Indeed, judging for the 18th Awit Awards—the longest running local award-giving body that honors the best musical talents—required extra care. Not only was 2004 a banner year for Original Pilipino Music (OPM) in terms of sales, hit songs and rising stars, but it was one marked by a heightened prolificacy and superb technicality in crossgenres of pop, R&B, dance, novelty, rock, and rap.
Even though the layman only appreciates winners, the two screening processes arriving to these are ponderous, if not trying, affairs.
Six months prior to the awarding ceremonies, Awit organizer Philippine Association of the Recording Industry (PARI) held an elimination round of screening. Here, all entries were scored according to committee rating requirements. No song got passed up, even the ones that never got released as singles. The PARI committee also didn’t care if your work sold just five albums or five hundred thousand. If you’re good, you were considered.
And if you’re one of the five best, then take a bow—and welcome to the finals!
The last screening, of course, yields the best of the best. There are 30 categories to be won in this year’s Awit. An average of eight judges are assigned to work on each category, thus reducing probability of biases.
So if you think the journalist in the over washed black shirt, leather jacket and torn jeans gave "Noypi" an instant 100 without even listening to "Rainbow," then do not fret. The hot DJ in Jimmy Choo and Versace is bound to equal that out by giving South Border or Kyla the highest ranking.
By the way, a judge does not automatically sit on all the categories. Each is assigned according to deemed specialization based on his background. Few television entertainment personalities decide on which work gets the Best Engineered trophy, for example, in as much as the blind composer has no say on the Best Music Video.
And dig this: Nominees in designrelated categories are screened in state-of-the-art high standard digital theatres, with upscale speakers no less. This way, no nominee blames a tenyear-old TV or component for technical sabotage.
It was in the last screening process held at the Galleria Suites that we were invited to. Strict protocol was observed—from the sending out of invitations (text messaging or phone calls were not enough as RSVP; one must sign a formal invite then fax it back to PARI) up to the time we walked out of the plush hotel function room (no discussion on choices; certainly no lobbying).
If the screening process was credible, then the ambience was equally conducive. With the view of Manila below, refreshments within reach and in the company of distinguished gentlemen (Vehnee Saturno was just five paces away even as Moy Ortiz of the CompanY was chatting it up with singer Divo), we were ready to rock.
Slipping on the digital headset that boasted of stereo sound, and clicking on the various images in the uploaded computer that opened to information on songs, literature, production, recording information and even videos, we listened, saw, felt and analyzed the genius of today’s Filipino musical prodigies.
Of course, our choices were guided by criteria set by PARI like technical excellence, over-all impact, musicality and all that. But we, too, had our personal standards: What message will a finalist send if we let it win? Will it encourage art over profit or vice-versa? How will the defeat of one song crush blooming radicalism? And if we are familiar with the works of the artist, how does it measure with his past efforts?
Fortunately, technology and time was on our side. Judges work independently and according to his pace as computers (powered by Microsoft and Mozcom) allow them to review and gauge nominees against each other again and again. A scoring module awaits the figures, and instantly tabulates the scores that are then authenticated by official auditors Joaquin Cunanan & Co. It’s only they, God and, possibly, Bill Gates, who know the results until announcement time.
Despite these amenities, it took us about four hours to cast our votes in the following categories: Best Performance by a Female Recording Artist, Best Performance by a Male Recording Artist, Best Performance by a Duet, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Ballad, Best Rock, Best Novelty, Best Dance, Best Jazz Recoding, Best R&B, Best Song Written for Movie/TV/Stage Play, etc.
Last May 17, winners of some of the award categories were already declared. These were "Rainbow" for Best Inspirational Song; "Kapuso Sa Pasko," Best Christmas Song; "Usahay" by South Border, Best Regional Song; Ryab Cayabyab for Best Musical Arrangement; Jay Durias, Best Vocal Arrangement and Best Engineered Recording; "Novena" by Slapshock, Best Album Package; Ryan Cayabyab and the San Miguel Orchestra, People’s Choice Favorite Artist; "Noypi" by Bamboo, People’s Choice Favorite Song; and Rey Valera, Dangal Ng Musikang Pilipino.
The rest of the winners will be unveiled during the 18th Awit Awards night on May 26 at the AFP Theatre in Quezon City.
