A celebration, tribute, and a revolution of Filipino music—all at once.
From legendary OPM artists to fan-favorite P-pop idols, fans just witnessed the loudest, sweetest, and craziest stage of Filipino music during the Wonderful Moments Music Festival at SMDC Festival Grounds, last February 7 and 8.
With every beat, every lyric, and every note, thousands of music lovers were united with one voice—leaving everyone an unforgettable experience. And just like how the sun shone during the festival days, the lineup was also sizzling hot.
An opener like no other
Earl Agustin opened the Music Festival like a true serenader, setting the mood as if he was personally singing to each member of the crowd. His heartfelt songs immediately created a warm and romantic atmosphere with “Dito Sa’kin,” “Aya,” “Ikaw ang Panalangin,” and the Tiktok sensation, “Tibok.”
Denise Julia didn’t waste the hype as she spiced up the stage with her smoky eyeshadow, faux fur hoodie, and knee-high boots. She didn’t just come to perform, she was there to slay. And just like a true girlboss, she even invited a fan on stage, and sang to him like the luckiest guy on earth. Later, the singer songwriter baddie shared that some of her songs were written during her “situationship” era, which the crowd evidently related to.
With “Ikaw Lang Patutunguhan,” “Nahanap Kita,” and “Sa Bawat Saglit,” Amiel Sol brought a calm and comforting embrace to the crowd. The indie singer later delivered a heartfelt performance of Sugarfree’s iconic song, “Burnout,” sparking emotional and hopeful reactions from the audience. “Para sa mga matagal nang nagmamahal,” he said.
The cheers went wilder as the Filipino pride boy group, Alamat entered the stage. Delivering an energetic performance of the crowd favorite “Marahani,” their stage presence and charismatic choreography ignited strong excitement to the festival.
The energy kept on going as the drag queen, singer, and activist, Maxie Andreison, owned the stage with overflowing confidence and charisma. After a liberating performance of “Akap” and her vocal powerhouse display with Rihanna’s “Umbrella,” she definitely did not leave any crumbs. She humorously added, “Sa dami ng nag-perform, ako lang ang bakla dito,” which earned cheers and strong support from the audience, proudly representing and uplifting the LGBTQ+ community through her performances.
Vocal powerhouses all at once
With a slow tempo, calming vibe, and soothing vocals, Adie jumped onto the stage and immediately captivated the crowd. Performing his hit tracks, “Tahanan,” “Kay Tagal Kitang Hinintay,” “Paraluman,” “Giliw,” and “Mahika,” his set felt like a dream where one would wish to never wake up from. He even roamed around the VIP section, giving fans a closer interaction—an experience that’s truly emotional, magical, and special.
Introduced as Asia’s Popstar, Sarah Geronimo delivered one of the most awaited performances of the night. Singing and dancing flawlessly at the same time, she proved why she remains as one of OPM’s pride. Fans kept saying “Walang kupas” as they sang along to her hit songs, “Umaaligid,” and “Kilometro.”
Gloc-9 soon followed, and became one of the biggest highlights of the night. The crowd jammed along to his songs, fully energized by his powerful rap delivery. Podcast hosts DJ Slick Rick, Tony Toni, and Sam YG even mentioned that his set was shortened from supposedly an hour to 30 minutes because of its high intensity and fast flow. Call him the “king” or “prince of rap,” but one thing for sure—he is a legend.
Defined as one of the leading Gen Z voices in OPM, Dionela closed the first night with heartfelt performances and smooth wordplays. Later, he shared a sweet and inspiring story of his proposal to his now fiancée—melting everyone’s heart with their wholesome relationship. The R&B artists also expressed his deepest gratitude for the fans who continue to support him, reflecting on their milestones together; from performing in front of a small audience to headlining one of the biggest crowds. The fireworks display during his closing performance served as the perfect embodiment of Day 1’s unforgettable experience, as well as OPM’s bright and exciting future ahead.
Falling in love again
Mika Salamanca welcomed everyone for the Wonderful Moments Music Festival Day 2 with her latest guilty pleasure anthem, “Kasalanan.” Later, the fans’ cheers turned into swoons as her PBB Collab co-Big Winner, Brent Manalo joined her on stage for a sweet performance of their original song, “What If Tayo?”
Over October sent the stage in a whirlwind of emotions with their soul-grabbing instrumentals and heart-piercing vocals by the band’s frontman, Josh Buizon. Performing their hit songs, “Dahan,” “123,” “Kaakit-akit,” “Ating Dalawa,” and “Bitin,” the crowd’s energy roared louder than the speakers. And to top it off, the indie-pop band performed the crowd-favorite, “Ikot,” which had everyone singing along.
Soulful, deep, and pure R&B, Arthur Nery followed with an addictive set of songs—giving the audience a rush of goosebumps all throughout his performances. He performed his hit songs, “Higa,” “‘Di Nakakasawa,” “Pagsamo,” “Take All the Love,” and “Isa Lang.” The singer-songwriter even went down the stage to share a closer, more intimate experience with the crowd.
Time travelling with the legends
Parokya ni Edgar brought the energy through the roofs with their nostalgic performances and hilarious banters. The OPM band literally revived old-school kilig and laughters with fresh renditions of hit songs like “Para Sa’yo,” “Buloy,” “This Guy’s In Love With You, Pare,” “Gitara,” “Harana,” “Your Song,” and “Halaga.”
Frontman Chito Miranda revealed that they actually started early, giving them and the audience way too much time to have fun. So, aside from celebrating his birthday—which was yesterday, February 7th—onstage, they played an endless set of songs, inviting everyone to sing-along. From Moonstar88’s iconic piece, “Torete,” to South Border’s “Kahit Kailan,” and Jimmy Bondoc’s “Let Me Be The One.”
He also shared his excitement for this festival, considering that the band had already shared a stage with everyone in the lineup except for BINI. “Hindi ako makatulog kagabi,” he said, while enumerating the members of the nation’s girl group—like a proud tito.
But the fun didn’t end there, because Chito just invited a lovely girl on stage for a duet of “Pangarap Lang Kita.” Her voice was perfect, as if she was born exactly for that moment. Later, two lucky attendees got invited on stage to rap as Francis M and Gloc-9 for the crowd favorite rap song, “Bagsakan.”
The legendary rock band Kamikazee (KMKZ) made the crowd go crazy with their hit songs, “Doo Bi Doo,” “Unang Tikim,” “Halik,” “Chiksilog,” “Martyr Nyebera,” “Seksi! Seksi,” “Ambisosyo,” and “Tagpuan.” Letting the audience have some real fun, everyone howled and moaned on the band’s frontman, Jay Contreras’ command. Highlighting the power of music, the band also performed peak nostalgic anthems, “Huling Sayaw” and “Narda,” bringing us in a real-life time machine ride.
OPM rock cornerstone and Rivermaya frontman, Bamboo literally set the stage on fire with his powerful performances of “Hallelujah” and “Tatsulok.” Reminding the audience that music is politics, he even went down the stage, giving fans a closer, bolder performance of “Noypi,” igniting patriotism throughout the grounds. He also awakened our Rivermaya fangirl souls with “Himala,” “Elesi,” and “Hinahanap-hanap Kita.”
A finale we don’t want to end
As the night went deeper, the P-pop girl group BINI entered the stage like twinkling stars. Despite the clock striking at 10 o’clock, fans were wide awake, dancing and singing along hit tracks such as “Lagi,” “Feel Good,” and “Bikini.” After an emotional rendition of “Infinity,” Aiah had to excuse herself. But that didn’t stop the Nation’s Girl Group in delivering an extra vibrant performance of their fan favorites, “Salamin Salamin,” and “Pantropiko.” Besides, just like what Jhoanna said, there’s no slowing down because Coachella’s already waving two months from now.
As an OPM-pop boy band, I can see why Cup of Joe is the festival’s headliner. Aside from their big sold out tours all over the world, their ability to mix OPM’s nostalgic vibes with P-pop’s fresh sounds is the whole definition of this year’s Wonderful Moments Music Festival. And just like how grateful the fans feel in seeing and hearing them live, the band also thanked the fans who continue to support them in every step of the way.
Performing hit songs like “Sandali,” “Pahina,” “Misteryoso,” “Mananatili,” and “Tingin,” lead vocalists Gian Bernardino and Raphael Ridao made the experience extra special by roaming around every corner of the audience arena. And with their soulful performance of the ultimate heartbreak anthem, “Multo,” fireworks shot through the sky.
More than a finale, this stage marks another milestone in the Filipino music history where two distinct yet related genres—OPM and P-pop—joined forces in creating a moment filled with nostalgia, excitement, hope, and unity. Truly, a wonderful moment at its finest.
The Wonderful Moments Music Festival is presented by iMe Philippines and Myriad Entertainment, with Alden Richards as its Creative Head.
Words by Ghilieah Valeska Tabbada and Sophia Lorraine Saligumba