MU RC hosts Cardinal Unplugged for 96th Foundation Week

Article by: Vincent Andre B. Ramirez

Photo by: Allysa Mariel J. Ortiz

As part of Mapúa University’s 96th Foundation Week, the Mapúa Radio Cardinal (RC) raised the volume up for another installment of its concert series Cardinal Unplugged last Thursday, January 28, through Facebook Live.

Out of more than a hundred demo submissions from Unplugged – RC’s weekly radio program – nine singer-songwriters stood out to perform for the virtual audience, listed in order of performance: Mapúan Idol 2017 finalist Rhys Bagang; SHS Glee Club talents Renzel Bok and Grant Suarez; Hason, who is signed under Indie Push PH; Riel Valdez; Con Orolfo; Kyla Miel Camerong, who is an artist of BlackSheep Records Manila under Viva Music Group; Theophany Dionisio; and Giancarlo Calibuso, who finished as a semifinalist in Matteo Guidicelli’s The Pop Stage last year.

Setting up the virtual stage

Around 500 participants tuned in to the previous Cardinal Unplugged in August 2018 and, according to Station Manager and Cardinal Unplugged Project Head Roye Julian Serrano, all issues from the 2018 event have been addressed and improved upon in the 2021 installment. “ [RC is] confident enough to say that this year's edition of Cardinal Unplugged will be better in terms of preparedness, concept, and execution,” he claimed in an email interview one day before the virtual concert.

The lack of access to better equipment within the University became the only restricting factor with the planning and execution of the event. Granted that every performer had the varying quality of equipment and resources, RC expanded and calibrated their timetable to ensure that all stakeholders had been considered. “It was a matter of communicating problems and offering solutions when these problems arise,” the station manager shared.

On the other hand, the fully online nature of this year’s Cardinal Unplugged bolstered the event’s accessibility to the Mapúan community, which enticed the campus radio status to continue with the event. In accordance with the organization’s dedication to serving as a platform for Mapúan talents, he added that “ [RC is] more than happy to provide a bigger platform for the artists of tomorrow.”

Resting for the next performance

The concert tallied about 4,500 views, 3,500 engagements, and reached above 11,000 users according to Facebook metrics. Numbers aside, Serrano added that the event is a success because of the warm reception given by the audience. “The performances were well received and most of the audience members were surprised about the number of undiscovered talents we have at the university,” he elaborated.

“If more than anything, by achieving our goal in becoming a platform for our homegrown talent, that alone already dictated the success of Cardinal Unplugged,” Serrano emphasized.

The project head also encouraged everyone to support Mapúan talent through streaming and buying their music, as well as attending their online shows.

As for what is next, the campus radio station is more than open to organize another edition of Cardinal Unplugged within the year if the opportunity arises. For now, the organization will focus on its online radio platform and weekly podcast.

Mapúa Radio Cardinal is on air every day from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm. Meanwhile, the Cardinal Conversations podcast can be streamed on Spotify.