SPOTLIGHT: Janine Berdin is the new gem of OPM

ORIGINAL Pilipino Music (OPM) has continued to capture the hearts of many Filipinos with the advent of a new batch of young OPM artists in the country. 

One of them is Janine Berdin, tagged as the new gem of OPM due to her massive impact on the local music scene. 

The singer-songwriter first appeared on TV as a child actress when she joined the fourth season of Star Circle Quest: Search for the Next Kiddie Superstars. 

She finished as the fourth female semi-finalist and later appeared in several TV series of ABS-CBN.  

However, Berdin would take a hiatus for years in the industry to focus on her academics. 

In 2018, she finally made a big career breakthrough after winning the championship title in It’s Showtime’s Tawag ng Tanghalan (TNT) Season 2, besting a hundred aspiring singers who joined the competition. 

Her winning performances on TNT led Berdin to unprecedented fame, making her the talk-of-the-town artist in the country for months. 

After her victory, she released her debut track, ‘Biyaya,’ under Star Music and later headlined a concert at Araneta Coliseum, along with her fellow TNT artists. 

In 2022, Berdin made history when her single ‘Mahika’ with Adie topped the Billboard Philippine Songs Chart. The single became the longest-charting song on the chart with 72 weeks. 

But more than just music, Berdin is also an advocate for self-empowerment. She openly talked about her nose job with optimism and pride. 

In an interview with Darla Sauler’s CATCH UP in 10 Minutes on YouTube, Berdin told the public not to condemn those who embraced changes in their physical bodies. She also encouraged people to never get afraid of changing a part of themselves, especially if it will make them happy. 

Berdin garnered several awards throughout her career, including the Awit Award for Best Performance by a Female Recording Artist (2018), Best R&B Recording (2019), and the OPM Music Video Award for Best Music Video (2020). 

She also recently snatched the title of OPM Song of the Year at the 4th VP Choice Awards for ‘Mahika.’

This article is part of the March RA Spotlight. Vote for Janine Berdin in the poll here.