MANILA, Philippines—The singer, songwriter, and hitmaker, Moira Dela Torre, has signed with Republic Records Philippines, a division of UMG Philippines Inc. She follows a long list of global and local superstars and developing artists signed to the same record label.
Republic Records is a branch of Universal Music Group, the leading music company in the world, has been named by Billboard as the top label in the music business for the past ten years.
It is home to a who’s who of multi-platinum, award-winning legends and superstar artists including Ariana Grande, Ciara, Clairo, Conan Gray, Daddy Yankee, Drake, Glass Animals, Florence + the Machine, Greta Van Fleet, Hailee Steinfeld, James Bay, Jessie J, Jimmy Fallon, John Legend, Jonas Brothers, Julia Michaels, Kid Cudi, Kim Petras, Lil Wayne, Lorde, Nicki Minaj, Republic Records Philippines, which was recently launched in the Philippines, has a roster that includes fellow chart-toppers and multi-talented rising artists such as Zack Tabudlo, Darren, Elha Nympha, and more chart-toppers.
Image courtesy of UMG Philippines
Moira was the top Filipino streaming artist in the country in both 2017 and 2018. She has been the top female Filipino streaming artist on Spotify from 2019 to the present. In 2021, her albums “Patawad” and “Malaya” were among the most streamed in the Philippines. She reached a major career milestone last year when she surpassed 1 billion streams. She has 8 million Spotify followers, making her the most followed Filipino artist on the streaming platform this year.
She has received awards and nominations from numerous local and international award-giving organizations. In 2019, she was nominated for Favorite Southeast Asian Artist at the MTV Europe Music Awards and won Song of the Year at the TAG Awards Chicago for “Paubaya.”
In the Philippines, she has received countless nominations, including ‘Album of the Year,’ ‘Female Artist of the Year,’ ‘Female Recording Artist of the Year,’ ‘Mellow Video of the Year,’ ‘Ballad Song of the Year,’ and more from Awit Awards, MYX Music Awards, MOR Pinoy Music Awards, PMPC Music Awards, and Wish Music Awards.
Moira is also now an official part of UMG, the world leader in music-based entertainment and home to the most iconic local record labels – Republic Records Philippines, Island Records Philippines, and Def Jam Philippines – as well as influential local artists such as Juan Karlos, ZILD, Blaster, FERN., Cheats, and others.
On the big change
Even with all of the upcoming plans and exciting events, Moira still holds on to the belief that change is a constant and that it brings with it important lessons for her future career growth.
(L-R) Erickson Raymundo, President, Cornerstone Entertainment; Calvin Wong, CEO Universal Music Southeast Asia & SVP Of Asia; Moira Dela Torre, Jeffrey Vadillo, Vice President, Cornerstone Entertainment; Enzo Valdez, Managing Director, UMG Philippines Inc. Image courtesy of UMG Philippines
“This career move is something I’ve been putting off because I’ve always been afraid to try new sounds for myself; to explore different narratives; to grow from where I’ve always been….and having gone through what this year has given me, I feel it brought with it, ironically, a new kind of strength and courage and hope.”
She is, always, grateful to her roots. Moira cites her ABS-CBN family, believing that the move feels like an expansion rather than a transfer. It’s about breaking out of her comfort zone and experimenting with a more evolved sound.
Why UMG
When asked why she chose UMG, Moira said, “What I appreciate the most about UMG is seeing how collaborative they are with their artists and how smart they work—further allowing us to focus [on] growing our craft and just keep creating.”
In the grand scheme of things, she believes that the group can help her become part of the movement making OPM even greater.
Image courtesy of UMG Philippines
Things to anticipate
The singer also shares, that her spring album is coming, following “Malaya”, an ode to fall and then “Patawad”, a serenade of winter, expressing pain and heartbreak. On the other hand, her much-awaited spring album speaks of hope and growth.
“Spring means growth, and growth is hard and can be uncomfortable. But it’s in those moments— when we think we’re breaking—we’re actually blooming. It’s my most raw and vulnerable album yet, and it’s coming very, very soon.”
Her description of her upcoming spring album corresponds with the release of her new single, “Aking Habang Buhay,” written for Donbelle’s new film, An Inconvenient Love. It’s a song about faith, breaking free from the past, and realizing that love can heal old wounds.
She shares the line, “Naiintindihan ko na kung bakit walang nagtagal sa kahit na sinong sinugal”, which speaks about how God can turn something painful into a good story—better than what we can ever dream of.
Moira is ready to take on the world, more than her dreamy voice and undeniable mastery of lyrical storytelling. Apart from an Araneta concert, the next few months will see a local tour, followed by an international tour to meet her fans outside of the country.
Moira is in for even more surprises. But for the time being, she chooses to trust once more.
For more updates follow Moira on her Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Spotify , and YouTube