The independent label Offshore Music recently unveiled its newest batch of artists this year. It is composed of an exciting mix of solo artists, singer-songwriters, and college rock bands who are ready to showcase their talent and leave their marks in the music industry.
The launch was presented by Offshore Music with support from Sony Music Entertainment and The New Hue. It took place at the Astbury in Makati on October 12, 2023.
Newly signed artists were presented and had a chance to introduce themselves. Artists under Offshore Music include pop band ALYSON, Baguio-based indie rock band Amateurish, alternative rock sensations Her Name is Noelle and Ligaya Escueta, bedroom pop soloist neytan, alt-R&B soloists JDRX and CRISHA, funk/pop/groove band Mt. Lewis, folk/indie band Breē, and psych-pop troubadour Elton Clark.
The CEO of Offshore Music, Ely Buendia, shared that he started this record label because he wanted to own his music. He mentioned that it was “counterintuitive” because when you write music and share it with the world, it’s no longer solely yours.
He gives praise to his artists, saying, “I applaud our new artists that we’ve signed for young and passionate. Who are willing to take a risk of sharing what they’ve worked hard for, the songs, the music. Sharing it to the public, sharing it to you guys, sharing it with Offshore, with us, and collaborating on it but compromising their vision because I think I mean that’s the only way music is going to survive and live on is through community and not being selfish about it.”
Also present alongside Buendia are Offshore’s A&R Director, Pat Sarabia, and General Manager Audry Dionisio.
It was not a conscious decision for them to choose artists hailing from different parts of the country. “We also kinda want to live true to our name Offshore and just kind of exploring outside of Manila because it’s not just Manila that’s creating music,” as said by Audry Dionisio.
The process of coming up with this lineup was challenging, as it was done in the midst of the pandemic. Demos were sent through their emails, and that’s how they were able to sign a couple of artists under their label. Now that restrictions have eased, they can see them perform at gigs, some of whom were referred or discovered online.
In terms of the branding of these artists, Buendia emphasized, “We try not to mess with the image. I think the artists that we pick are sort of formed already and if not, we let them decide. We are just a guiding force if they need it.”
The event ended with a showcase gig with performances from some of the newly signed artists.
ADVT