Cover Mony Romana, Emerson Cuyo, Sabrina Durand, Francois Planquette, Clémentin Diard and Polo Ruesz at Sonik Sessions 2025 (Photo: courtesy of Homonym)
Mony Romana, Emerson Cuyo, Sabrina Durand, Francois Planquette, Clémentin Diard and Polo Ruesz at Sonik Sessions 2025 (Photo: courtesy of Homonym)
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In case you missed it: Sonik Sessions explores the policy gaps and industry shifts facing Filipino musicians hoping to go global
The notion that Filipino music could command global attention has long flickered in the national imagination. But in the modern music economy, one shaped by TikTok virality, streaming algorithms and an ever-blurring line between markets, the question has become less about aspiration and more about infrastructure. How, exactly, does an archipelagic sound make its way across the world?
That question lay at the heart of Sonik Sessions 2025, held at The Astbury in Makati as part of Fête de la Musique’s 31st anniversary. Billed under the theme “Un Monde” (One World), the conference brought together Filipino artists, Asian creatives and French cultural officers to discuss the challenges of music export in an age of accelerating content and cultural friction. Powered by CreatePhilippines and organised by the music agency Homonym in collaboration with the French Embassy and CITEM (Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions), the gathering was designed not for spectacle but for strategy.
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Above Homonym founder Mike Constantino (Photo: courtesy of Homonym)
Homonym founder Mike Constantino (Photo: courtesy of Homonym)
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“We are over capacity,” said Mike Constantino, founder of Homonym and co-founder of Sonik Philippines, gesturing not merely at the room but at a growing momentum. “The talks went well over time due to the many burning questions by various players from the Philippine music ecosystem.”
Since 2019, when Sonik first began its formal push into music export, Constantino has witnessed a slow but visible shift. “We’ve seen huge growth in this community and the desire of our artists to share their talents abroad,” he said. “We’re happy to see showcases, conferences and festivals pushing exportable Filipino music… our countrymen soaring high wherever in the world they perform.”
If the dream of export is alive, the road remains uneven. In her keynote address, Sabrina Durand, regional music attaché of the French Embassy in Singapore, named the usual suspects: technological disruption, the economics of streaming and the prohibitive cost of international touring. “Sonik Sessions 2025 has elevated the exchanges about music industry support strategy both on the Philippine, regional and global level,” Durand said.
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Above Sabrina Durand, regional music attaché of the French Embassy in Singapore (Photo: courtesy of Homonym)
Sabrina Durand, regional music attaché of the French Embassy in Singapore (Photo: courtesy of Homonym)
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Panels throughout the day explored three recurring themes: how to break into global markets, how to strengthen creative policy at home and how to wield digital platforms more effectively. The consensus? The Philippines lags behind. Much of the country’s existing copyright infrastructure is obsolete, funding remains scarce and no long-term export strategy has yet taken root.
Still, ambition proved to be in no short supply. From intellectual property officers to embassy delegates, a cross-section of stakeholders came together to sketch out what support could look like—whether through international licensing, global artist showcases or institutional alliances that might help Filipino musicians not just survive, but scale.
Between panel discussions, attendees were treated to performances from local acts Tarsius and Indistinct Chatter. The evening closed with a mixer soundtracked by DJ Escu, an emerging figure in Manila’s underground electronic scene.
Sonik, produced by Homonym, continues to serve as a rare forum for export-oriented thinking in Philippine music. The conference is supported by the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs and the French Institute, with backing from Alliance Française de Manille and the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines.
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Angela Nicole Regis Guiral is the assistant digital editor of Tatler Philippines. She studied journalism and has since written features that look closely at how culture, lifestyle and social impact converge, while occasionally wandering into the worlds of style and travel.
