At the Cozy Cove Fest, the Philippines’ biggest stars are within reach

"Hindi lang Manila ang Philippines,” avowed Maki, the Quezon City-bred alternative pop sensation and one of six acts at the inaugural Cozy Cove Fest. “A lot of Filipinos listen to us kahit na malayo kami (without us ever knowing), and we will never know hangga’t hindi kami makakapunta sa gano’ng festivals.”

Living in the country’s bustling capital, I was told that Baguio, in contrast, is the “city that sleeps at night.” However, my foray into the highlands last Feb. 27 proved otherwise, as audio and production company Nine Degrees North (NDN) brought Baguio to life with The Cozy Cove Fest. Headlined by OPM stars David La Sol, Angela Ken, Hale, Maki, Yden, and Cup of Joe, the festival’s debut gleamed beyond The Cozy Cove’s stand-alone shows.

R&B singer-songwriter Yden was dumbfounded to be part of the festival’s list of performers. “Akala ko it would be a normal (Live at The) Cozy Cove (session). Not the (third-year) anniversary,” she beamed at me, fresh off her set. “Lately (lang) din nila sinabi na, ‘It’s Maki, Hale and Cup of Joe.’ I’m overwhelmed but very happy.”

David La Sol, the first artist NDN signed, found it simultaneously serendipitous and terrifying to kick off the event. “Sa sobrang takot ko, gusto ko na lang mag-no-show,” he admitted. Between fixing his hair bleach mishap the night before and warming up his tired vocals the day of, David ultimately mustered enough courage to charm the audience. “Tinake ko na lang ‘to as a privilege na dapat kong tanggapin. (Dapat kong) harapin ang pagiging open act sa Cozy Cove Fest.”

Legendary rock band Hale was equally enthusiastic about joining the lineup. “Any opportunity to be onstage and share our music is welcome,” grinned frontman Champ Lui Pio. “We want to celebrate music with the younger acts, learn from them, and see how Cozy Cove is. We’re super excited.”

‘We want to make the Cozy Cove Fest a platform’

From the very beginning, NDN used the restaurant The Cozy Cove as a launchpad for musicians across the country. The Cozy Cove Fest now brings that vision onto a brighter stage.

Shadiel Chan, record producer and CEO of NDN, chuckled as he processed the event actually coming to fruition. “I can’t believe we did it. It’s our first time.” The founder intended to start small with a crowd of 400. “This is like our practice round before we do something bigger.”

In NDN’s three years of posting performances, The Live at The Cozy Cove sessions have become a beloved fixture for both musicians and audiences. Its online resonance has since cemented the Baguio venue as a hallmark of the modern OPM zeitgeist. Shadiel envisions the new venture closing that geographical gap. “We plan to do Cozy Cove Fest in different cities and bring the artists to their audiences around the Philippines.”

The expansion centers on OPM reaching more people nationwide while spotlighting artists outside the capital. “For many years, to make it into the music industry, you (had) to go to Manila. But it’s nice to see artists who are homegrown in different parts of the country. Building a festival in those cities really captures (that) support. We’re here for them. We want to celebrate OPM with you.”

When I asked why organizing a festival was the next move for NDN, Shadiel recalled that the first artists invited to The Cozy Cove were friends. “It’s like giving back na, ‘Okay, we want to throw something big para lumawak din ‘yung audience nila.’” Performing for a real-life audience, he added, differs from generating views on YouTube. “We want to make Cozy Cove Fest a platform, not only for big artists but also (for) artists trying to break through.”

“Most festivals, you don’t really get to meet the artists up close,” Shadiel went on. “What makes this different is that concertgoers will be able to feel like, ‘Oh, these artists are people, too.’”

The Cozy Cove Fest hinges on stripping away the spectacle of celebrity to cultivate genuine human connection. This rang true, even as an interviewer. Amid the compliments exchanged with Angela Ken over our bleached hair (or, in my case, eyebrows), the sincerity behind the folk-pop powerhouse’s gratitude for The Cozy Cove was apparent. “It’s been a huge platform for upcoming artists and veterans. Marami pa ‘to. Marami pang taon ang pagsasamahan natin with Cozy Cove.”

‘This is the heart of many artists. It brings people together’

NDN’s online presence may have proliferated countless viral videos and success stories, but the label stands firm on preserving the intimacy that made the live sessions magical to begin with.

Aside from Baguio being a soft spot for Maki, the singer has felt seen by the platform since the start of his career. “I actually pitched (The Cozy Cove) sa label ko. I told them that pinapanood ko lagi (‘yung) isang YouTube channel na hindi masyadong naglalagay ng malalaking artists. They help small artists like us show our music. Hindi compromised ‘yung effort nila because we’re small; they do their best at all times.”

The festival’s inclusivity strengthens that sense of solidarity. “Cozy Cove is one of the best (venues) for heartwarming performances,” Yden expressed. “This is the heart of many artists; it brings people together. (Sa Baguio) rin ako lumaki, so it’s very sentimental.”

Angela considers The Cozy Cove a fulcrum of OPM’s ascent to international stardom. “I hope (initiatives) like Cozy Cove reach more provinces, kasi napakalaki ng potential ng Pilipinas to broaden our audience,” she said with determination. “Darating at darating tayo sa point—at hindi kami magugulat—na hindi na natin kailangang mag-Ingles para lang maintindihan tayo. Para lang masabing, ‘Ang ganda ng music (at) art natin,’ ‘cause (the world) will try to understand where we’re coming from.”

Events of this scale, to Angela, are underrated. “Imagine, 400 people lang? Iba kasi (kapag) intimate eh. You feel the audience. The audience (feels) you. You get this connection (with) them na hindi macacapture ng malalaking events.”

The crowd, albeit small, exuded an abundance of joy that the musicians mirrored all night. Even water breaks became buoyant, with the audience cheekily counting down five seconds each time an artist picked up their bottle.