After making his acting debut in the Cinemalaya 2025 entry ‘Padamlagan,’ Ely Buendia showcased his newly discovered passion for the craft in the music video of ‘Kandarapa.’
The music video of ‘Kandarapa,’ the third single of Buendia’s album ‘Method Adaptor,’ was released on Sunday, Oct. 19, and is a ‘D.I.Y. (do-it-yourself)’ project brought together by the singer-songwriter, his own record label Offshore Music, and in-house creative Gada Nyssa Zayco.
It starts with a black-and-white glimpse of Buendia walking on the beach and wading through seawaters, showing scenes of him writing and rummaging through his possessions.
‘When I first heard ‘Kandarapa,’ I felt the courage behind it. It takes a certain kind of bravery and strength to begin a song with an admission to say that you or something is not okay right from the first line, before any instrument even begins,’ Zayco said of the creative process behind the music video. ‘I wanted the visuals to feel like a dream you’re half-aware of, caught between wanting to wake up but at the same time trapped.’
Zayco also described Buendia as a co-worker who allows creatives to have the space to ‘create’ while challenging them to seek the deeper meaning behind their work.
‘He gives you space to create, yet challenges you to see things from a deeper place. I used to see him as someone almost unreachable – a legend whose work defined generations,’ he said.
The music video was released 11 months after Buendia’s second studio album, ‘Method Adaptor,’ which was brought together with a labor of love.
It contains the other tracks, ‘Bulaklak sa Buwan,’ ‘Tagpi-Tagping Piraso,’ ‘Faithful Song,’ ‘Tamang Hinala,’ ‘Deadbeat Creeper,’ ‘Sige,’ ‘Kontrabando,’ ‘Chance Passenger,’ and ‘Esprit de Corpse.’