The music scene in Davao has experienced a notable transformation, venturing beyond the realm of mainstream Visaya pop and novelty tunes. Dabawenyos are now actively embracing and championing underrated indie songs and artists.
Meet Dee, a 23-year-old independent artist based in Davao, specializing in indie/alternative music and steadily flourishing as he crafts indie songs. He stands as a prime example of an independent artist capturing the attention of Dabawenyo listeners.
Music flows in Dee's veins, a familial legacy with a grandmother trained in piano and a mother and sisters who are vocalists.
Introduced to diverse genres by his older brother, Dee's musical journey commenced in 2017, creating parodies with friends that eventually formed the local rap group "Skeptik Tongues."
In 2021, he transitioned to a solo career, exploring various genres and continuously experimenting with his musical expression.
"I think the broadness of the genres I venture into, allows me to create my own sound with different tastes every release. It's basically a mixture of a little bit of everything. Basslines can come from 70s Soul/RnB music while guitar licks and riffs can come from Blues music while the vocals have a modern taste. I know, sometimes I'm confused too," he shared.
Drawing inspiration from Heavy Metal bands, 70's Soul Music, and Nu-Funk ensembles like Metallica and Vulfpeck, Dee also admires artists such as Dominic Fike, Tame Impala, Theo Katzman, Neck Deep, and Anderson Paak.
For him, crafting music involves not only passion but also the authentic essence of constructing meaningful songs that resonate with his target audience.
When composing a song, Dee typically begins with a hum for the main melody, later transcribing it using instruments. The melody in Dee's mind transforms into vocals or guitar riffs, occasionally starting with drum beats. These elements are then seamlessly pieced together to fill the gaps in the composition.
Inspiration, according to him, is a tricky aspect, leading him to self-reflect while crafting lyrics.
As a rising star, he faces challenges similar to other artists, but his mindset centers around pursuing this path out of his love for music. Navigating the evolving dynamics of the music industry, Dee studies the new system while consistently producing output.
“What keeps me motivated is my love for music. Challenges are always there but my love for playing music keeps the focus on the content and I aim someday I can get better at doing it. I'll deal with the industrial side of music later on when I feel like my songs are good enough, personally,” he said.
His goals revolve around delivering higher-quality content to the audience, hoping it catches attention and gets noticed.
He also said, “Every artist shares the same problems musically so don't worry too much about it. Create and build as much as you can, and if you gain the momentum, understand that music is business and has a whole other side you need to learn about as soon as possible. It's a lengthy process, but if you believe you can then nobody can stop you.”
Recently, Dee released a single titled 'Daydreamin', now available on Spotify. It serves as a celebratory song for him, marking a triumph over a profound writer's block that lasted for more than eight months.
He felt the need to release something to break through that creative barrier.
Connect with Dee through his Instagram account, @dee.g.music, where all the links to his songs can be found in his bio. AJA