“We want to help new artists na wala pang recording company but we aim to be artist friendly,” says Kean. “Meaning, we’ll give them full creative control. As an artist myself, I know how it feels kapag may nakikialam sa music mo and we’re grateful that Viva understands our vision and partnered with us.”
It doesn’t mean, though that he is giving up his own career. At the launch, he sang two of his own songs, “Later When I’m Drunk” and “Tayuman”. “Gusto ko talaga, yung maraming ginagawa, to be more productive. I can manage the company and still do tapings for TV, shoot for movies, I still do my live gigs and I’m also a husband to Chynna and father to our daughter, Stellar.”
As of now, they have six artists with O/C Records: Earl Generao, Rice Lucido, Frizzle Anne, Bita and the Botflies (discovered online), Unique Salonga and Kean himself. They offer various music genres from pop, acoustic funk, rock and folk. “All of them will have their own albums and music videos. And we’ll be adding more artists in the future,” says Chynna. “Right now, many new artists submit their demos to us and marami sa kanila ang may potential but still underground or underrated.”They are having their first major concert, “The Grandma Tour”, at Kia Theatre on September 29 in partnership with Viva Live. This is for Unique’s own album titled “Grandma”. “I enjoyed the whole process of doing the album with Unique,” says Kean. “From choosing all the songs, the perfect musicians for him, to the recording and mixing, magkasama kami, we concentrated on it and I’m very proud na nagawa namin ang album ayon sa gusto niya at nang walang anumang compromise. We will let his music speak for itself.”
Chynna herself has started writing songs. “Collaborator ko na ang asawa ko,” says Kean. “One of her songs, ire-record ng talent naming si Frizzle Anne, a young songbird who also writes her own songs.”
The band in their label is Bita & the Botflies, a band of misfits who explore darker themes. The lead vocalist and songwriter is Sofy Aldeguer, the guitarists are Kevin Navea and Rebel Aldeguer, bassist is Rheyman Concepcion, with Mark Lincallo on drums. Their best songs are “Sisikat Ka Iha”, “Tagu-taguan”, “Manghuhula” and “Chop Chop Blues”.
