#CulturePH - A new chapter: Ligaya Escueta is now a full band
Indie rock artist Ligaya Escueta has officially evolved into a full-fledged band. During the record label signing with Offshore Music, the alternative quartet was introduced with Kristo Mercado on bass and guitar, Diego Cerrudo on guitar, Ninja Nicolas on drums, and Ligaya Escueta on vocals, bass, and guitar.
.jpeg) |
| From left to right: Kristo Mercado (guitar and bass), Diego Cerrudo (guitar) Ligaya Escueta (vocals, guitar, bass), and Ninja Nicolas (drums), Artist & Repertoire Manager Dani Mendoza, General Manager of Offshore Music Audry Dionisio, CEO of Offshore Ely Buendia |
“It was a natural process,” opens Ligaya Escueta. “Because we are all good friends outside of the band. I think that translates into the music… It is really something collaborative, and we all have a big part in it.” Organic—that is how Escueta initially describes the formation of the band. The transition from solo artist to band is entirely expected, given the current course of the “Ligaya Escueta” artist identity.
“It didn't feel much of a change because that's already how it felt like. We already felt like a band before,” Cerrudo shares, noting how easily each member fell into place in terms of dynamics, influences, and sound synchronicities. “We were complete from the start,” he adds.
 |
| Lead singer and guitarist, Ligaya Escueta, contract signing |
Following the shift to a more collaborative setting, the band says there will be inevitable changes in the creative process of music-making.
“We have to split responsibilities more, especially when it comes to songwriting,” Mercado admits. “In the off-going future, there will be a big 'change,' now that we are all hands on with future projects.”
On the other side of things, Artist & Repertoire (A&R) Manager, Dani Mendoza shared how natural this “debut” was for Ligaya Escueta and the label. “Honestly, the paper [contract] was for formality, but they have already been operating as a unit. We are happy to welcome them to the Offshore Music roster.”
About Ligaya Escueta
Ligaya Escueta is a singer-songwriter from Manila, Philippines. She released her first song in 2020, then put out her debut album “Laughing In Milk” two years after.
In 2023, she was signed under Offshore Music Philippines and wrote and released the singles “Novelty”, “12 Steps”, and “Blue General, Come Home” under the label. Ligaya then put out her second album, Dollweb, on all streaming platforms in January 2025.
Moreover in the same year she released her sophomore album, the punk rock prodigy was invited amongst other Filipino musicians at the coveted South by South West (SXSW) Sydney where she performed her songs along with her bandmates on the global stage. Right after, Ligaya was featured on Youngstar PH, PhilStar’s youth-focused print section, describing her approach to punk as “deliberate” and “graceful”—adjectives one may not even think to associate with the genre, but those are what makes her definition of the style uniquely hers.
Ligaya has been performing at small gigs since she was 15, and has opened for many artists including Ely Buendia, The Itchyworms, and Grrrl Gang. Inspired by artists like Mitski, Radiohead, and Weezer, she writes catchy rock songs, exploring earsplitting sonic landscapes with diary-like lyricism.
Comments
Post a Comment