Ely Buendia reinvents his legacy with Offshore Music
Ely Buendia needs no introduction. As such, he’s turning the spotlight to the next generation of musicians.
In 2016, the rock legend and Eraserheads frontman founded independent record label Offshore Music. Among its artist roster are Filipino-Japanese singer-songwriter Ena Mori, five-piece band ALYSON, rock-psychedelic band Pinkmen.
This was Buendia going back to his roots; before becoming known as a musician, he worked in labels behind the scenes. He told The Philippine STAR that he returned “for the love of the game.”
Buendia continued, “I find as much satisfaction and fulfillment in working behind the scenes as performing in front of an audience.”
In its early stages, Offshore Music briefly paused operations due to financial difficulties; at the time, Buendia deemed it “proof that what we were doing was right and good for the industry.” It relaunched in 2018, eventually signing a partnership agreement with Sony Music Philippines in 2023 for global distribution and artist promotion.
Buendia often invites the label’s artists to record in his home studio Crow's Nest, where he’s very hands-on with production. “We wanted to be the label that bucked trends instead of following them,” he said. “We also wanted a safe space for artists to be their creative selves.”
For many young artists — digital natives who grew up with music streaming — it’s easy to fall into the trap of worrying about numbers. But Buendia always reminds Offshore’s artists what they’re doing everything for. “Besides,” he continued, “we never sign artists who are all about high streaming (numbers). Mostly, I ask them what their ‘why’ is, (and) we take it from there.”
You can still make a difference even when people think your time has passed. It’s all about what you’re passionate about.
After decades in the industry, he said he still gets excited about helping artists achieve their visions and producing “a sound that will last for an eternity.”
Buendia has had a storied career, his work scoring the everyday lives of Filipinos across generations. Many would say that is legacy enough. But not for him. “Legacy is forever evolving,” he said.”You can still make a difference even when people think your time has passed. It’s all about what you’re passionate about in the moment, and sharing that.”
I asked what role artists like him play in shaping the future of Filipino music. “I can either be an inspiration or a cautionary tale,” he responded. “It depends on how they see me, but in the end, at least they will learn something.”
