MANILA, PHILIPPINES — It’s 2012. I’m a sophomore in college. And every student along the University Belt, including myself, is blasting one song with lyrics that have become a glorified anthem: “Tara, tara, sumama ka sa akin, at hawakan ang aking kamay. Tayo ay maglalakbay patungo sa lugar kung saan tayo lang ang may alam.” The synth touches and upbeat track are so catchy, the song is easily recognizable within the first five seconds of hearing it. And 13 years later, this song “Biglang Liko” by Ron Henley featuring Pow Chavez is still making waves on social media thanks to a sudden burst of nostalgia among TikTok users and YouTube users alike — earning the song 69.8 million views at the time of writing.
Fast forward to 2015, and another hit has taken over — this time on mainstream television, radios, music streaming platforms, and basically in every household in the country. Day and night, you’ll hear the powerful yet graceful voice of Sarah Geronimo singing “Tala.” And five years later, during the height of the pandemic, the song found its way back into the general public through TikTok users dancing to the song on every video you scroll to. (Not to mention, my cousins and I danced to the same song in early 2020 before lockdown, for another cousin’s wedding. But you will never see proof of that.)
As lockdown restrictions relaxed in the country in 2021, the P-pop girl group BINI was launched and shone a light on everyone’s faces as a beacon of a new age. Three years later, the group’s popularity skyrocketed further when their glittery tunes “Salamin, Salamin” and “Pantropiko” made their way into everyone’s TikTok FYP as dancers and amateurs alike bopped to the steps.
And now back to the present, little did I know that I would get the wonderful chance to meet the people behind the songs whose melodies and lyrics have remained embedded in my brain and everyone else’s for years. “Show us the video of you and your cousins dancing!” joked Jeli Mateo, CEO of FlipMusic when I shared that little anecdote about my cousin’s wedding. Joined by FlipMusic Founder, Jumbo “Bojam” De Belen, and singer-songwriter Nica del Rosario, the trio looked happy to know that they have been part of so many people’s lives, spanning across generations of music lovers.
How a seed of courage blossomed into a forest
FlipMusic’s fruition came about in 2009, when Jumbo and his bandmate Pow Chavez began to play with the idea of sharing their songs with more people. “We were sort of trapped,” Jumbo began. “We only get to play them to our live audience.”
They were yearning for more creative freedom and to be able to share that with a wider range of listeners. And at a time when cover songs were all the rage, they wanted to introduce hip-hop and R&B to a mainstream level. “The songs that we made, we offered them for free online. We just put out links so everyone can download them, and we thought of making them exclusive to 500 friends. So when we easily got to have the first few songs downloaded by 500 people, it spread to more than just 500. There were songs that were supposed to be parang for us lang to share among ourselves, but they spread to many people, and even reached radio stations!”
In the wake of the success of the songs, Jumbo found himself in the middle of endless projects. “There were songs that I couldn’t handle anymore. [I was] so in demand! There were a lot of people requesting me to produce their songs. So I thought of expanding the team, and that’s where Jeli and the other partners came in, and we made it a formal business — a duly registered company.”
“At that time, I was living in Malaysia, and I wanted to come home to create an album,” Jeli started to recall. She and Pow knew each other when they were finalists together at the Philippine Idol singing competition back in 2006. “I asked [Pow] and some of his friends who they think could produce original songs that are modernized, and at the same time, have a twist compared to what the local scene was offering at the time. So Pow introduced me to Jumbo. And to cut the story short, my album was created, and I never went back to Malaysia to fulfill my career there!”
It was clear from the beginning how much Jeli believed in Jumbo’s skills and music. So much so, that it was the major contributor as to why she agreed to work with him. “I knew at the very beginning, when I heard his music, that it was something that had to be mainstream — or at the very least, heard by more people. I think Jumbo was the only one who was using a PlayStation One to produce music and drums in their live set. So I thought that was very ingenious as well.”
Most great companies start out small, and the same could be said of FlipMusic. There were only five members in the beginning, and they did everything themselves. “It was a one room apartment, and from there, we had some breakthroughs in the songs that we’ve created. We were discovered by labels and brands as well,” Jeli reminisced.
And interestingly enough, one of the breakthrough songs they had in the beginning was “Biglang Liko.”
Relying on resilience
“Working with hip-hop and R&B underground artists, it has been very convenient to boost my career as a producer because they’re only verbal deals. But it came to a point where I was messing up my publishing agreements because they’re all verbal,” Jumbo shared.
This sticky situation was where Jeli stepped in as the label’s protector. It was a challenge to overcome the unspoken system back then in the music industry, when artists had little to no safeguarding in their intellectual and musical properties. “We were very optimistic, but of course, lacking experience. We had some bad deals that we had to learn from. Resilience had to be built, systems had to be put in place slowly, and we had to really educate ourselves on how the business industry works. Sure, we know how to create good songs. We know how to create hits. But the next layer would be how to protect that, how to ensure that the people behind the hits are taken care of, and how they will benefit in the long term,” Jeli explained.
But despite the hardships, Jeli looks back with fondness at the journey they took to unravel those aspects and learn those lessons. With a grateful heart, she shared, “After a few burns, I think we are at the time right now when we are confident. We had to learn the hard way how to do these things.”
Going further, growing farther
After almost 15 years in the business, Jeli shared that the present is the best time for the team. “We are certainly ripe,” as she put it. With regards to their sound, their systems, how they create music, and how they create branding for artists and SML enterprises, FlipMusic has gained their momentum — and they’re only continuing on an upward trajectory.
“Now, we dabble into all aspects pertaining to sound solutions. That’s a major step from wanting to be a part of the artist music industry,” Jeli imparted. She and Jumbo have now built a more holistic team. Not only do they have a production house, which was their main goal in the beginning, but now they also have a label that signs artists — mostly singer-songwriters. They have also established a distribution arm that reaches over 150 different platforms worldwide. And to top it all off, they also built a publishing arm, and recently added a video production aspect to the production house, making them an audio-visual company.
“I think it’s pretty far already from how we started. It’s been a ride, and I think now we are ready to be in the league, not just entering it. And we’ve put safeguards into our practices to ensure that there’s only better things in the future and bigger opportunities,” she excitedly spilled.
Helping Jeli and Jumbo catapult FlipMusic into sky-high levels are the team’s league of young apprentices — all with a formidable combination of hunger for success and a knack for breaking norms:
Artists:
- Angelika Sam — Singer/Songwriter who wrote the viral song “Pantropiko” by BINI
- Penelope — Singer/Songwriter whose debut single “Tag-Ulan” gained popularity on various music streaming platforms. She has also written theme songs and jingles for agencies and corporate brands.
- Odri — Singer who recently signed with FlipMusic and released her debut single “Sa Iyo Talaga,” an R&B/Soul and OPM blend that carries warmth and subtle electronic flourishes, marking a shift toward a more contemporary pop style, and she was also featured as the cover of Spotify’s Fresh Finds Philippines playlist
- Beatrice Mariel — Singer/Dancer who recently released her first single, “Hiraya,” and was featured in the cover of Spotify’s Fresh Finds Philippines playlist
- Jean Flores — Singer/Aspiring P-Pop idol whose debut song “Kalawakan” entered Spotify’s Fresh Finds Philippines playlist and remained there for a month
- Ayaka — Singer who recently moved to Manila from Japan to pursue her dream of becoming an artist. She will release her debut single this Valentine’s Day in collaboration with two of her co-artists at FlipMusic.
- Armeia — Singer/Songwriter who joined Idol Philippines, and wowed FlipMusic with her musical range that spans across reggaeton (Latin pop), alternative rock/pop, and hip hop
- Giro — Rapper/Singer/Songwriter whose music draws inspiration from a wide range of artists, including Gloc-9, Ron Henley, Parokya Ni Edgar and more. He was featured on the cover of Spotify’s Fresh Finds Philippines for his single “Lenggwahe Pangkalawakan.”
- Rap Sanchez — Singer/Songwriter influenced by electronic pop, emo rock, and pop-alternative. He is set to release his album compilation later this year.
- Pow Chavez — Singer/Songwriter who was also featured in the hits “Biglang Liko” with Ron Henley and “Fly Away” with Blaze N Kane. He is also the songwriter of “Paligoy-ligoy” by Nadine Lustre, “Diyan Ka Lang” by BINI, and the co-composer of “Pantropiko” by BINI.
- MYK — Singer/Songwriter/Composer/Vocal Arranger who wrote BINI’s hits “I Feel Good” and the viral song “Salamin, Salamin” along with BGYO’s “Magnet,” “Gigil,” and co-wrote “Patintero”
Producers:
- Jacob Yulo — Junior Music Producer/Singer-Songwriter/Performer, also known as “alpha yang,” has recently performed at the Music Bridge Tokyo festival in Japan. He is also a composer and producer of theme songs and jingles for agencies, as well as the corporate and gaming industries.
- Julia — Junior Music Producer/Songwriter/Sound Engineer, also known artistically as “JAID,” who radiates chill vibes with lo-fi, R&B, and contemporary R&B genres with her sound
- Mat Olavides — Senior Music Producer and Sound Engineer at FlipMusic who is behind some of today’s hits such as “Salamin, Salamin” and “Pantropiko” by BINI. He also record-produced songs from James Reid’s Palm Dreams album.
- Rap Sanchez — Senior Music Producer/Sound Engineer/Songwriter who won Best Collaboration at the 36th Awit Awards, and tending to his growth as an artist by working with Sarah Geronimo, James Reid, and Kiana Valenciano in addition to his own individual tracks
The makings of a hitmaker
FlipMusic’s name spread like wildfire when Sarah Geronimo’s “Tala” came out in 2015. Though the team feels that the song was pushed out too early for its time, the TikTok generation has made it mainstream five years since it first came out. It’s a testament to how ahead of its time FlipMusic is. But most of the talent behind this sound was thanks to a protégé in the team at the time — Nica del Rosario.
“I think before ‘Tala’ there was ‘Ikot-ikot.’ I wasn’t in FlipMusic yet when ‘Ikot-ikot’ came out, but that’s what made me want to work with FlipMusic. It’s when they rebranded Sarah’s sound, and ‘Ikot-ikot’ was like the catalyst for all of that,” Nica looked back. Since her involvement in the label, FlipMusic’s breadth in genre has expanded — bringing new taste to younger audiences, and reaching more listeners.
“I think [‘Tala’] was the crossover of genres for us,” Jeli recounted. This success culminated into a solid partnership between the label and Sarah, with FlipMusic creating songs for three of her albums. “Majority of those songs were from us, so we really had a chance to revamp her sound and sonically rebrand her into her new era also. So sabay kaming nag-evolve into a different sound.”
Following this massive hit, FlipMusic went on to provide soundtracks for popular local movies such as ABNKKBSNPLAko?! and Diary ng Panget: The Movie. The label was the biggest supplier of songs for VIVA Films. They also covered soundtracks for VIVA’s artists as well, such as Nadine Lustre’s “Paligoy-ligoy.” These milestones put FlipMusic on the map, and have been the foundation of their succeeding accomplishments.
Sa Ilalim Ng Alon
As the company branches out in the musical field, its youngest artiste Nica explores her new sound and signature, all the while revealing depths of her inner world to awestruck spectators. At the time of writing, adobo Magazine was given the high honor of being one of the first to listen to her new song, “Sa Ilalim Ng Alon,” composed by Jumbo De Belen, Nica herself, and Jeralph Sanchez.
A melodic hum of the piano melding with an almost orchestral background serves as an ethereal backdrop to Nica’s tantalizing, emotional vocals in her new song, and upcoming hit. “‘Sa Ilalim Ng Alon’ is a song that addresses coping with depression. It uses the metaphor of going under a wave, rather than swimming against it, to represent enduring bad days and difficult moments. This act of sitting with the quiet and stillness is portrayed as a way to create the headspace and regain the energy to start anew,” the production team divulged.
Wag nang pilitin
Lumangoy pataas
Basta’t tayo’y magkapiling
Tayo’y ligtas
Anyone struggling with depression and those seeking help through therapy know that depressive episodes come and go like waves, and the only way to get through it is to ride it out. When recognizing that you find yourself about to have an episode or even in the midst of it, it’s important to let yourself sit in your feelings and allow the tide to ebb of its own accord, instead of powering through or forcing yourself to be happy again. It’s also reassuring and highly beneficial when you receive support from loved ones as you face this harsh time — knowing that they’ll still be there when the sun rises for you once again.
Kahit lumulubog
Kahit natatakot
Hindi malulunod
Sa ilalim ng alon
Kaya dito muna tayo
Sa ilalim ng alon
Hanggang kaya na nating
Umahon
“The song focuses on mental health and managing depression. It reassures those who are struggling that they are not alone and highlights alternative ways to cope — beyond forcing positivity or fighting against their feelings,” the team concluded.
Molding a new generation of musicians
Thanks to the popularity of their unique songs, FlipMusic unintentionally yet successfully ushered in a new era in the music industry. The trio’s goal of revamping OPM and opening up other possibilities in music was an insurmountable accomplishment, urging artists to explore new sounds and broaden their range.
“I think some of the younger producers now and some of the newer labels have given us a nod. They’re casually telling us, ‘Thank you for paving the way for the new sound,’ or introducing what can be, or what possibilities are out there. I think in some way and form we have contributed to that,” Jeli divulged.
Jumbo and Jeli shared that their incredible know-how and ability to take on anything with bravery was all born from their years of turbulence — or what they like to call, “trial by fire.”
“I think those ‘trial by fire’ years that we had really helped a lot,” Jumbo led off. He believes that the fruits of their years of labor are evident in the skills and flexibility they picked up along the way. He shared that he and Nica did pop songs that were, in his own words, “cringy.” There were even times where Nica was rapping, and it got her questioning why she was doing it in the first place. But because they learned how to make variations of songs and put themselves in positions to blossom under pressure, they’ve now developed the knack for making pop songs that appeal to all audiences. “I think that’s the formula that really worked for us. You have to do the crazy stuff to know how to do the non-crazy thing,” shared Jumbo.
What’s next for FlipMusic
Talking to the powerhouse of FlipMusic seemed to only be like a cozy afternoon, chatting with friends. It was as if we were just catching up with what happened in our life so far, and what we’re looking forward to next. If it weren’t for our professional screen names on Zoom, it never would have occurred to me that I was in the presence of modern day musical geniuses. To hear the passion quaking in their voices, to recognize the modesty still in their thoughtful answers, and to see that spark of ambitious fire blazing in their aura — the time I spent with them is a memory that I would recall clearly when the label finally realizes and materializes its goals.
“We want to strengthen our artists roster and become a major player in the label category,” Jeli confidently shared. “We want to continuously improve and create more music with our own artists, along with other artists as well.”
For 2025 particularly, the team shared that they look forward to broadening their scope beyond label work, and diving into partnerships with advertising agencies, corporate brands, and local and international SML businesses. In addition to having a strong foundation in creating music for artists, FlipMusic’s in-house producers and their own artists themselves bring a fresh perspective that can be applied to branded jingles and content. This unique adaptability gives them the edge to merge artistry with commercial needs, delivering personalized audio solutions that can stand out in any industry and put FlipMusic in the corporate radar as well.
They are also looking into entering the gaming industry, which will surely set FlipMusic a bar higher than other production companies. “Our goal is to be approachable and accessible to anyone in need of sound solutions, offering creativity and expertise across various fields, not just for artists,” Jeli expounded.
With BINI’s music produced by the team being streamed worldwide, and their own artists charting on streaming platforms, FlipMusic now has a bigger playing field and the unique window to explore genres from all over the globe. “What drives us each day is the opportunity to extend our reach beyond the confines of geography and demography,” shared the team. “Our ongoing international cross-country collaborations not only challenge us to grow, but also enable us to contribute to making local intellectual property more globally competitive and valuable.”
As their team continues to grow, so do Jeli and Jumbo’s passion and sincerity to strengthen their pool of composers, artists, and producers by practicing the things that they themselves have learned firsthand about what it means to protect one’s intellectual properties and rights — albeit knowing the challenges that lie ahead.
Jeli emphasized that our own music industry is in the perfect position to adopt global practices, owing to our vast musical taste and exposure to other cultures. This can come especially handy in learning how deals are structured internationally so that our own musicians and labels can achieve a truly world-class standard. This will also help artists understand and adapt to creative and collaborative deals where everybody wins. “It’s an uphill battle for those of us who have embraced and integrated international systems into our work,” she added. “Change is rarely welcomed, particularly by those who have been entrenched in traditional methods. There’s often doubt in what we advocate for, with many insisting on reverting to ‘how things have been done for the past century.’ But that’s precisely why we push for progress.”
She went on to highlight her belief in our own local artists, and their talents and capabilities to be on par with those in the leading global markets. Still, she noted that in order to compete on that level, it’s important to be proactive and flexible, especially with how music has evolved from analog to digital consumption. Her goal and aspiration, after all, is for Philippine talent to embrace innovation and put the country on the worldwide spotlight.
“Hopefully, we pave the way to a better understanding of the music industry on how this line of work can be a career, not just a one-off thing. At the very least, it can be a supplementary [source of] income for years to come because it’s a copyright ownership, and not many people are aware of this because some just sell their music for peanuts. So we’re very passionate about that too,” Jeli expressed.
“In this industry, it’s best to introduce to aspiring songwriters and producers how we [at FlipMusic] practice to make the industry bond,” Bojam added.
With hit songs like “Salamin, Salamin” and “Pantropiko” by BINI making wave after wave on mainstream media and TikTok, musical superstars such as Sarah Geronimo evolving in their musical craft, and blockbuster OSTs making as much of an impact as the movies themselves, FlipMusic has forever changed the music industry and has catapulted local artists and homegrown skills to compete on a global scale. Jeli’s determination, Jumbo’s passion, and Nica’s fresh perspective all come together as a dynamic trio that will shake, if not completely obliterate the old ways of the music industry, and build a new, more powerful establishment out of the rubble — one where artists, producers, composers, and all musical talents can thrive in their skills and in their career, be safe in the hands of experts, and above all, enjoy their craft.
To learn more about FlipMusic, check out flipmusicph.com or follow the label on Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, TikTok, and YouTube. Pre-save “Sa Ilalim Ng Alon” here: https://ingrv.es/sa-ilalim-ng-alon-ue2-r
The post The maker of hitmakers: FlipMusic on how they produce then and today’s trending tracks and musical hits appeared first on adobo Magazine Online.