SUGARFREE
Ebe Dancel on lead vocals, Jal Taguibao on Bass and back-up vocals, and Kaka Quisumbing on Drums make up the power trio known as SUGARFREE.
1999
Ebe and Jal recall their very first gig on August 28, 1999. “Ebe was sick and there were only five people in the audience,” says Jal. This was at Villa Romana in Baguio City.
Ebe went through a succession of bands in college and was ready to call it quits when he met Jal and, eventually, then-drummer Mitch Singson. “Sabi ko sa sarili ko, huling subok ko na. Kung mag-fail ‘to, siguro hindi talaga para sa’kin,” Ebe shares, “then everything just fell into place.” The band played in the underground and earned admirers and supporters by becoming mainstays in production nights such as Admit One in Freedom Bar and Sunday Grabe Sunday in Mayric’s, among others. By 2000, the band landed a record deal with Viva Records.
SUGARFREE managed to lay-in a few songs at Tracks Studio. Rico Blanco, then a member of Rivermaya, co-produced the album. But Rico eventually had to beg off due to the demands of his own band’s career. Tracks Studio’s in-house engineer Angee Rozul carried on. Over a year later, SUGARFREE was able to complete the 12 songs included in what is now known as their debut album Sa Wakas. The release of the record was put on hold. After a two-year tussle between band and record label, their contract was finally rescinded. With the help of Angee, SUGARFREE went on to sign a new recording contract with a different label, EMI.
Sa Wakas
Then-little known SUGARFREE quietly released Sa Wakas in January of 2003. During the launch, the album reportedly sold out in a span of 11 minutes. Soon, a string of SUGARFREE singles such as Telepono, Burnout, and Mariposa lorded the local airwaves. SUGARFREE went home huge winners from the NU 107 Rock Awards on the same year. They bagged two major awards: Best New Artist and Album of the Year for Sa Wakas.
Dramachine
SUGARFREE’s sophomore offering was released in July 2004. Called Dramachine, it churned out the singles Sinta, Hari ng Sablay, Prom, Kwatro (also included in the Pinoy Blonde OST), and Tulog Na. The album hit Gold signifying over 15,000 units sold by September 2005.
On the same year, SUGARFREE was chosen to record the song Makita Kang Muli written by husband and wife team Jimmy Antiporda and Cymbee Antiporda. This was to be the theme song for Panday, a teleserye on ABS-CBN (based on the folk-tale with the same title) starring Jericho Rosales. This, along with the phenomenal success of Hari ng Sablay, undeniably brought SUGARFREE into every home. The song was later included in the repackaged edition of Dramachine.
Tala Arawan
After a change in management and band member (at this point, EMI stood as both record label and artist management; drummer Mitch Singson was replaced by Cebu-raised Kaka Quisumbing) Ebe suffering from writer’s block (he had to seclude himself in a condominium in Makati for six months just to compose new songs), SUGARFREE launched its third album in November of 2006. In it are 12 original all-Tagalog songs, authored by Ebe alone. The lyrics found on the album packaging were all hand-written by Ebe as one would on a ”diary” which is actually the English translation of the album title Tala Arawan. It won Best Album Packaging during the 20th Awit Awards. The songs Kung Ayaw Mo Na Sa Akin, Dear Kuya, and Wag Ka Nang Umiyak are all from this album.
SUGARFREE Live! with the Manila Symphony Orchestra
In September of 2007, SUGARFREE held its first major concert at the Music Museum. With them performed a 33-piece Manila Symphony Orchestra. The unprecedented event was captured in a 2-disc live album entitled SUGARFREE Live! with the Manila Symphony Orchestra, released the following year.
Mornings and Airports
It’s been three years from the time SUGARFREE released its last studio album. Since then, SUGARFREE has found themselves stealing catnaps in nearly every airport around the country on route to their next destination. This is the reason for the title of their newest album Mornings and Airports.
Isang DEKADA
What a ride it has been. In ten years, SUGARFREE managed to carve its name in local music history. The band now enjoys the fruits of their hard work and perseverance through countless hit songs, commercial endorsements (San Miguel Beer, Pugad Dencio’s, AlactaGrow) and a continued steady line-up of gigs.
In celebration of its 10th year anniversary, SUGARFREE returns to the Music Museum with the Manila Symphony Orchestra. The 2-night concert aptly called DEKADA happens on August 28 and 29, 2009.
AWARDS
2003
NU 107 Rock Awards: Best New Artist
NU 107 Rock Awards: Best Album for “Sa Wakas”
2004
17th Awit Awards: Best Rock for “Mariposa”
17th Awit Awards: Best Alternative for “Burn Out”
2005
18th Awit Awards: Best Video for “Hari ng Sablay”
Gold Record Award (15,000 units) for “Dramachine” by September, 2005
2007
20th Awit Awards: Best Album Packaging
download SUGARFREE Band Profile here
41 Comments
anu po name num isang sessionist nyo sa guitars
Steve Gonzales has been sessioning for SUGARFREE since late last year. This year he alternates with Ardie de Guzman.
that sessionist always in a cap is bodgie. he is the band’s roadie by day and rockstar guitarist by night. hahaha! i think they may be getting a real sessionist soon, though. let’s wait and see
thanks for asking, and buti na lang alam ko yung sagot hehe. rock on!
hi! interestingly a quisumbing. we are tracing our relatives. any e-mail add? check out the q-website ask google. so, who are your parents? my sister plays the keyboard… she was in japan and still speaks japanese… not sure what dialect – nippongo or whatever. – hopefully we meet someday.
hello “sweet”
i’ve forwarded your comment to kaka quisumbing 
hello ma’am karin, i think it would be cool if sugarfree would remake the song “simula” by mojofly. lougee’s version is good but i guess it’ll be cool if there’s a male version too, thru ebe.
bagay yung tugtugan sa sugarfree.
if you wanna here the song, here:
by the way iam not affiliated with whoever made the video,
just found it when i was searching for “simula” on youtube.
wish ko lang, sana remake niyo po, hihi, thank you..and more power to sugarfree
I love that song (favorite ko among their songs nung wala na ako). When I first heard it, I remember it was in Olonggapo one time that I booked them, I liked it right away! It was written by our former guitarist Allan Elgar.
Thanks for the suggestion
hi mam karin,
congrats for being their new manager. btw, no offense meant, just want to ask why they keep on changing managers, i think you’re already no. 4 or 5. what happened na to their previous managers. i noticed kasi na in every album that they release which i have all, iba-iba ang manager.
johnny yu
hi johnny!
thanks!
as for your question…(i always tell artists that) an artist-manager relationship is just like any other relationship (romantic, friendship…). you commit, you grow together, and sometimes you simply have to move on. it is very rare that artists stay with only one manager (their first). lamang pa nga somewhat ang ibang klase ng relationship eh kasi only two people are involved. sa banda, madami, mas may effort para magkasundo sa mga bagay bagay.
sugarfree was with EMI management for over 3 years. that’s 1/3 of their entire career (read: a long time) since they celebrate 10 years this 2009
K.
hi karin!.. i got a reply from ebe and he mentioned that you forwarded my email to his another email add. maraming salamat.. this means alot to me. ive been their fan since i was 15 and now, im 23
thank you karin.. mabuhay ang sugarfree!
you’re welcome. we hope to see you at the concert on either august 27 or 28
hi ms. karin.. i started to love the band sugarfree since they visited our school ncba taytay,rizal..i really appreciated the band and their songs.. this is the first time i’d like an alternative band kasi d maxadong maingay ung type of music and yet really cool tlaga esp. ung mga moves ni ebe..that night was really fun..hope i can see the big events of your band.. thanks more power to you as the new manager and to the band..godbless
Pia Aquino! I have a friend named Pia Aquino (but she is much much older than you for sure)
Anyway, I’m glad you were there and that you were, um, converted
Thanks for leaving a comment.
hi sugarfree!:D ako nga pla si ker ng bandang hotsi patootsi! naalala nyo pa ba kami sirs?hehehehe kami yung finalist ng soundskool 2007 at kayo ang mentor band namin! astig talaga ang collab natin sir ebe sa mariposa! idol! godbless at keep it up! aabangan ko yung bagong album nyo!
share ko lang yung moments ko with sugarfree! panoorin nyo!
Ser, may new album na ang sugarfree. title nito ay mornings and airports.
ms. karin
good day, i just wanna ask where can we buy the tickets for the upcoming concert of sugarfree on aug 27 or 28. i look forward to see and meet sugarfree again…kasi when i watched them i wasn’t able to take pics.with them.thanks and more power.
pia aquino
Hi again.
The tickets are not yet out as of this time. But we will announce once when these are available. The tickets will be sold at Music Museum and TicketWorld for sure.
Excited ka na ba? Ako, excited na
~KarinA
yes ms.karin im really excited to see them again…if possible nga lng if i can see all their gigs i will…hope to update me early so i can for the ticket..thanks and godbless
hi ms. karin!!! Good day I just wanna ask if we are allowed to view webcam of sugarfree @ sugarfree_recording @ ym..thanks i was trying to connect po kaya lang wala response thanks a lot..more power and godbless..
Hi there. Webcam is not always on. The next recording is on June 2 (I think). We will most likely turn it on then. I usually send updates on Plurk or in the mailing list. Oh, and Facebook, too. So please check those sites. Thanks!
t.y. ms. karin ill wait for june 2
kakatuwa nung kinanta ng sugarfree ang overdrive d2 sa lucena hehehe astig!
hi ms. kai, i’ve met sugarfree in person last july 20 in magic899 for their radio tour and got a chance to have a pics with ebe. i’m a lurker fan of sugarfree since their wakas album and have watched them perform live a couple of times already. i really love their music style and composition. hope to catch them in their upcoming anniversary concert besides of my busy work sked….
nice meeting u too ms. kai, i was sitting beside u outside the magic both last july 20
thanx!!!
actually, it’s karin (not kai
). are you the son on ms. nona?
Sa wakas at 10 years na rin ang Sugarfree ngayong August. Ipagpatuloy ang paggawa ng magandang musika. Kita kits uli next time.
hey guys please give my regards to ardie..we used to be a band mate during our high school days…more success to your group and sana magtuloy-tuloy na sa inyo si ardie..
ah curios lng pow,,,, hu is allan??? hehehe ^_^
btw,,, the DEKADA was sow awesome!!!!!!!!!!!! more power to you guys
@ebe john lloyd pla ah whahahaha
hi ate karin! ako po ung makulit na tawag ng tawag sayo para magpa-reserve ng tkets for Dekada concert.. Grabe! it was one of the greatest concert i’ve ever seen.. I was at seat 408 that time, at the 28th.. Mejo kaharap ko na nga si Kuya Ebe when he sang Tulog na at the stairs of the stage. Hehe!
Every song send shivers to me.. Goose Bumps, especially on my favorites Wag Ka Nang Umiyak and Wala Nang Hihilingin.. I hope every Filipino should get a copy of Sugarfree’s album. They inspired a lot of people, including me.
More power to Sugarfree. Regards kay Kuya Ebe, Kaka and Jal. Rock On!
saya nung concert noh?
sugarfree!!nice band una ko napanood sila ng live sa oddesey megamall..galing nila acoustic lang..naalala ko sinabi ni ebe na bili na kayo na album sabay pakita ng pantalon niyang sira ang yung dulong laylayan..para pambili ng bagong pantalon…hehehe…completo ako ng album nila sana sa next na mga gig nila mapapirmahan ko..hehe..gudluck sa nu album..
hi ms karin,
im an employee of ICT and they were on our xmas party as one of the guests…ever since lage ko na po sila npapakinggan and really maganda talaga ang mga kanta nila.but after i saw them performed at nasa harap ko lang si ebe baket naun ko lang napagtanto na super fan pala ako. god i miss half of my life (joke) and then sa dami ng nandun na malapit lang, ako ung napili nyang bigyan ng shirt nya. nahiya na akong ikiss sya ulit kasi ilang beses ko na xa ninakawan ng hug and kiss. i really adore u ebe..good luck guys..hope to be updated…
may tanong po ako… lumabas po ba as DVD copy yung SUGARFREE Live! with the Manila Symphony Orchestra??? gusto ko pop sana bumili…
GOOD JOB for making Trend Micro Christmas Party a blast!!! sobrang galing talaga nila mag-perform. no words to describe this group kundi PHENOMENAL.
unfortunately, neither the 2007 nor the 2009 concerts will be released on DVD.
hi everybody,,im nico,,taga bataan po ako,,ang saya nung nand2 kau,,mst unfrgtble xprience un,,sana mauli,,goodluck to all of u..tnx ms karin
ahh ms karin pde ba mamili ng mga albums ng sugarfree online,,,?
Goodday Sugarfree,
How you goin guys!!! just wanna say congratulation guys to the new album “Mornings and airports” i really really like it,your 1st album guys “Sa Wakas” helped me alot to finish my Thesis,”7yrs ago” thats the time i become one of your avid fan,well i bought all your albums,it was so cool listening to OPM music again.i just appreciate how ebe’s telling he’s stories thru lyrics and melodies,i can relate most of ebe’s compostion,i appreciate your talent mate,you done a good job!!!
Hi From Queensland Australia !!
Aaron Alcantara
see you later in Apalit, Pampanga, SUGARFREE! we’re very excited.
a few years back, as a junior in college, i witnessed a small gig in los banos for a fresh new band that had a few songs playing constantly in the radio, and was there to support my frat brod who will be opening for them. the crowd was small, barely packed room, but they were good. i thought back then, well, i do hope they make it mainstream. and they did.
they were sugarfree, so fresh, so young, so new.
the day i returned to my room in Marikina after it was ravaged by Ondoy September 2009, i was trying to hold back the tears welling in my eyes as i try to scavenge for my stuff on the floor hoping that is was unscathed by the flood. i saw my ipod and wiped away the grime that was stuck to it and turned it on, hoping that there was an inkling of life left in it. i started to cry, thinking how i could recover from all that happened. miraculously, it did turn on. the song it played was Sugarfree’s Wag Ka Nang Umiyak.
two days ago, i was there in eastwood to say goodbye to the band that made up my college life in los banos, just thinking, hey, you got me thru my darkest day back in marikina, might as well be there to say, this is farewell, for now. i hope to see you guys back together soon.
Happy Birthday sa isang malupit na banda! HBD Sugarfree