The Filipino indie bands who've found an audience through social media and the internet
For years the music scene in the Philippines was dominated by big labels and established stars, but the advent of sites including Bandcamp, SoundCloud and Spotify has made it possible for grass roots bands to promote themselves
Disruptive technology and the wide reach of the internet have been sweet music to the ears of the world’s independent bands that lack support from monolithic entertainment corporations.
Nowhere is it sweeter than in the Philippines, a country that is passionate about music – even if it’s just a trip to one of the country’s ubiquitous karaoke bars.
Backed by massive media and entertainment groups such as ABS-CBN, the country’s top acts are often television stars turned pop singers, but there’s a thriving independent music scene in the Philippines.
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Equipped with cheap and easy-to-use recording tools and platforms such as Bandcamp, SoundCloud and Spotify to promote their sound, ambitious independent musicians are finding an opportunity to break through the noise and carve out their own niche in Manila’s music scene.
Filipino indie artists are the most active in the country’s recording industry, according to local non-profit publication The Manila Review. And independent licensing agency Merlin says a growing number of indie musicians are emerging via self-release services. A few have even managed to use the reach of the internet to cross the line between indie and mainstream, expanding genre boundaries and redefining contemporary music in the country.
One example is Autotelic. Members of the Metro Manila-based group originally got together in 2012 to make heavy rock. The band formed as a side project for musicians who had all previously played in rock outfits. The driving force was Neil Tin, former lead guitarist of a punk band called The Naked Lights, and Josh Villena, former lead guitarist of Maya’s Anklet and Peryodiko.
