Ely Buendia's Offshore label to mark 10th year with docuseries

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MANILA, Philippines — Independent local recording label Offshore Music will mark its 10th anniversary in the music industry with a five-part documentary series.

Offshore was founded in 2016 by Eraserheads, Pupil and Apartel frontman Ely Buendia to become an artist-first company, the philosophy of which will be presented in the docuseries coming out on YouTube between May and September this year.

Included in the series are archival footage, candid interviews, artist testimonials, and behind-the-scenes storytelling about Offshore, its management, the artists, and the community it's fostered over the past decade.

"Managing to last this long and being able to do what we want and being true to our principles definitely makes it sweeter," Buendia said in a statement.

The label's Artists and Repertoire Director Pat Sarabia added that they like promoting artists that introduce something new and interesting to the local music scene.

"We don't use online following or stream count as criteria to sign an artist. We listen, determine the artist's positioning in the landscape of the scene, and build from there," she explained. "We encourage them to hone their craft by providing feedback, cultivate connections within and outside our network, and support their (sometimes) crazy ideas."

The first episode "One Vision, One Product" dropping this month will look back at Offshore's humble beginnings through a roundtable discussion among board members, which include Buendia, Sarabia, and General Manager Audry Dionisio.

It will also explore Offshore's founding vision and the label's decision to champion vinyl records, even though digital streaming remains the dominant mode of distribution.

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"We always put the artists' creativity and music first before anything elsem" said Dionisio. "I think we've shown the industry that it's possible to have fair contracts and collaboration that benefit both the label and the artist."

The second episode, "Championing Artist Growth" will chronicle Offshore's roster and trust-building process while the third episode "Board Member Reflections" will give a look at the strategic decisions, financial risks, and emotional sacrifices made to sustain an indie label. 

The last two episodes "Artist Stories" and "The Epilogue," will feature perspectives from Offshore artists and the label's future plans. A new episode will drop each month after the premiere.

Offshore will also address misconceptions about record labels while highlighting the importance of empathy, fairness, and collaboration in artist management.

"The reality is that it's not a glamorous job," Sarabia also said. "It involves a solid system, lots of communication, and interpersonal connections for it to work."

Buendia added that they were all "just avid fans of music and will continue to contribute to the betterment of OPM."

Artists signed under Offshore include Buendia, Apartel, Ena Mori, M1ss Jade So, Alyson, Carousel Casualties, Ligaya Escueta, Elton Clark, Her Name Is Noelle, Pinkmen and Pixie Labrador.

Offshore also re-released the first three albums by the Eraserheads, some of them on vinyl, and had their artists participate in a "Cutterpillow" tribute album.

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