GOOD business has seen Sony Music Entertainment (SME) Philippines outgrowing the old office which it shared with Sony Pictures, so it has opened its very own office in Pasig City.
The new office at the IBP Tower at the Ortigas business district will be the home for SME Philippines and The Orchard Philippines. It will house specialists in A&R (artists and repertoire) and digital marketing to support SME Philippine’s roster of more than 70 artists from the Philippines and Southeast Asia, including Ben&Ben, SB19, NOBITA, Ace Banzuelo, and Clara Benin. It is expected to discover and develop up-and-coming musical talent, and promote music from the country.
“Prior to the pandemic we were co-locating with Sony Pictures, our sister company (which is also in located in IBP Tower),” Roslyn Pineda, General Manager, Philippines,Sony Music Entertainment, told BusinessWorld at the launch of the new office on Sept. 30.
“Over the pandemic, we just grew so much as a team, and also our roster of local artists grew… But [we] wanted to stay close,” Ms. Pineda said of the reason for relocation.
When signing new artists to the label, Ms. Pineda said that they consider “their (the artists’) potential to grow.”
“We also ask them what their vision is and we create that vision with them,” she said.
“Here in the Philippines, the vibrant cultural fabric of the country has given rise to a new generation of artists who are pushing boundaries with their music and showcasing the best of local music,” Shridhar Subramaniam, Sony Music Entertainment’s President of Corporate Strategy and Market Development, Asia and Middle East, said at the launch. “The cultural diversity and creativity in the Philippines, coupled with the pace of digital adoption presents enormous opportunities for artists to create and share their music, and we are committed to supporting their efforts.”
To help artists with earnings, development, and well-being, Sony Music Entertainment launched the Artist Forward Program “which brings about transparency, reporting, cashing out royalties and advances, as well helping them with their mental health,” Mr. Subramaniam said.
VITAL PARTNERAmong the homegrown artists who have made a name regionally and internationally are Ben&Ben and SB19. Ben&Ben is currently touring North America and SB19 has concerts around the Philippines.
“Sony Music has been a lovely partner in helping us reach out to our fanbase, Liwanag, with our music,” said Ben&Ben in a statement. “They have opened so many doors for us, making it possible to bring the emotions and messages of the songs we’ve made to the people who need it.”
P-Pop group SB19 debuted in late 2018 and has received widespread recognition with their singles “What?,” “Alab (Burning),” and “Go Up.” The pop group was nominated for Top Social Artist at the 2021 Billboards Music Awards and has the longest-running number one hit in the history of Billboard’s Hot Trending Songs chart, “Bazinga.”
“Sony Music has been a key and vital partner for us through the years, helping us reach our fans and audiences through their wide and extensive network,” SB19 said in a statement. “From working with us on our first album, to supporting us on our recently released international single ‘WYAT’ and helping us with our upcoming world tour, we couldn’t have asked for a better team.”
“Streaming has democratized the music scene and we are so happy that our artists are being listened to now all over the world,” Ms. Pineda said. “We want to help them create content and produce songs that are really able to move a lot of people.” — MAPS