After an unprecedented pause prompted by the pandemic, live events are finally back and in full swing. And the recently concluded Wish Music Awards (WMAs) is one of the biggest to open the brand new year.

 

On January 22, 2023, Sunday, Wish 107.5 held the eighth edition of the WMAs at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.

 

Apart from showcasing the best artists, songs, and Wishclusives of the past year, the awards night celebrated the return of live music. Thousands of attendees who filled the venue to the brim saw stellar performances from Moira, Ben&Ben, Zack Tabudlo, Flow G, and more. It was a night of feels as people poured out their emotions not just on the performances, but on the acceptance speeches and spiels as well.

 

Asia’s Songbird Regine Velasquez-Alcasid, who was awarded the KDR Icon of Musical Excellence trophy for her significant contributions to the OPM industry, was one of the notable acts in attendance.

 

“Maraming maraming salamat po sa karangalang ito. Nagpapasalamat ako sa Panginoon for giving me this wonderful talent,” she said in her speech. For the younger generation of Filipino artists, she has this as her words of advice: “Keep creating music. Kayo ang future ng OPM.”

 

 

 

The show was hosted by Gretchen Ho and Christian Bautista, and directed by Paolo Valenciano.

 

8th Wish Music Awards winners. Taking home the most number of awards is P-pop outfit SB19 who won in three major categories, including Group of the Year. It also marked the fourth time that the “Bazinga” act clinched the special Wishers’ Choice award, which is given to the nominee who garnered the highest number of public votes across all categories.

 

SB19 member and R&B-hip-hop soloist FELIP was named Breakthrough Artist of the Year.

 

 

 

Wishclusive Hip-hop Performance of the Year

• WINNER: Flow G – “Praning” (Beneficiary: Adarna Group Foundation, INC.)
• Gloc-9 – “Pilak”
• JMARA – “Mahal Kong Pilipinas”
• JRLDM – “Para Sa Sarili”

Wishclusive Contemporary Folk Performance of the Year

• WINNER: Adie – “Tahanan” (Beneficiary: Resources For The Blind, INC.)
• Clara Benin – “blink”
• Munimuni – “Bukas Makalawa”
• syd hartha – “kung nag-aatubili”

Wishclusive Contemporary R&B Performance of the Year

• Karylle – “Fine”
• WINNER: Leanne & Naara – “Anticipation” (Beneficiary: Autism Society Philippines)
• Lola Amour – “Fallen”
• Paolo Sandejas – “Dad Jeans”

Wishclusive Collaboration of the Year

• WINNER: JRLDM feat. Gloc-9 – “Lagi Na Lang” (Beneficiaries: Make-A-Wish Foundation and Philippine Cancer Society)
• Lola Amour and Al James – “Madali”
• Loonie feat. JROA – “Eskapo”
• Nik Makino feat. Flow G – “Moon”

Wish Pop Song of the Year

• “BANG” – G22
• “Golden Arrow” – BINI
• “Tumitigil Ang Mundo” – BGYO
• WINNER: “WYAT (Where You At)” – SB19 (Beneficiary: Autism Society Philippines)

Wish Ballad Song of the Year

• “Huling Mensahe” – Bandang Lapis
• WINNER: “Kumpas” – Moira Dela Torre (Beneficiary: Virlanie Foundation Inc.)
• “Laro” – Janine Teñoso
• “The Ones We Once Loved” – Ben&Ben

 

Wish R&B Song of the Year

• “Bitaw” – Daryl Ong
• WINNER: “Hello 2.0 (Legends Only)” – James Reid (Beneficiary: A Home For The Angels Crisis Home For Abandoned Babies Foundation, INC.)
• “Huling Gabi” – Quest
• “NVMD” – Denise Julia

Wish Rock/Alternative Song of the Year

• WINNER: “Asan Ka Na Ba” – Zack Tabudlo (Beneficiary: ChildHope Philippines)
• “Isang Anghel” – Zild
• “Liwanag” – The Juans
• “NARARARARAMDAMAN” – BLASTER

 

Wish Hip-hop Song of the Year

• WINNER: “Kagome” – Lo Ki (Beneficiary: ChildHope Philippines)
• “Manila” – Young Cocoa
• “PSG” – Al James
• “Re-up” – Ez Mil

Wish Contemporary Folk Song of the Year

• “Affable Dork” – Clara Benin
• “Kunwari” – juan karlos
• “LANGGA” – Wilbert Ross
• WINNER: “Paninindigan Kita” – Ben&Ben (Beneficiary: Virlanie Foundation Inc.)

 

Wish Contemporary R&B Song of the Year

• “ENOUGH” – of Mercury
• “Kaya” – Paul Pablo
• WINNER: “Pagsamo” – Arthur Nery (Beneficiary: Operation Smile Philippines Foundation, INC.)
• “Reality Checklist” – Unique Salonga

Wish Song Collaboration of the Year

• “Iba” – Zack Tabudlo and Moira Dela Torre
• “Kamusta” – Shanti Dope feat. Flow G
• WINNER: “Mahika” – Adie and Janine Berdin (Beneficiaries: Resources For The Blind, INC. and Philippine Cancer Society)
• “Pancit” – juan karlos feat. Janine Berdin

Wish Breakthrough Artist of the Year

• ena mori
• WINNER: FELIP (Beneficiary: A Home For The Angels Crisis Home For Abandoned Babies Foundation, INC.)
• JRLDM

Wish Group of the Year

• Ben&Ben
• Lola Amour
• WINNER: SB19 (Beneficiary: Autism Society Philippines)

Wish Artist of the Year

• Flow G
• WINNER: Moira Dela Torre (Beneficiary: Virlanie Foundation Inc.)
• Zack Tabudlo

Special Awards

Wishers’ Choice: SB19

KDR Icon of Music and Philanthropy: Andrea O. Veneracion (AOV) Sing Philippines Foundation

KDR Icon of Musical Excellence: Regine Velasquez-Alcasid

 

Wishclusive Elite Circle

Bronze Wishclusive Elite Circle (10 million views)

• Arthur Nery and Janine Teñoso – “Pelikula”
• Bandang Lapis – “Nang Dumating Ka”
• Flow G – “Praning”
• Maymay Entrata – “Amakabogera”
• Nik Makino feat. Flow G – “Moon”
• Zildjian – “Ligaw Tingin”

 

Silver Wishclusive Elite Circle (25 million views)

• Arnel Pineda and Morissette – “I Finally Found Someone”
• CLR – “Bat Ngayon (Part 1)”
• Ex Battalion – “Hayaan Mo Sila”
• Nik Makino feat. Flow G – “Moon”
• Skusta Clee – “Umaasa”

Gold Wishclusive Elite Circle (50 million views)

• Magnus Haven – “Imahe”
• MC Einstein feat. Flow G, Yuri Dope, and Jekkpot – “Titig”
• Michael Pangilinan – “Rainbow”
• Pricetagg feat. Gloc-9 and JP Bacallan – “Pahina”
• Nik Makino feat. Flow G – “Moon”

Platinum Wishclusive Elite Circle (75 million views)

• Bandang Lapis – “Kabilang Buhay”
• KZ Tandingan – “Two Less Lonely People In The World”
• Pricetagg feat. CLR – “Kontrabida”
• Sue Ramirez – “Your Love”

Diamond Wishclusive Elite Circle (100 million views)

• Curse One, Dello, Flict-G, and Smugglaz – “Nakakamiss”
• Gloc-9 feat. Flow G – “Halik”

Performances

Breakout hip-hop acts Flow G and Nik Makino opened the night wearing space jumpsuits performing their smash hit, “Moon.” The two artists would later return for their own numbers. Nik proved that he could croon with “Kay Ganda” (performed with DJ Phat), while Flow G brought out rap icon Gloc-9 for a fiery live-band version of their hard-hitting breakup track, “Ibong Adarna.”