Pinoy Pop-O-Rama: Whatever happened to ex-6CycleMind vocalist Ney?
Two years after leaving 6CycleMind, its former front person Ney Dimaculangan receives an award for Best Performance by a New Male Recording Artist from the last Awit Awards.
It’s for a piano-driven ballad entitled “Ligaw” from his solo debut album simply titled “Ney” released in 2012.
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Previous highlights of his solo career were collaborations with Yeng Constantino on the soundtrack to the ABS-CBN telenovela “Imortal” and on the Eraserheads all-covers tribute for the film “The Reunion.”
He has also become a favorite celebrity judge and mentor in the noontime show “Showtime.”
Out to try new things
As for stepping out of the 6CycleMind gravy train, he says, “It was an amicable parting of ways. It came at a point when I wanted to try out new things and the band was also seeking other musical directions.”
He was not afraid to go solo, knowing he could count on the support of his former bandmates.
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“We have built a solid foundation among ourselves beyond making music,” he asserts.
That’s not just showbiz-speak.
Last year, Ney was in the audience when his old band launched its first album in three years with a new vocalist.
Ney goes alt-pop
In his current musical forays, Ney is backed by a three-piece group.
He won’t give a label to his music as a solo artist for fear of being identified with a certain genre. But a cursory listen to his debut shows his music now leans towards alternative pop, one partial to studio finesse and production values.
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He muses, “Let me put it this way. With 6CycleMind, our music was a mix of five different sensibilities and influences. On my own, I do all the composing, arranging and producing so I guess I want to give voice to the different aspects of me being a musician.”
Going solo has also given him the time to produce and record an album featuring kids singing original compositions by other kids.
He also manages a music bar in Lipa, Batangas which regularly showcases top-caliber bands like Callalily and, of course, 6Cycle Mind.
