Singer and songwriter Daryl Ong has officially joined Viva Records after testing the waters with the label the past few months when he collaborated with powerhouse singer Katrina Velarde for the original tracks “Love Me Now” and their Christmas single “‘cc” (alongside other remarkable singers) in late 2020.
And this is just the start of the many projects that he wanted to do under his new music label.
“I’m thankful for the kind of vibe they’re giving me…that they really wanted to have me on board. And they are also giving me this creative freedom when it comes to my music and the career that I want to establish,’ the 33-year-old singer told Manila Standard Entertainment in a virtual interview yesterday.
“One of the factors that made me decide to join Viva was their pool of artists. This partnership gives me more chances to collaborate with singers that I haven’t had the chance to work with before. I’m just excited about the possibilities of working with them,” Daryl carried on listing pop queen Sarah Geronimo and pop-rock band The Juans as some of the Viva artists that he wanted to do a collaboration with given the opportunity.
As he starts a new year with a new record label, Daryl also shares that it’s an exciting opportunity that brings a brand-new environment for him, “I believe that there is always something new to learn in life and it's the same with music, Viva Records opened up a new world for me to explore, and so I will make sure to make the most out of this wonderful opportunity.”
Fans can expect new songs from Daryl, of course, and he’s taking it to a different level with an aim to rebrand himself as a singer and a songwriter.
“I’ve been known as someone who covers songs and makes it his own. This time, I’d like to release more original songs. There’s nothing more satisfying for a musician than coming up with original music,” he stated.
Daryl sees this new journey as an exciting time for him as he carves a new phase in his singing career with Viva Records.
“Last time I had a meeting with Boss Vic del Rosario, he said we are going to try to tap Southeast Asian audience with my music. Actually, I have a plan to cover an Indonesian song. We wanted to test if the Indonesian audience would receive it, then we’d start from there,” Daryl expressed his desire and plan to expand his audience outside the country.
Meanwhile, Daryl was recently crowned as the first-ever grand winner of Masked Singer Pilipinas. In the course of the competition, he was pitted against some of the best OPM artists including Bituin Escalante, Nina, Katrina, and Roselle Nava, to name a few. In the grand finale held on Dec. 26, Daryl came out on top, unidentified of course, as fans and the celebrity judges were made to choose among the masked heavy hitters.
Winning the Masked Singer Pilipinas is a testament to Daryl’s vocal skills and quality. That when it comes down to it, his voice shines through. For him, his victory reaffirmed his confidence in his talent.