July 3, 2023 • No Comments •News

Ivory Music and Video Inc., a 40-year-old label with a strong domestic catalogue has been sold to the Viva Music Group.  This was announced by Tony Ocampo, chief operating officer of Viva Records, who together with Viva Communications chairman and chief executive officer Vic Del Rosario, Jr, finalized the sale for an undisclosed amount with Ivory president Steven L. Tan last week.

“Ivory makes a most prestigious addition to the Viva catalogue,” said Ocampo who coincidentally established the Ivory label in 1983. “Having Ivory in its catalogue further strengthens Viva’s position in the entertainment industry as the leading propagator of original Filipino music,” continued Ocampo.

The deal includes Ivory’s entire catalogue of recorded music and all of the songs licensed to its music publishing arm (Soundscape).  Among these are recordings by M.Y.M.P., The CompanY, Side A, Freddie Aguilar, Manilyn Reynes, ASIN, Thor, Zack Tabudlo, Moira Dela Torre, Join the Club, Silent Sanctuary, Wolfgang, April Boy Regino, Moonstar 88, Sofia, Lokal Brown, Florante, Roselle Nava, Orient Pearl and many others.

Ivory is the latest investment acquisition by Viva.  As of now, the music side of the multi-media entertainment company already includes all of the recorded music libraries of Vicor Records, Telesis Recording, Terno Records and Viva Records.  Among these are recordings by Sharon Cuneta, Martin Nievera, Basil Valdez, Regine Velasquez, Andrew E, Sarah Geronimo, Freestyle and Up Dharma Down.

Viva has also invested in start-up labels like Kean Cipriano’s OC Records which boasts of artists like Adie, mrld and Kenenaiah; WayBettr Music of Naki Quimson and NexxFriday with artists Deny, Jin Chan, Tu$ Brother$; Blacksheep Records of Jaworski Garcia with artists Angelo Garcia, Magnus Haven and Ferodina; and the recently launched Wild Dream Records of Marion Aunor which has Matt Wilson and Pecado under contract.

Aside from those, Viva Music Publishing is home to the works of Dennis Garcia, Rene Garcia, Willy Cruz, Louie Ocampo, Top Suzara, Jay Durias, Rico Blanco, Thyro Alfaro, Arthur Nery and many other authors and composers.