Bisaya Baya Ni, Bai!
Kahimtang
How did these local artists face the challenges of COVID-19?
PERFORMING OPPORTUNITIES
All activities were put on hold indefinitely when COVID-19 struck the world. This included music productions, performances, and gigs which slowed down the whole industry.
Following the drastic change brought about by the pandemic, artists sought opportunities in the digital world.
For musicians like Leela who used to have live performances in front of a crowd, the pandemic put an indefinite hold on their careers. Leela said that her opportunities in performing were disrupted due to health and safety protocols.
On the other hand, there are also artists who have found a breakthrough in the digital platform. Apart from getting an impressive number of streams for the songs he uploaded online, Mac Mafia landed himself a major performing opportunity through online connections.
The digital world also gave Kate an opening to a series of performing opportunities. She was invited to sing in multiple virtual festivals in Cebu. These were Developh's Festival, an online benefit music gig + art market; Otakufest, an annual cosplay and hobbies convention; and Cebu Youth Festival, which was a 24-hour virtual concert.
Since the start of the pandemic, Cebu City has been placed under different community quarantine levels which has affected the stability and the operations of businesses and establishments including the local music industry.
Below is a COVID-19 timeline of Cebu City and how its limitations have affected events and mass gatherings.
March 2020
Former Cebu City mayor, Edgardo Labella declares the city under Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), the strictest form of community quarantine or lockdown. Operating hours of malls were limited, and recreational and community centers were suspended. Mass gatherings were canceled or postponed.
July 2020
The city downgraded to a Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) by July 15. The guideline states that malls and commercial centers are limited to 50 percent operational capacity. However, leisure establishments, entertainment activities, and mass gatherings that are non-work essential remain prohibited.
September 2020
The city achieved the status of the most relaxed form of community quarantine, the modified general community quarantine (MGCQ). The status would extend until January 31, 2021. Mass gatherings were finally allowed at up to 50 percent of the seating or venue capacity.
September 2021
Then Acting Cebu City Mayor, Michael Rama published a document on the guidelines of GCQ which the city has been placed under since September 8. Meetings, incentive, conventions, and exhibits are limited to 50 percent of the venue capacity and for COVID-19 fully vaccinated customers only. Recreational venues are limited to 30 percent venue capacity. Bars are at 30 percent venue capacity and subject to strict implementation of curfew.
June 2020
Cebu City eased to a more relaxed form of community quarantine – General Community Quarantine (GCQ) by the start of the month but later shifted back to ECQ by June 15. They are the only city that did so in the entire country at this point in the pandemic.
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Under GCQ, mass gatherings were prohibited such as but not limited to movie screenings, concerts, sporting events, and other entertainment activities, community assemblies, and non-essential work gatherings.
August 2020
At the start of the month, the city transitions to a more relaxed GCQ. Gatherings like religious events were still limited. Churches were allowed to hold public masses if they followed a maximum of only 10 percent of the venue's capacity. Church leaders request to adjust the number to 50 percent capacity.
August 2021
The Malacañang palace placed Cebu City and the Cebu province under MECQ once again to which the local governments appealed to water down. By this time, film, music and TV production businesses were allowed to operate.
What did do during lockdown?
Filipino musicians
73%
collaborated with others online
60%
participated in an online pre-recorded or live show
57%
tried new music programmes
Understanding the impact of COVID-19 on Philippine-based musicians | bandwagon.asia
MUSIC PRODUCTION
Even with more limited opportunities to record in a studio, the young artists have transformed themselves into “bedroom musicians” thanks to today’s innovative technology.
ACCESS TO RESOURCES
Leela, Mac, and Kate were clouded with uncertainty as they struggled to steer themselves in the music scene within the new normal setup. This meant an era of discovering new things, learning new skills, and opening up to new experiences to keep their music careers moving forward.
Kate Livewire: I think my biggest struggle during the pandemic has been being able to stand out cause a lot of- you know, when everything shifted to being virtual, the digital space became even more saturated cause people who were doing mostly live gigs started doing digital gigs- especially Facebook Live, that became really popular. And so, it was just like, “boom, virtual performers everywhere!” So it was just like, even before the pandemic, it was hard to stand out especially when you’re indie, especially when you’re making recordings in your bedroom. And so all the more when you have these professionals coming over with legit equipment that sounds pristine, you can’t really compete with that.
Mac Mafia: Before the pandemic, I didn’t have the freedom to produce the kind of vibe that I want to create. If I want to make this certain kind of vibe but it doesn’t fit with the beat that I’m working with, I had to compromise and make a song that somehow connects the beat with the lyrics I’m writing since I didn’t know how to produce [beats] at that time. So, during the pandemic, I am able to freely produce the vibe that I’m aiming for then jot down some ideas to fit them together. You could say, the process has been reversed [from before the pandemic].
Leela Laburada: For me, the most difficult phase [during the pandemic] is the recording because I’m only given the lyrics and the music, then proceed to record it. Since I cannot physically go to the studio, I had to try other alternatives so I can just record here at home then send it to him [Kuya Bryan]. It was my first time, so it was very difficult because I’m not into these recording applications like voice enhancers and the like. I can clearly see that the result is very different when I record it on my own compared to the result when recorded in the studio. That’s when I realized how hard it was.
Today’s technology has also undoubtedly changed the game for musicians. Streaming has become the norm for audiences to listen to music, and social media became their bridge to talk and interact with their fans and supporters.
Leela Laburada: Since people are at home and they spend more time online, in this aspect the pandemic made it easier for me to gain more exposure because people spend so much time scrolling on Facebook. So, when you post something, more people are able to see them compared to when people used to go out all the time. So, Kuya Bryan will be the one to monitor and update on Facebook and… it really shows that music streaming became more popular during the pandemic because a lot have been streaming songs since we’re always inside our homes.
Mac Mafia: Social media has helped me introduce myself and allow my music to reach other people, which is a good thing. It serves as an outlet to connect with people who will try to give you good opportunities.
Kate Livewire: I think I definitely get more followers off of social media than in person. Just the fact that they heard it and they thought it was cool and they bothered to give it a like or follow me, that means a lot to me. Through social media, I’m actually able to find the virtual fests that I mentioned, so being part of those. And then I mentioned the attendees of the event followed me online, so that was super cool.
MENTAL HEALTH
And like everyone else, the pandemic has also taken a toll on the mental health of these artists and their craft.
Click on each photo to read more on their stories.
COMPETITION IN THE INDUSTRY
Achieving success in the music industry comes in numbers: the streams, the views, and hopefully making it in the charts. This tremendous amount of competition is something that musicians have to endure while navigating their way through the industry.
A bedroom musician can top the charts today, but struggle to climb back up tomorrow as another DIY musician takes the lead. Nevertheless, the three artists choose not to dwell on this competition too much. Rather, they view it as motivation to improve themselves while they are creating a name in the industry.
Leela believes the competition that people usually see should not be connotated negatively. She says it should be viewed as a healthy challenge for all people who share the same passion as she does—to make music that people can relate to.
Mac Mafia shares the same sentiments. There are times he starts to think that he may not really be cut out as an artist. And yet, he still considers the competition in Cebu’s hip hop scene as an inspiration to someday be on par with the Cebuano rap artists he looks up to. “I see them as a good competition because in the end, we all aim for the same goal,” He shares.
More than being a competition against other musicians, Kate views the competition as one that is against herself. For her, artists should focus more on the struggle to continuously outdo oneself rather than to outdo others. The goal must be to create something new and interesting for people to appreciate: “I don’t particularly want to be a very popular artist, I just want to have a solid fan base to leave some sort of legacy and impact.”