From Indie Artists to Ind-E Celebrities

Indie artists used to find it difficult to find venues to express their art, let alone sustain it. Now, with the internet, budding artists can easily find a venue (YouTube, Facebook, or Blogs). Even better, celebrity status can be achieved. Celebrity status can either confined to the world wide web, or it can rocket an artist to instant stardom outside of the internet - in Hollywood, for instance.

There are at least two notable Filipino artists who have become Ind-E Celebrities. One of them is (no need for drumrolls here) Charice Pempengco. The other, who didn't quite make it big time outside of YouTube is Moymoy Palaboy.

1) Charice Pempengco

We all know her. Not quite a feature writer myself, I'd rather quote a write-up about her from the Celebrity VIP lounge:

"Charice Pempengco rose to superstardom after being discovered on YouTube, a social networking site that has found many young talents and basically turned them into overnight celebrities. But it was not Charice who was promoting herself via YouTube. It was a fan of the young songstress that posted several videos of Charice that prompted her discovery. And since her Youtube debut, she not only secured a strong fan base, but she has the backing of the Queen of Talk Oprah Winfrey, who dubbed her the most talented girl in the world.

And now after several big time television appearances and amazing collaborations, Charice has an album of her own that is currently sitting at number eight on the Billboard 200 charts! "

She's now on Glee, a top-rated TV musical series. And darn it, she's looking good!!!

She almost looks like a real hottie here.... I wonder.

2) Moymoy Palaboy

Who is Moymoy palaboy? Or maybe the question should be who are they?

According to wikipedia:

Moymoy Palaboy is a Filipino comic and singing duo known for their uploaded lip sync videos in YouTube. The duo consists of the Obeso brothers, James Ronald (a.k.a. Moymoy, born on July 17, 1983) and Rodfil (a.k.a. Roadfill, born on August 28, 1985).

The brothers started to upload their lip synch videos via YouTube in 2007. In 2008, their videos and their YouTube profile garnered over 5 million hits and they have more than 130,000 subscribers from all over the world. Many gave positive remarks for the duo's uploaded videos.Most of their videos were shot at home, as seen in the background, where their aunt Mama Auntie also appears. They use their laptop and cellphone cameras to shoot the videos. Aside from their aunt, other guests who appeared in their videos include their friends and Philippine TV celebrities. Among their most popular YouTube videos are Wanna Be (by Spice Girls) and MariMar (by Thalia).

They are now GMA Network contract artists.

Take note of Moymoy's shirt, which says "A World Without Strangers"

I can't help it. I have to post one of their videos here:



A list of other YouTube personalities are available at wikipedia.

Without the internet, Charice Pempengco would still be joining singing contests to this day. She has, after all, won already in Little Big Star 2005, and that didn't do anything for her singing career.

On the other hand, Moymoy and Rodfil would probably working regular 9-5 jobs, if they're lucky.

The wonders of the internet.

We really should try to take advantage of it!




Salma F. Angkaya
Entry #15