CinemaBravo

Melladys—composed of siblings Ynocencio Ramel, Gabriel Thaib, Lolita Shaira, and Ephraim Tahir—gathered on June 18 in Pasig City for the official launch of their debut album, Mga Awit sa J.P. Rizal.

Bringing together sincerity and nostalgia, the album blends the soulful essence of 1970s Filipino folk with a contemporary twist. As explained during the event, the musical direction of the album was inspired by a desire to revisit the spirit of the ’70s through modern sensibilities.

When asked by CinemaBravo at the launch about how they would describe their album’s sound and spirit, they said, “The sound of our album is meant to be ’70s Filipino folk music. I guess to address to the times, our executive producer here in Manila and our producer and arranger, Johnny Alegre—basically, it’s called alternative folk music. Since it’s OPM, what we wanted to do was to express ’70s spirit in a modern fashion. So if I were to describe our music, it would be exactly that.”

The heartfelt tracks of Mga Awit sa J.P. Rizal aim to resonate with audiences through their simplicity and honesty—qualities that Melladys believe define their original Filipino compositions. Behind these songs is a unique family dynamic, with the group being comprised of siblings who co-wrote and performed the material.

Spearheading the production is none other than Filipino jazz icon Johnny Alegre. Widely regarded as a trailblazer in the local jazz scene and known for his work as a bandleader, Alegre saw the raw sincerity in Melladys’ songwriting. He took on the project with the vision of crafting an album that would remain true to its emotional core while elevating its sound through expert musicianship.

To bring this vision to life, Alegre enlisted some of the Philippines’ most respected artists to collaborate on the record. Among those featured are Medwin Marfil of Truefaith, Jazz Nicolas and Mikey Amistoso of The Itchyworms, Noel Mendez, Joey Puyat (Blue Rats, Kiss the Bride), Rommel dela Cruz (formerly of Barbie’s Cradle and Freestyle), Paolo Manuel (Kosmikskala, The Jerks), and Kakoi Legaspi (Dong Abay Music Organization, Rivermaya). Alegre himself also performs on the album.

Also contributing her talents as arranger is Ria Villena-Osorio, formerly of Bamboo, rounding out a powerhouse creative team that elevates the intimate songwriting of Melladys into a richly textured album experience.

Melladys is a wordplay on “Mella,” the surname of five siblings — Alejandro Khasim, Ynocencio Ramel, Gabriel Thaib, Lolita Shaira, and Ephraim Tahir. In the 1970s, the Mella siblings, then teenagers, formed a group called Tanglaw, playing songs on guitar and piano while living in Rizal Village, Makati, near J.P. Rizal Street — the inspiration behind the album’s title.

Khasim, the eldest, passed away in 1984 — a loss that left a lasting mark on the family and their music. Today, Thaib, Shaira, and Tahir are based in the United States with their families, while Ramel lives in Manila and oversees the family’s properties in Sorsogon. Despite time and distance, they never let go of their youthful dream of one day recording their original songs.

That dream began to take shape when Ramel reconnected with Johnny Alegre, a former officemate from Ayala Corp. “I started work on one song, which was a lot of fun, and then the next,” Johnny recalls. “Before we knew it, an album’s worth of really good OPM was made.”

Looking at the lyrics and structure of the songs, Johnny says they reminded him of a generation that made music for the joy of it, free of rules or formulas. “They tell the story of an extended family of young friends who gathered after school to create songs without contrived emotion,” he says. “In many ways, they reflected my own experiences as a budding songwriter, as many of us were from my generation, when we just made things up as we went along, and there were no rules.”

On his choice of musicians to record the album with The Melladys, Johnny says: “I felt the songs deserved the best possible creative minds. Jazz Nicolas, Ria Villena-Osorio, Noel Mendez and the rest are topnotch. I had them involved the same way I would have the best people for my own original work.”

The album’s love songs and life reflections come in many forms. “Ikaw, Ako” (with Marga Jayy and Mark Laygo on vocals) explores a couple’s devotion, while “Bituin” (sung by Tahir Mella) describes a romantic prospect as an unreachable star. “Kailangan Ka” (by Medwin Marfil) offers hope amid despair, and “Ito’y Para Sa Iyo” (sung by Mikey Amistoso) draws inspiration from nature. “Dambana” (by Carla Guevarra and David Ezra) expresses faith and commitment, while “Pangarap” (by Medwin Marfil) reflects on overcoming challenges. “Gintong Panaginip” (by Tahir Mella) captures the spirit of daydreaming.

Though folk-inspired at its core, Mga Awit sa J.P. Rizal is rich in variety — from upbeat pop and soft rock to bossa nova, kundiman, and contemplative ballads. “I would best describe the album as classic OPM,” says Johnny.

Indeed, it’s OPM with a timeless appeal.

Mga Awit sa J.P. Rizal is now available as a vinyl release exclusively at Backspacer Records. A perfect listen for lovers of OPM, vinyl enthusiasts, and audiophiles who appreciate the warmth and richness of sound, this collection celebrates memory, heritage, and heartfelt songwriting — a timeless addition to Original Pilipino Music.