By Chloe Cabrera
In an attempt to give its fledgling online streaming music service a shot in the arm, Smart Communications has debuted ?Spinnr Indie,? its new program for supporting local independent musicians.
The mobile operator launched the indie-flavored initiative at the ?Sync: Music + Tech Conference? on Saturday, April 26, at the Black Market in Makati City.
Smart is in currently waging a music streaming battle against fierce rival Globe Telecom, which partnered recently with online site Spotify to boost its offering in the digital music space.
Created to fulfill Spinnr?s advocacy of supporting original Pinoy music, Spinnr Indie provides independent Filipino artists with the opportunity to distribute and sell their songs.
Aspiring musicians need only register with Spinnr Indie, and once onboard, their music will be available through Spinnr?s website and mobile apps.
According to Smart, the ?convergence of music and technology? will give millions of Filipinos access to the music of artists under the Spinnr Indie program.
Among the speakers at the digital music conference were singer-songwriter Barbie Almabis, music business professor Mony Romana, The Voice finalist Lee Grane, beatmaker and laptop musician Similar Objects, Peso Movement guitarist and music journalist Francis Brew Reyes, and Vin Dancel, musician and co-founder of Republikha.
The talks covered a wide range of topics, from how hardware and software are ?just like menswear?, to how using the Internet can let one?s ?voice? be heard.
Barbie Almabis and Similar Objects also performed with musical demonstrations utilizing new music-creation technologies. The event culminated with a series of performances from artists including Joee and I, Sinyma, and Similar Objects.