Are record labels still relevant in the age of TikTok?
In the age of social media and streaming, does it still pay to strike a deal with a record label?
While aspiring music artists can now easily upload their works on YouTube, or luck into a viral hit on TikTok, they still stand to benefit from the resources of labels and the guidance of experienced professionals, Wild Dream Records founder Marion Aunor said.
“Yes, everyone can upload their own songs now. But how do you sustain momentum after going viral? How do you tap the right fans? TikTok can help your work reach random strangers, but you can’t always build a community from that,” Aunor told Lifestyle.
A record label, she pointed out, will be armed with the tools to “guide and support an artist in all aspects,” from music creation and branding, to connections and booking live gigs. “They have what it takes to help you with the marketing aspect and give you opportunities to collaborate and connect with more established artists.
“A label can help give input about songwriting and determine what a good debut single sounds like for a certain artist,” she added. “We can also collaborate with our artists in finding their visual vibe, which is very important for branding and recall. Sometimes, it takes a fresh set of eyes to see what suits you.”
After more than a decade in the music scene, Aunor—who finished third in the 2013 Himig Handog songwriting tilt and has since been scoring movies and crafting songs for other artists (Sharon Cuneta, Kyle Echarri, and Cup of Joe, to name a few), ventured into talent scouting and management. It’s a move, she said, that felt natural for her career progression.
Helping young artists
“I want to help young artists achieve their dreams the way other people helped me achieve mine,” said Aunor, whose hits include “I Love You Always Forever,” “Freefall into Love,” and “Akala,” from the film “The Day After Valentine’s.”
At a recent press launch, Wild Dream Records (an affiliate of Viva Records) introduced six promising new music acts in its roster: Matt Wilson, the indie-electronic artist known for the sensuous and lush beats of his hit song “Alitaptap”; Minimal Days, who concocts dreamy soundscapes that evoke nostalgia, as in his song “Gunita Na”; the smooth-rapping Pecado, who has been attracting listeners with his alluring, genre-bending tracks; the fiery, Baguio-based band Preza, who offers anthems for hopeless romantics like “Saksi”; the musician-poet Bianca Denise, with a penchant for delicate storytelling and for pouring her heart into acoustic ballads like “Ihahatid”; and the Japanese city pop-inspired group Midnight Talking, who banks on retro charm, blending funk, pop, and disco in head-bobbing ditties.
Some of the artists like Wilson and Denise were scouted on social media, while others like Pecado and Midnight Talking, through good ol’ demo submissions. “TikTok is a good place to see what’s trending. It helps keep the scene alive. But not all songs there that have potential will go viral. That’s where we come in, it’s up to us to find them,” Aunor said.
“But of course, we always encourage artists to submit their demos,” added the singer-producer, who’s the daughter of former Apat na Sikat singer Lala Aunor and niece of National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Nora Aunor.
Relying on instinct
More than style or genre, Aunor relies on instinct—how the music makes her feel—when assessing possible talents. “We want someone who’s authentic and raw. I initially leaned toward the singer-songwriter vibe, but that didn’t stop me from signing a hip-hop artist like Pecado. I base it on this criterion: Do I get inspired listening to their work? Is it touching my heart and soul?”
Many of her new wards are young. Midnight Talking, for instance, is composed of four high school students at the University of Santo Tomas. “It’s amazing to see artists that age who are already finding their sound,” Aunor said. “And the artists who have the strongest fan bases are usually within their age range, so why not tap artists who understand what young audiences are going through?”
There’s no exact formula for success or maximizing chance song virality. But if there’s anything she has learned from experience, it’s that consistency eventually pays off. “Matt Wilson started out with covers before doing original songs. He was wary at first. But he just kept on posting about his song and singing it in shows. And now, it has more than three million streams on Spotify,” Aunor related.
“I think that’s what’s important, having a good product and consistently sharing it with the right people,” she said. “Keep on creating and releasing music. Sooner or later, listeners will find something that resonates with them.”
