Jigger Divina Of Locked Down Entertainment On The Balance Between DJ And Management: “Both are music– Either way, I love what I’m doing.”

When Jigger Divina takes off his managerial and administrative hats as founder of Locked Down Entertainment, he channels his creativity into a different outlet — DJ-ing.

At the recent Billboard Philippines X Cosmos event, which took place last September 19, 2025, Divina took over the decks for a night of P-pop, hip-hop, and hits galore. Mixing and melting genres seamlessly into each other, the label founder brought life into the venue before P-pop acts ALAMAT, G22, and KAIA took the stage.

As his nine-to-five, Divina manages the likes of some of the Philippines’ most prominent names in the indie scene, like bird., Pedicab, Tarsius, The Diegos, Cheats, and more. Outside of that role, he turns to DJ-ing as an outlet to relieve stress and stay connected to music on a more personal level. This practice helps him keep in touch with the ever-evolving landscape of Philippine music, where he explores

In an exclusive interview with Billboard Philippines, Jigger Divina of Locked Down Entertainment shares his perspective on balancing DJ-ing and management, supporting different genres, and the future of P-pop.

Billboard Philippines: How are you feeling after your set tonight?

Jigger Divina: Lovely! I wasn’t expecting something but right after my set, I saw the crowd, and I think they’re happy.

Well, I can attest we had a great time listening to you spin tonight!

When you switch hats from the managerial and operational role as the founder of Locked Down Entertainment to this more artistic output as a DJ, what are the most essential parts of each role you carry from one to another?

Both kasi [are] music, well — either way, I love what I’m doing. It’s either managing, still, music, DJ-ing is still music. The difference lang is that, well both naman I’ve been doing for years already. The difference is that [for DJ-ing] I’m the one making the party, the other one is that I’m the one instructing how to lead the party. In my managerial role, there’s a business side to it as well.

(Both are music – either way, I love what I’m doing. Whether it’s managing, it’s still music; DJ-ing is still music. The only difference is that I’ve been doing both for years already, but with DJ-ing, I’m the one making the party, while in managing, I’m the one instructing how to lead the party. In my managerial role, there’s also the business side to it.)

So, it’s not naman the serious side, it’s still fun. But it’s still different; administrative kasi ‘yung work, practice lang ‘yung music and getting songs. Both are okay because in both I’m still working with music. I listen to music all the time — I need to listen to new stuff.

(So, it’s not necessarily the ‘serious’ side, but it’s still different – the work is administrative, while with DJ-ing, it’s just about practicing and getting songs ready. Both are fine because in both, I’m still working with music. I listen to music all the time –—I need to listen to new stuff.)

Would you say it helps that you’re exposed to so much music when you’re working with your artists?

Every gig, I can hear some new music, and I can hear some inspirations from some of my artists. That’s what I do talaga (really) — I listen to new music. Every Friday, there’s new releases. As long as I can do it, I try to listen to them all. Basta (In any case), I try to get new music.

You’ve previously described Locked Down as your 9-to-5, would you consider spinning as your 5-to-9? What makes this an important outlet for you?

Yes, it is an important outlet for me. Working with Locked Down as a manager, it’s the same with any role working with other people — there’s stress. So, to relieve my stress, I DJ. When I get home after the office — sometimes, I do work from home din — so, “Sige (All right), I have time to DJ, I’ll DJ.” So, now it’s more time to DJ because my kid loves to DJ as well. 

Tonight, we’re hosting P-pop groups KAIA, ALAMAT, and G22. With your perspective from Locked Down that has yet to explore P-pop, what’s something that makes this new wave valuable to the scene?

I don’t handle P-pop yet, but that doesn’t mean I’m anti-P-pop or the establishment, but I love it. Like I told you a while ago, I listen to different releases and new music every day. So, ALAMAT, G22, and KAIA, I’ve heard about already, I’m excited to see them. I love it! I love P-pop, and I hope it gets bigger.

Actually, it’s so big na in the Philippines, but I hope BINI’s set at Coachella will really bring something out [culturally]. I really root for them; they can bring a wider audience outside. Us (Locked Down) naman kasi, yeah, we go international, but niche pa (still). So, I hope a lot of them can explore outside.

On that note, Locked Down was originally created as a hip-hop label, but has now shifted into the more indie and alternative side. What do you think these phenomena speak about the music diversity in the Philippines?

Me kasi, I started with hip-hop. I grew up dominantly with hip-hop, but that doesn’t mean that I’m not listening to other genres. When I started Locked Down, ‘yun ‘yung goal, to be multi-genre, or a genre-breaking company. Before kasi, [the culture was like] “Ito lang ako, I’m hip-hop lang.” I’m so glad now kasi they can mash up everything. Even at gigs, there’s different genres per act at gigs. So, I love it now.

(For me, I started with hip-hop. I grew up mainly with hip-hop, but that doesn’t mean I wasn’t listening to other genres. That was the goal—even when I started Locked Down, the goal was to be multi-genre, or a genre-breaking company. Back then, the culture was like, ‘This is just who I am, I’m only hip-hop.’ I’m really glad that now, they can mash up everything. Even at gigs, there are different genres per act. So, I love how it is now.)

Locked Down has built a reputation for cultivating artists across different genres. What qualities do you look for when deciding to bring someone into the roster?

First is, I should love their music. Second is, dapat pwede ko sila i-hang out. ‘Cause I’ll stay with them. It’s not just about the music, but the first reaction should be, “Oh, I love the music!” Then titingnan ko, “Okay, can I hang with them? Because I’ll be with them every night.” So, ‘yun ‘yung pangalawa, as long na pwede ko sila katambay. If I love their music and pwede sila katambay, then yes.

(First is, I should love their music. Second is, I should be able to hang out with them — because I’ll be staying with them. It’s not just about the music, but the first reaction should be, ‘Oh, I love the music!’ Then I’ll see, ‘Okay, can I hang out with them? Because I’ll be with them every night.’ So that’s the second — as long as I can hang out with them. If I love their music and I can hang out with them, then yes.)

So if you were to host a P-pop group in Locked Down, what are some critical elements you’d be looking for?

Right now kasi, hindi pa ako well-versed — I’m just a fan. So, hindi ko siya naiiisip hopefully I can bring P-pop to Locked Down. Eventually, we’ll do that. For now, I’m just enjoying what I’m seeing, I’m not entirely studying it yet. It all started with the song “Pantropiko,” sabi ko, “Okay, sige nga! Pakinggan ko nga sila.” Pero, ang shallow ko pa, because I’m still at the level where I love the music, pero hindi ko pa pinag-aralan what they do behind the scenes. Pero, papunta na ako dun.

(Right now, I’m not well-versed yet — I’m just a fan. So I haven’t really thought about it, but hopefully I can bring P-pop into Locked Down. Eventually, we’ll get there. For now, I’m just enjoying what I’m seeing; I’m not really studying it yet. It all started with the song ‘Pantropiko,’ and I said, ‘Okay, let me listen to them.’ But I’m still pretty shallow about it, because I’m still at the stage where I just love the music, but I haven’t studied what they do behind the scenes. But I’m getting there.)

With your current view of P-pop, what’s a group you would like to recruit for Locked Down?

They’re all big na eh, I don’t know how I would recruit them when they’re all so established. The plan, actually, is, eventually I hope I could hope I could do the solo stuff of the members of BINI or SB19. So, kunyari, dumating sa point na, one of the girls, kunyari Aiah, would go solo. I would love to be the one handling that.

(They’re all big already, and I don’t know how I could recruit them when they’re all so established. The plan, actually, is that eventually I hope I could work on the solo projects of the members of BINI or SB19. For example, if it reaches a point where one of the girls — let’s say, Aiah — goes solo, I would love to be the one handling that.)

I love that, since they all have such distinct colors and identities, too.

I’m not thinking of it na, “I hope I can get them,” kasi wala na — established na sila. But, I hope when it gets to the point that they wanna do solo stuff, kami na ‘yan.

(I’m not thinking of it like, “I hope I can get them,” because the opportunity’s lost – they’re already established. But, I hope when it gets to the point that they wanna do solo stuff, it’ll be our turn.)

Do you have any upcoming projects or releases from your artists that we can look forward to?

Pedicab just released a single! My artist Gloryen just released a song a while ago. I think Oh! Flamingo is gonna release a new song in November. We just released Pedicab, Gloryen, Kim Leo, and Cheats. So, the plan is the album and a tour, so Pedicab will have a tour. ‘Yun ‘yung mga (Those are the) releases, then the usual projects — there will be campus gigs early next year, then a lot of projects from releases to tours.