THIS YEAR, eight Filipino production groups will be celebrating the strength of Filipino indie music through a series of live events staged around Metro Manila.
It marks the second phase of Jack Daniel’s On Stage, a multi-year music program by the whiskey brand Jack Daniel’s which aims to shine a spotlight on Filipino indie artists and producers.
This year’s set of experiences is taking place under the theme “Road to Indiefest,” culminating in the Jack Daniel’s Indiefest in 2026.
“This is all about celebrating local indie artists and, of course, the communities around them. We’re here to give them more spaces, more opportunities, and more ways to reach new audiences,” Gabriel Fajardo, brand marketing manager for Jack Daniel’s Emerging Asia, said at the media launch on Sept. 9.
He added that the whiskey brand has been supporting music since 1866.
“Jack Daniel’s and our indie partners have shared values,” he said at the event in Makati City. “Authenticity, independence, and staying true to who you are.”
This year’s On Stage concept chose 20 indie artists from the 35 nominated by production group partners at last year’s Playlist LIVE. The pool aims to showcase “the distinct voices, creativity, and diversity of today’s Filipino indie music.”
The performers are: Alyson, Ang Bagong Luto Ni Enriquez, August Wahh, Cheeky Things, Dayaw, Fables, Halina, K+, Mi Mi, Minaw, Naïv, Nanay Mo, Novocrane, Peej, Pinkmen, Spacedog Spacecat, The Revisors, Ultraviolet, Uncle Bob’s Funky Seven Club, and Ysanygo.
Meanwhile, the production partners mounting the shows are Doc Def Productions, Funky Beat Entertainment, GNN, Locked Down Entertainment, Otelik Presents, SYQL Productions, The Flying Lugaw, and Red Ninja Productions.
THE PROGRAMPROD NIGHTS, running from September 2025 to March 2026, will feature 23 sponsored shows from these partners, highlighting the 20 artists.
“With PROD NIGHTS, we really feel the trust from Jack Daniel’s. When we get corporate sponsors, it’s rare that they give us full creative freedom. But here, we are able to control the visuals, the lineup,” said Sofia Abrogar of SYQL Productions. “Our guests’ experience is all up to us, and we really appreciate that trust.”
For Elijah Pareno of The Flying Lugaw, every production involves “a unique curation.”
“On our end, we really highlight fringe acts, niche acts. Without the pressure to get a big headliner and with full creative freedom with building the lineup, we get to set the stage for smaller, community-based bands,” he said.
Another event is MIXTAPE, happening on Nov. 15 and Dec. 13, where the 20 indie artists will be paired up to perform reimagined full-set collaborations of each other’s songs.
Josh Villena of Otelik Presents said that the two events will showcase the various artists’ “creativity and spirit.”
“What will two artists from completely different genres bring to the table? More than that, it’s the sense of camaraderie that we’re all on different journeys but find ourselves in this shared path,” he said.
The final initiative, SOUNDCHECK, will feature three interactive voting events from January to March 2026, giving audiences a voice in shaping which artists advance. It includes SESSIONS, set within the same period, allowing the 20 acts to showcase their music live online via Jam 88.3.
These live shows sponsored by Jack Daniel’s are “a big help for artists,” according to Jigger Divina of Locked Down Entertainment.
“An artist will miss out if they don’t give the audience a chance to see them perform live. There’s a jaw-dropping number of releases each day now,” he explained. “It’s more important than ever to give them a live platform.”
For more information about Jack Daniel’s On Stage: Road to Indiefest, check out Jack Daniel’s Facebook page. — Brontë H. Lacsamana