Photo taken by Lawrence Del Rosario
MANILA, PHILIPPINES—At this point, solid listeners and the general public alike are already used to seeing Buendia's tenacity for acting as the perennial frontman has been on the big screen for “Pandamlagan (2025)”—a full-length period film featured at this year's Cinemalaya, the most prestigious independent film festival in the country. In this particular release, the “Bulaklak sa Buwan” hitmaker undeniably showcased his freshly-honed acting capabilities on his own very own material, “Kandarapa.”
“Kandarapa” exists as the third single of Buendia's latest solo oeuvre, “Method Adaptor”, an album that came from the depths of the artist's soul which relishes on narratives personal and deep from within, ultimately creating a meaningful 10-track masterpiece. But at this moment, we shift our attention solely to the single's official music video, furthering the plot of this new era of Ely Buendia.
Produced by the man himself, the “Kandarapa” music video is proudly “D.I.Y-ed” (do-it-yourself), with the help of Buendia's own record label Offshore Music, even directed by one of its own hired hands and in-house creative, Gada Nyssa Zayco.
“When I first heard Kandarapa, I felt the courage behind it. It takes a certain kind of bravery and strength to begin a song with an admission to say that you or something is not okay right from the first line, before any instrument even begins,” shares Zayco, detailing her initial reaction to the song. “I wanted the visuals to feel like a dream you’re half-aware of, caught between wanting to wake up but at the same time trapped.”
Zayco has done plenty of creative work in Offshore Music, most of which are for the internal side of the label and for its own impressive music roster, most regularly for official photos and visual collateral. But Zayco's prowess in directing, shooting, and editing for these types of work have already been out in the open as she also directed the extremely relatable music video for Pinkmen's song, “Di Pa Rin Sapat (Ang Sahod)”, a 5-minute mirror-to-society visualizer which heavily presents working class struggles through guerilla-style shots and political imagery, utilizing the song's explicit message about underpaid labor as base for the video.
In Zayco's terms, her directorial approach for “Kandarapa” differs from the mentioned music video through implementing more of an “art house” style in its overall concept, toying around with colors (and the lack thereof), significant props that borders on metaphors, and of course the most prevalent of them all, the ocean. “They all echo what it feels like to live through cycles,” the director says.
In the same breath, the young creative acknowledges the fact that this particular project holds a significant amount of weight, not only because she classifies herself as "fairly new” in her film journey, but also this marks her first time working on a project of this caliber with Ely Buendia. “He gives you space to create, yet challenges you to see things from a deeper place,” shares Zayco. “I used to see him as someone almost unreachable—a legend whose work defined generations.”
She also gets candid with her feelings, recalling the time when Buendia approached her to be the director of the single. She cites that the singer's simple act of trust became her compass throughout the project.
The Kandarapa Music Video is set to premiere on October 19 (Sunday), 6PM on Ely Buendia's YouTube channel. He also invites everyone to watch it with him through a livestream session on his TikTok accountwhere fans can ask questions right after the premiere.
Link to MV: https://youtu.be/OWnvT8oIxOE
About Ely Buendia
More than the usual string of superlatives, Ely Buendia is a storyteller. Not just someone with above-average verbiage, or a propensity to weave hastily rhymed couplets. But the genuine article. And whether it’s with the massively popular Eraserheads, or with any of his latter-era pursuits (the genre-bending rock outfit Pupil, rockabilly meisters Oktaves, or the soul/funk collective Apartel), listeners are assured of both pop smarts and an indefatigable sense of invention. Buendia’s canon is a ride to be relished. From landmark Eraserheads classics (“Alapaap,” “Magasin,” “Ang Huling El Bimbo”) to smashers by Pupil in the mid-aughts (“Nasaan Ka?,” “Disconnection Notice,” “TNT,”), the tunes serve as balm to the weary soul. But the lesser-known items is where we are given a picture of Buendia’s creative breadth: the one-off release Wanted Bedspacer; In Love & War (made with rap legend Francis Magalona); collabs with the Itchyworms (“Pariwara,” “Lutang”); and, more recently with indie rockers Cheats (“Plunder My Heart”). Buendia is also committed to guiding a new generation of artists in the OPM scene. As co-founder and CEO of Offshore Music Philippines, he has shaped the future of Filipino music. Now releasing a new single, "Bulaklak sa Buwan" from the new album “Method Adaptor” under Offshore Music, Buendia offers a glimpse of his currency as a songwriter and musician. Music that is sure to inspire new and old fans alike.
Ely Buendia Socials
FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560884825570
IG: https://www.instagram.com/elybumbilya/
X: https://x.com/elybuendia9001
YT: https://www.youtube.com/@elybuendia9000
TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@theelybuendia
Source: Sony Music