For someone who already spent 25 years in music, singer-songwriter Ebe Dancel is not in a rush to achieve milestone after milestone-he’s just there, still in awe of the craft.
In an interview with SoundStrip, Ebe shared that despite spending a good amount of time in the industry, the simple joy of writing songs and performing in a crowd keeps him going.
‘Just two weeks ago, I was able to write a new song. I sent it to my manager, who is also my producer, Rico Blanco,’ he shared, smiling.
‘And then he said, ‘No notes. This is good.’ You know, you hope to have those days when you can still write new songs,’ he said in a mix of English and Filipino.
For Ebe, every show is also a reminder of why he stayed. ‘Each show, big or small, is always a different experience because your audience is always different, especially in the province,’ he quipped. ‘The audience in Bicol is different, the audience in Tarlac is different. Seeing people enjoy, seeing people have fun, hearing the songs live is always a great motivator for me to keep doing it.’
Staying true, not trendy
In an age where virality and algorithms dictate the music industry’s rhythm, Ebe remains unfazed about staying relevant.
Although his music catalog saw a resurgence in streaming, led by the viral revival of ‘Burnout,’ which surpassed 100 million streams on Spotify-a rare feat for an OPM track from the 2000s-the timeless resonance in his songs keeps him humbled.
”Burnout’ is a big part of who I am as a musician,’ he shared. ‘Whether it’s the Sugarfree version, or the 3D (Danao, Dancel, Dumas) version, or the one I recorded by myself, it doesn’t really matter. I’m just grateful that the song I wrote resonates to this day, to a generation that probably wasn’t even born yet when I wrote it 25 years ago.’
His poignant lyrics that continue to haunt and heal at the same time pierce through generations, speaking to both longtime listeners and younger fans discovering his work anew online.
‘My focus has always been on songwriting and performing well,’ he commented, ‘[Tha]t means handling your instrument well, singing well, singing properly-I even went to a vocal coach to improve my singing.’
He recalled how, early in his career, relevance was never demanded of him. ‘I was lucky when I joined [because] I wasn’t required to be relevant. They just told me, ‘whatever you’re doing now, just keep on writing songs.”
Surrounded by an encouraging environment, Ebe never felt out of place. ‘Sometimes you think, because all the kids are playing now, you don’t know where your place is – until you step on stage and feel like everything’s still the same. Everything’s still familiar,’ he mused.
Another sold-out concert
Ebe is set to return to a bigger stage to mark his 25-year career, with tickets to Ebe Dancel with The Manila String Machine: The Repeatsold out after just one day.
The one-night-only concert will take place on November 15, 2025, at the New Frontier Theater to revisit Ebe’s greatest hits accompanied by a 20-piece orchestra led by musical director Chino David.
It’s not his first time performing with an orchestra – his first was back in 2005, with the Manila Symphony Orchestra during his Sugarfree days.
‘Whenever the opportunity allows, I really want an orchestra with me,’ he said. ‘We did it in 2020, we’re doing it again now. Sugarfree did it a few times. During my time with 3D, we had 8-piece, 16-piece orchestras.’
The reason is simple: his songs leave room for strings to breathe. ‘There’s a lot of space for my songs to enter the orchestra, to elevate the experience,’ he explained. ‘After five years, we’re doing it again.’
Dreams fulfilled
At 25 years in, Ebe doesn’t measure success by fame or numbers. ‘In those terms, I feel like I’m already ‘over quota.’ I’ve already overachieved,’ he said.
He remembered how modest his early dreams were: ‘When I was starting out, we just wanted to do a demo so we could play in small bars and do front acts for Eraserheads and Rivermaya. And now, I actually share the stage with them sometimes. To that point, I’m already over-fulfilled.’
The production of Sugarfree’s debut album Sa Wakas was in collaboration with Rico Blanco, while Eraserheads’ Buddy Zabala and Raymund Marasigan have also worked on producing Dramachine.
‘I’m still hoping to create something new from time to time in terms of songs. That’s still the goal – to reach many corners of the Philippines and the world,’ Ebe said.
Beyond the spotlight, Ebe also worked behind the scenes as an artist and repertoire manager for Widescope Entertainment, discovering new talent and signing established ones as well.
However, he found himself at a crossroads. ‘My health was suffering. I had to pick one-and I chose what I’ve been doing for the past 25 years,’ he shared.
Still, his commitment to nurturing the next generation of musicians has not waned. ‘Anytime someone approaches me, I’m open. If younger musicians come and ask for advice, I won’t turn them away.’
After all these years, Ebe’s fire is still burning. ‘I’m still hoping to create something new from time to time in terms of songs. That’s still the goal – to reach many corners of the Philippines and the world.’ If he ever performs in a festival attended by 10,000 people and he sees two people happy to see him sing, Ebe said, ‘That’s already fulfilling for me. That gives me enough juice to keep doing it.’