OPM x Metaverse? Pinoy Band Moonstar88 Releases “Lourdes 2088” Album with NFTs

Editing by Nathaniel Cajuday

• In partnership with web3 agency GIGIL Metama, Filipino rock band Moonstart88 has released its first album in ten years named Lourdes 2088.
• The album, which has 10 songs, has integrated NFTs on it. And the NFT integrated into each song alludes to a certain invention that helps people through emotional breakdowns brought about by heartbreak: the PusoCal (BreakUp Scheduler), ReEMO (Emotional Baggage Recycle Bin and Editor), Freezer (Cryogenic Emotional Stasis Headwear), and more.
• To access the album’s NFTs, collectors must have the special edition purple-colored vinyl, which costs ₱2,100. A limited future edition of the album, which is sold for ₱3,000, will also be released sooner. 
• Moonstar88 has also promised that vinyl owners will have access to exclusive Web3 experiences, band content, and perks.

A decade since their last album release, popular pop-alternative band Moonstar88 dropped its first album in ten years, “Lourdes 2088,” last Friday, January 27, with a literally “technological twist” as the album featured the metaverse as well as integrated non-fungible tokens (NFT).

In a statement, the band highlighted that “Lourdes 2088” is the “first mixed reality album that provides the hybrid experience of music and today’s technology,” as it “plays with the idea of a dystopian future (2088) where inventions go beyond the realm of science—even heartaches have a solution in order for people to adapt.”

“As a band, as much as we’re passionate about music, we’ve always been agile with how we can reach out to our fans and listeners… The band started from the cassette era to CD to streaming and social media and now web3 and a somewhat full circle path to physicals (vinyl and trading cards). We ourselves are ardent art and music fans, so we want to give the best experience to our fans. It’s exciting how technology makes that possible for music, plus we are so lucky to have the best producers and collaborators for Lourdes 2088,” band vocalist Maysh Baay explained.

The album will have a total of 10 songs, and each track will have its own trading card as NFT. According to the band’s media release, the tokens each allude to a certain invention that helps people through emotional breakdowns brought about by heartbreak: the PusoCal (BreakUp Scheduler), ReEMO (Emotional Baggage Recycle Bin and Editor), Freezer (Cryogenic Emotional Stasis Headwear), and more.

Nelz Yumul, the creative brain behind weewilldoodle, the Philippines’ known doodle/illustration group, is the person behind the art for the cards and the aesthetic of “Lourdes 2088.”

To access the album’s NFTs, collectors must have the special edition purple-colored vinyl, which costs ₱2,100. While a limited future edition of the album, which is sold for ₱3,000, will also be released. Finally, Moonstar88 has promised that vinyl owners will have access to exclusive Web3 experiences, band content, and perks.

The NFT integration of the band was made possible through its collaboration with web3 agency GIGIL Metama, which launched its new division last year in a bid to “help clients break into the metaverse and reach young audiences.”

“We will always embrace change just to reach the Filipino people na mahal ang music namin (that loves our music). From tapes to CDs, interactive CD, pop-up album…parang lagi natin mina-maximize anong meron than resisting it (we’re always maximizing what we can offer that resist it)… Kaya ano man ang darating na new format, it could be metaverse or actual bisita sa ibang bansa (so whatever format may occur or actually visiting a country)…ano pang means gagawin namin (whatever means there is, we’ll do it),” band guitarist Herbert Hernandez stated.  

Lourdes 2088 Tracklist:
1. Nangawit
2. Walang Katapusang Luha
3. Next Week
4. Feels So Right
5. Parola
6. Hangga’t
7. Akong Bahala
8. Forever With You
9. Simple
10. Sumaya Ka Ba Sa Akin

Moonstar88 is known for its songs like Migraine, Tadhana, Ligaw, Torete, Gilid, Itulog mo yan, Ang pag-ibig kong ito, and more. Aside from Baay and Hernandez, the two other current members of the band are Bon Sundiang (Drums) and Buddy Zabala (Bass).

Aside from Moonstar88, other Filipino musicians have already jumped on the NFT wave, even as early as 2021. 

In November 2021, media personality Nadine Lustre launched her very own audioNFT in art and music NFT marketplace, enter.audio. As of writing, her song “Wait for me” has sold 98 out of 1007 minted.

R&B singer Kris Lawrence also released an NFT single titled “Future Girl” in February 2022, with only 250 copies available in the NFT marketplace SongRise. The NFT collection allows its holders to receive 50% off on all Kris Lawrence merchandise and discounts on his future concerts.

Last October, Filipino singer and Original Pilipino Music (OPM) icon Kuh Ledesma released the NFT song “Precious” to benefit the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS). 

Although it is not specifically a music NFT, Eraserhead guitarist-turned-painter Marcus Adoro released his first-ever NFT art collection, “The Art of Marcus Adoro,” on June 23, 2022, at Punk Zappa NFT Gallery. 

In August 2022, ABS-CBN’s singing competition “Idol Philippines” launched its own collection in the NFT marketplace by Theta Network. 

This article is published on BitPinas: OPM x Metaverse? Pinoy Band Moonstar88 Releases “Lourdes 2088” Album with NFTs

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