MANILA - When singer-activist Susan Fernandez was still very much alive, songstress of indigenous music Bayang Barrios was already running around with her, keeping track, and even joining her in her shows.

Long before she was on her own, Barrios was a big fan of Fernandez.

Barrios said she cried when she learned that her idol died after her long fight with ovarian cancer. Barrios dedicated her songs to Fernandez.

Surely, they’re two of our most talented Filipino singers, albeit distinct musical genres.

While Fernandez was the balladeer, mostly a traditional folk musician, Barrios is the alternative, fusing tribal and the citified voices.

Biyaya

In her 2008 “Biyaya” album, meanwhile, Barrios demonstrates a very biting yet caressing waves of her rhythm.

“Lukso, Sigaw, Bitaw” is a reggae-like, encouraging tone of assertion, speaking up and releasing tension to achieve peace and prosperity especially among the youth. It’s just like a rallying point to a certain goal—freedom—with all the muse’s disciples singing after her.

The use of musical instruments like the kulintang and gong enhances the essence of the song.

The Visayan “Dali na Day, Dali na Bay” is also a fast and enlightening piece despite its language but its universal meaning captivates even the non-Visayan speaking because it titillates and pushes one to action.

Philosophical is “Nangangalahati” yet its music is high spirited even danceable that even the simple folk, the mass listening crowd will fully understand. Likewise, “Ang Susi ng Puso,” a not so lachrymal musing about openness and intricateness of relationships, employs symbolisms like locks and keys to crystallize sincerity in love.

“Salamat Bai” is a simple acknowledgement, in an upbeat, of one’s affection and the things that go with it like respect, equal love and eternal union.

Classical Visayan song “Dahong Laya” is a soothing music that thrives on national ears because of its patriotic fervor.

“Mayumi” is a lullaby as clear as the mom singing to her daughter to sleep. It is bare of any musical accompaniment and a cappella rendition brings out the ultimate orchestration of any ensemble in full regalia combined.

Advocacy song “Paglaki Ko Inay” is another reggae-type dressing which gets through the meaning of the song immediately without Barrios really trying.

“Panandalian” is a reflection of its musician and lyricist Sammy Asuncion’s stylistics, which catapults him to a world-wide acceptance of Filipino music with European influence.

Interestingly, Barrios has an original song “Nais Ko,” which is entirely different from Fernandez’s “Nais Ko.”  Both songs are ideational, bordering on the personal and the societal and balance the melodies and lyrics of its respective compositions.

“Kung di rin lang ikaw” and “Palasyo ng Pag-ibig” speak of the usual sentimental residue of romantic love but hers is a deeper, more inquisitive and exploring ideas of mushy love song.

“Biyaya,” of course, is a full massive presentation of her musical theories of indigenous influences and its many forms.

Her signature song, “Bagong Umaga,” summarizes Barrios various peripheral adventures in the thick of things of the music scene but she still emerges her own.

The only problem is how to cultivate a larger chunk of audience to her music when the prevalence of emotionalism is still the rule of the game.