint, and we’re certain they will conquer the real world of showbiz with their brand of music. These guys have real talent, and we saw how they labored their way to a spot in the group, now managed by GMA Artist Center with Maestro Ryan Cayabyab backing them.

The Album

The album was first released digitally on April 28, 2016, and is available on Spotify and iTunes. Days later, the physical copy came out, and the guys happily told us it sold out in several record bars in less than a week, thanking the fans who have followed them unceasingly since the start of the competition.

Under GMA Records, the group re-recorded five of the most popular songs from ‘To The Top’ and composed another original song, ‘San Na,’ to complete the six-track album: ‘Bakit Ganon,’ ‘Somebody,’ ‘Kaya Ko, Kaya Mo,’ ‘Alaala,’ and the carrier single, ‘Paggising.’

Most of the songs were written by known local artists, including Chino David (Silent Sanctuary) and Brian Lotho, both under Sonic State Audio.

‘San Na,’ their own composition, came out of an experiment in which the group challenged their skills in writing and music production. Louie and Mico Cruz wrote the lyrics, while Miko Manguba, Joshua, and Adrian focused on the technical aspects of the song.

They joined us for a short snack on GMA Network’s 17th floor for the album’s bloggers’ conference, where they also discussed the inspirations behind each track. And yes, the guys are single but not yet ready for serious relationships, which is understandable: they’re mostly in their early 20s, and the youngest, Adrian, is only 17.

We can only imagine a more vibrant OPM industry in the years to come. We gotta protect our local artists by patronizing their work. We do. Truth is, we’re listening to their music as we write this post. *Grin*.

Listening to good music is actually part of my morning ritual. Here’s proof, taken over coffee before our meetings.