Let’s be real: the pandemic has taken its toll on all of us—but this truth has been particularly crippling for those in the fields of music, entertainment and production. Broadcast networks and bar-slash-performance-joints have gone down under. Live gigs have somehow transformed from a fixture in our weekly routines to a distant memory. For those with the ability to keep fighting, however, the singing, dancing and gig-going persist online.
Taking a page out of the proverbial pandemic survival guide, annual music festival and conference Sonik is taking the music conversation to the webspace.
Sonik 2020: New Ground, New Sound is taking place online from October 15 to 17.
RELATED: Leanne & Naara Go Full-on Pop with Keeping Me Up
Last year, Sonik was all about bridging the local music community with the rest of the world. True enough, we’ve seen this happen since: homegrown musicians like those of Paradise Rising have touched base, collaborated and released hits with the global movers and shakers of the music industry.
This year, Sonik pushes a more urgent message to the fore by asking the question we’ve all asked ourselves in the past months: How do we keep moving forward?
Like this year’s theme, “New Ground, New Sound” suggests, this year’s talks are hinged not only on reimagining the way we play the music game, but translating it to match the new playing fields we’re faced with. With over 40 influential forces from the Philippines and abroad weighing in on the discussion, Sonik 2020 presents up to six talks daily during the festival’s three-day run.
Among the speakers is Kossy Ng, Head of Artist & Label Partnerships of Spotify, who will be unpacking how the audio streaming service spotlights Filipino artists and our culture. Alan Tang, Southeast Asia Content Partnership Head of Tiktok, discusses music in the new normal and beyond. Other speakers and conference participants include The Orchard’s Director in Asia Priya Dewan, IMMAP President and Unilever Philippines Media Director Dennis Perez, Globe Entertainment Group Head Joe Caliro, Rico Blanco, Herbert Hernandez, KZ Tandingan and Catriona Gray, among others.
Discover the full roster of talks here.
A year at Sonik wouldn’t be complete without a roster of performances worth looking forward to. Latching on to the internet’s ability to shatter geographical borders, Sonik 2020 features a lineup of performances from artists both based in the Philippines and across the globe.
There’s plenty to love locally, and Sonik’s lineup of Filipino artists showcases just that. The Filipino representation runs strong with Jason Dhakal, Leanne & Naara, Flu, Assembly Generals, One Click Straight, Pamphleteer of Offshore Music and The Itchyworms. Tapping artists outside the metro, the festival also features Bukidnon’s Shades of Native, Davao’s Y Ara, Zamboanga’s Peregrine and Lourdes of 22Tango in Cebu.
Taiwanese artists punctuate the lineup with the likes of Our Shame, Non Confined Space, The WAiiT, Tokyo Chuo-Line, Inhuman, Heat Sketch and The Chairs. Singapore’s roster includes M1LDL1FE, Inch Chua and Lew Loh, while Indonesia features Prince Husein, Lightcraft and Pretty Rico. The global showcases also highlight acts beyond Asia’s borders: Emma Volard and Paige Valentine from Australia, Tuan SS of Vietnam, Birthh and Vanarin from Italy, The Prussians of Mallorca and Hyangni from South Korea, among others.
RELATED: We Need to Talk About SB19’s Debut Album
Pushing the limits of the online experience, Sonik 2020 attendees get to experience the conference-meets-festival through online events platform, Run the World. Expect cocktail parties, live group photos, interactive polls, video handshakes and real-time engagements to happen—right through your screen.
Get your tickets to Sonik Philippines 2020.
Art Matthew Ian Fetalver
This website uses cookies.