Ice Seguerra, who began his career long before the age of social media, says that he’s still “trying to find” himself in today’s music landscape, which is now reliant on digital formats and streaming services.
“I’m still trying to figure out who I am in this space, what I really want to do, and how everything connects in the grand scheme of things,” the singer-songwriter told the Inquirer in an interview. “Back then, it was all about CDs and albums. But now, artists prefer to release singles.”
Ice, who served as chair of the National Youth Commission for two years before resigning last year, also seemed in awe at the pace with which trends change. “I didn’t think I was out for too long. But when I came back, it’s like a being in an entirely different environment,” he said.
While songwriting has always been his “Waterloo,” words are especially difficult to come by these days.
“It’s not my strongest suit. And when you’re sidelined for a while, it doesn’t come out as easily. There’s an insecurity… fear,” said Ice, who does have a few songs tucked away in the vault. “But they’re too personal, I feel overly attached to them, and I get so scared to share them with people.”
“This is what I hear outside; this is what I have—will it be good enough?” added Ice, whose last single was an acoustic ballad titled “Anghel sa Lupa.” “These are the sort of questions that run through my head.”
But he’s not in any rush to answer those—not until he regains his confidence. “I don’t want to deal with those right now,” he said. “I just want to continue singing, playing gigs and surrounding myself with creative people. And when I get back my confidence, I will try making my own music again.”
But while he’s in a bit of a creative slump when it comes to music, the opposite is true for his other interests, like directing.
“I have always directed my own shows and concerts, but I would love to do it for other artists, as well. I want to direct events. I love the process of putting together different elements—and I want to get better at this craft. This is where I feel most alive these days,” he said.
Playing music, of course, will remain his bread and butter. But it’s always a good idea to expand one’s skill set, he said, and open himself up to new opportunities.(A. Policarpio, inq)