Newsletter: Young Cocoa celebrates a tale of two cities in new song “Fadeaway”

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Filipino hip-hop artist Young Cocoa expresses great respect and honor to the two places that he calls home in a crossover track bursting with lush sounds and sophisticated melodies.

Newsletter: Ben&Ben drops envelope-pushing single “Could Be Something,” announces international tour

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After drawing more than 60 thousand fans for their homecoming concert last year and gaining accolades for their performance at Hong Kong’s Clockenflap Music & Arts Festival 2023, Filipino nine-piece collective Ben&Ben marks the introduction of a new era with the release of “Could Be Something” on June 30, Friday at midnight.

The Fête de la Musique 2023 Experience

06/22/2023 04:50:29 PM

It's that time of the year again when music is celebrated worldwide. Moreover, this marks the first time in the last four years that the Makati-based Pocket Stages of Fête de la Musique will be set on a Saturday. Before this, the 2022 edition saw several pocket stages take place on a Friday night with a less crowded atmosphere practically everywhere.

Newsletter: From Sea to Sky: UPD-CS scientists feted for pioneering research

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From the deepest stretches of the ocean to the farthest reaches of the sky, Filipino scientists are adding to humanity’s collective knowledge of the world. Their efforts have not gone unsung, as recent explorations by University of the Philippines-Diliman College of Science (UPD-CS) researchers have earned acclaim from both national and international scientific and award-giving bodies.

Newsletter: Ebe Dancel to headline first major concert in Cebu City

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Filipino singer-songwriter Ebe Dancel will be staging his first major concert in Cebu on August 5, 2023 (Saturday), from 7pm onwards, at the Pacific Grand Ballroom in the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino.

Newsletter: "Ear Hub 2023" proudly returns to Hong Kong! (28 June - 2 July)

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Ear Hub 2023 proudly returns! Presented by Ear Up Music by Renaissance Foundation, Ear Hub this year brings you 5 days of exciting music and programs, connecting local and global musicians and industry stakeholder in the city of Hong Kong.

Newsletter: Jemay Santiago marks new chapter in her career with R&B-inspired debut single “May Iba Na Ba”

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Sony Music Entertainment has recently signed Filipino newcomer Jemay Santiago, whose hypnotic persona and sultry singing style serve as a great addition to the label’s diverse pool of talented music acts. 

Marikina City, the Beasts of Live Music in the East

06/26/2023 12:10:02 PM

Since the resumption of the world back into normalcy, the events industry has experienced a sort of resurgence – or a rebirth, if some may say. Although, unfortunately, some of our favorite places have closed shop for us live music lovers, 2022 (or even as early as late 2021) saw an opening for some venues around the Metro.

Before the sudden shutdown, Novaliches slowly made their way for all the music and merry making the Northern people badly craved. Pasig and even Taytay in Rizal province also joined the budding trend of staging music halls. And no, this isn't biased because I was a Marikina resident since birth.

The year 2022, though, saw the emergence of Marikina City in setting up its network of places that would cater to those who clamor for live music. 

Newsletter: Filipino bedroom-pop soloist raven relives teenage romantic encounter in new song “Sinta”

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Filipino singer-songwriter/producer raven expresses affection towards his special someone in the new single “Sinta,” out today via Sony Music Entertainment.

Flick Peek: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

06/16/2023 11:05:42 AM

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 movie poster (Disney.PH)

May 2023 is somehow monumental for me as a seldom movie watcher. If we talk about Marvel Cinematic Universe here, this marked my tenth year since the first time watching a MCU movie. And sure, I may not be able to watch every single flick since then. However, I never missed a time of seeing both the first and second installments of Guardians of The Galaxy at the cinemas. 

Newsletter: BIG NAMES, NEWBIES JOIN CAST OF RAMA, HARI

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Some of the hottest names in today’s music and theatre scene are taking on major roles in the hit Filipino rock opera ballet, RAMA, HARI, which features direction and choreography by National Artist Alice Reyes and music by National Artist Ryan Cayabyab, with lyrics and libretto by National Artist Bienvenido Lumbera, Production design by National Artist Salvador Bernal and Translations by National Artist Rolando Tinio. 

Newsletter: STEPHANIE POETRI RELEASES HER NEW SINGLE “ASTROLOGICALLY ILLOGICAL” OUT NOW VIA INFINITE THRILLS/88RISING

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The Indonesian-born, Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter Stephanie Poetri has released her bold and delightfully cheeky new single “Astrologically Illogical,” out today via Infinite Thrills/88Rising. While her music has been known for its soft, ethereal qualities that come through in her stunning alto voice, this song marks an exciting new chapter of powerful vocals, edgy lyrical prowess, and a healthy dose of indie-pop/indie-rock inspiration that is part of Poetri’s musical DNA. With this single, Poetri is inserting daring feminine energy into the pop-rock world.

 

Newsletter: UP marine, computer scientists invent semi-automated fish monitoring device

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A diver carefully installs a stereo camera for FishDrop, a semi-automated fish census technology developed by UP scientists. (Photo credit: Prospero Naval, Jr., and Laura T. David)

Monitoring the health of marine environments is a laborious activity, but is essential for evaluating the success of reef protection and rehabilitation initiatives. A fish census commonly involves divers swimming along a transect line, usually marked by a plastic cord, and visually counting and identifying the fish species that they encounter. This painstaking process requires trained experts and highly knowledgeable divers to accurately record data on species, size, and abundance.

Newsletter: NIKI RELEASES VISUAL FOR “THE APARTMENT WE WON’T SHARE”

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Photo by Natt Lim

Jakarta-born, LA-based singer-songwriter, and producer NIKI releases the visual for her track “The Apartment We Won’t Share.”

StopOver: Unknown13 Pub

06/16/2023 05:01:01 PM

Everyone knows I live near Katipunan, so that said – and as a music lover – Route 196 was one of the places that immediately rang a bell to me. Unfortunately, the pandemic made them close shop, igniting the untimely demise of live music in the area for a few years. 

Newsletter: RISING STAR MK xyz DECLARES “NO BOYS ALLOWED” ON SCORCHING NEW SINGLE & MUSIC VIDEO

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Kickstarting a new era, Filipino-American quadruple-threat, singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor, MK xyz (pronouns: she/they) returns with a brand new single and music video entitled “No Boys Allowed” via Epic Records and RZ3 Recordings.

Newsletter: FPG Insurance Launches New Insurance Products for Bikers and Cyclists Easy Application and Fast Claims with MyCyclingClub Mate & MyMotoClub Mate

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FPG Insurance is rolling out two new group insurance plans that provide coverage to users of bicycles and motorcycles.  

 

The Scene Around: Beatstroked Music Festival

06/16/2023 05:55:01 PM

I was invited to cover SM City Marikina's summer music event even years ago. Then, fast-forward to 2023. Amidst the busy schedule, I was fortunate to drop by the grounds of SM City Taytay to witness the latest edition of Beatstroked Music Festival. It also marked the first time I visited Rizal province for a music show of any capacity. 

Newsletter: Foo Fighters’ new album, But Here We Are receives glowing reviews from music critics

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Foo Fighters have finally dropped their eagerly awaited, hard-fought and already universally acclaimed new album, But Here We Are via Roswell Records/RCA Records/Sony Music Entertainment.

The ConQuest Problematic Experience

06/16/2023 04:10:25 PM

It is no secret that ConQuest is one of the biggest annual conventions recently. The weekend-long event, however, was also plagued by criticism attributed to its mishaps from a logistical point of view.

Newsletter: DANCEHALL ARTIST ISHAWNA AND GRAMMY AWARD WINNING ED SHEERAN TEAM UP FOR ‘BRACE IT’ OFFICAL MUSIC VIDEO

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One of the leading voices of a new generation of female dancehall artists, Ishawna, has teamed up with Ed Sheeran for the ‘Brace It’  music video, Ed’s first official dancehall collaboration.

Newsletter: More youth join PLDT, Smart’s mental health awareness campaign

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In celebration of the National Mental Health Awareness Month, PLDT and Smart, through the Better Today program, featured advocates in a conversation episode, including Mark Averilla or “Macoy Dubs”, Riyan Portuguez or “Your Millennial Psychologist”, Ali Sangalang of Linya-Linya, and General Santos Sangguniang Kabataan Federation President John Demdam.

 

Newsletter: Acronis Simplifies Endpoint Security with New EDR Solution

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Acronis, the global leader in cyber protection, announced the general availability of Acronis Advanced Security + Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR) for Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud. With new capabilities such as AI-based attack analysis, Acronis EDR reduces complexity and simplifies workflows for a more streamlined operation, making it easier than ever for MSPs and the businesses they serve to deploy comprehensive security and data protection. With more organizations turning to MSPs for their backup and security needs, and with a greater need for simplicity and efficiency, Acronis EDR aims to expand the adoption of advanced security capabilities, helping organizations of all sizes better protect themselves. 

Newsletter: beep™ powers QR payment in LRT1, enhancing commuting experience

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AF Payments, Inc.,  the operator of the beep card, is pleased to announce the successful launch of Maya’s and Light Rail Manila Corporation’s (LRMC) QR payment system in LRT1. This new and convenient payment option—which is enabled by beep’s technology—was warmly received by the train commuters, who can now effortlessly purchase QR codes through their smart phones.

Newsletter: Platinum Duo DVBBS Joins Forces with Grammy-Nominated Jeremih and SK8 for Electronic/Dance and R&B Infused Summer Anthem "Crew Thang." Out Now on Ultra Records

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Canadian brothers DVBBS teams up with Grammy-nominated R&B artist Jeremih and singer-songwriter SK8 for "Crew Thang," a genre-bending collaboration. The track's unique style rides on dynamic melodies and groovy house basslines, all wrapped up with upbeat but velveteen vocals for a perfect balance of sexy and fun. This combination makes for the perfect anthem, launching this year's summer season, making unforgettable memories, and doing your own crew thang on or off the dance floor. It follows DVBBS's "Synergy" with Timmy Trumpet from last month, "Next To You" with Loud Luxury and Kane Brown from February, and the cheeky "SH SH SH (Hit That)" with Wiz Khalifa, Urfavxboyfriend and Goldsoul from the same month, also on Ultra Records. Jeremih recently released "Chose You" with French Montana, and earlier his solo single "Changes" on Def Jam/Universal Music Group. Be on the lookout for an official music video for "Crew Thang," coming out very soon.

The OneRepublic Live Experience

06/16/2023 01:01:56 AM

I initially wrote a portion of this piece last March 2023. But due to a buttload of commitments in over two and a half months, it was a struggle to get back to writing (yup, that includes finishing this piece). I rarely attend large-scale music shows. That said, OneRepublic's live concert at the Big Dome was the first international concert I attended since Mike Shinoda in September 2019.

OneRepublic first came to my consciousness when they hit the Manila Contemporary Hit radio scene with their song with Timbaland (Apologize) in the second half of 2007, or during my first months as a college student. Little did I know that 16 years later, I would take a trip down memory lane.

As someone who rarely goes to arena concerts, seeing Ryan Tedder and the entire crew can be a mind-blowing experience like, "Really, you'll be seeing OneRepublic despite hearing very few tracks from them?"

The Dexcon Experience

06/15/2023 08:59:43 AM

Sometimes, I wonder whether I should be writing something about this event that happened nearly a couple of months ago, or not.

But for all we know, we have missed wrestling viewing parties – and I mean the real thing when people gather up and watch the shows together even if it's just at a sports bar, or any other regular venue. Hell, nothing beats the feeling of hanging around with friends and random people who share the same interest as yours that is pro wrestling. 

Newsletter: UPS PHILIPPINES RENEWS COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY DURING GLOBAL VOLUNTEER MONTH

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As part of the company’s annual Global Volunteer Month activities, employees from UPS teamed up with charitable organizations in Quezon City, Muntinlupa and Cebu to reinforce UPS’s commitment to giving back to the communities it serves around the world. 

The Scene Around: F&D Sessions - SITTI Live at 19 East

06/11/2023  10:27:49 AM

The date was May 31, 2023. A rainy Wednesday afternoon ignited one of the worst traffic situations recently. Hell, it took me four and a half hours from my place in Marikina City to go to a music hall that's approximately 26 kilometers far.

Newsletter: Fra Lippo Lippi’s two-day concert in the Philippines, happening this week!

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Fra Lippo Lippi will be staging a two-day concert this week: The Theatre at Solaire on June 16, 2023, Friday, and the Santa Rosa Sports Complex on June 17, 2023, Saturday.

Newsletter: grentperez RELEASES HIGHLY ANTICIPATED EP 'WHEN WE WERE YOUNGER'

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Once again proving his endless versatility as an artist, rising star grentperez has released his highly anticipated EP ‘When We Were Younger’ and focus track "Stuck On You", out now everywhere via AWAL and Fast Friends. Fans can stream the new track and EP here: grentperez.ffm.to/whenwewereyounger

Newsletter: Filipino newcomer Benj Pangilinan steps into the spotlight with debut single “Love, That’s Rare”

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Benj Pangilinan forges his own path in the music industry as one of Sony Music Entertainment’s newest recording artists in 2023. 

Newsletter: 88RISING X PORSCHE EMPOWER THAI ARTISTS TO ACHIEVE THEIR DREAMS

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In celebration of three decades of enduring passion in Thailand, Porsche has announced a partnership with pioneering global music and media company 88rising, to empower aspiring Thai artists to achieve their dreams. The two iconic brands will work together to provide a platform, #DreamsinColours, for up-and-coming Thai artists to showcase their music and embark on a journey to achieve greatness.

Newsletter: STEVE AOKI AND JJ LIN COLLABORATE ON ELECTRIFYING ANTHEM “THE SHOW”

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2x-Grammy nominated, multi-platinum artist, producer and DJ Steve Aoki, has joined forces with chart-topping international sensation JJ Lin to create a stellar new track that energizes and motivates to never give up on the hustle, aptly titled “The Show.” The single is the first release from FLUXGEN, a new partnership between Steve Aoki and 88rising, the pioneering music company representing the best of Asian talent. Supported by the unique identity of 88rising and Steve Aoki, FLUXGEN is a space encouraging invention, experimentation and unexpected sounds working in tandem. Including recorded music, live events and more, this genre-bending space serves as a platform for collaboration. One that challenges the traditional notion of a record label.

The Liwa Experience

10/20/2022 06:17:06 PM

There are some points in your life wherein you realize that you want to get out of the hustles and bustles of the city. A few years ago, my then-partner would take me to places totally out of my spectrum. Fast forward to the present day, and although I have been in a different phase now compared to 2019, I seem to find solace in this laid-back beach strip at the Westernmost part of Luzon Island.

Newsletter: KYLIE’S BRAND NEW SINGLE, ‘PADAM PADAM’, IS OUT

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Kylie’s return to making new music is always a joyful and celebratory event - and none more so than now, with the release of her insanely catchy new single, ‘Padam Padam’. The song, produced by Lostboy (Griff, Anne-Marie, Tiesto), encapsulates everything you love about this musical icon. From the euphoric vocals, to the ridiculously infectious chorus and the heart-thumping electronic drum beat - this is an instant Kylie classic. Listen here.

 

Newsletter: SLANDER Drops New Single “Wish I Could Forget” ft. blackbear and Bring Me The Horizon

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GRAMMY-nominated American electronic music duo and producers SLANDER (Derek Andersen and Scott Land) independently have released their new single “Wish I Could Forget” featuring multi-platinum-selling singer, songwriter, and producer blackbear and GRAMMY-nominated, multi-platinum-selling quintet Bring Me The Horizon. The collaboration – first teased live by SLANDER last summer to over 18,500 fans at the Long Beach Arena – is a true worlds colliding moment, uniquely bringing in the sounds of all three accomplished artists. Listen HERE.

Newsletter: PLDT Group, SM Store team up for best offers on Independence Day Weekend

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Customers can anticipate the best offers from PLDT Inc., Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart), Cignal, and Maya during the Supreme Independence Day promo happening on June 9 to 12, 2023 at SM Store.

Newsletter: Javier Parisi to perform in Manila for ‘IMAGINE: The Beatles Legacy’ concert

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Javier Parisi, the world’s greatest John Lennon tribute act, is set to grace the Philippine concert stage with his astounding talent and presence!

Newsletter: Acronis launches SOC Amplify, a 100-hour training program designed to address the cybersecurity talent gap in Singapore

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Acronis, a global leader in cyber protection, is proud to announce the launch of SOC Amplify, a groundbreaking 100-hour training program aimed at addressing the critical shortage of professionals in the cybersecurity industry. Commencing on June 1, 2023, this comprehensive course is specifically designed to equip individuals without any background in cybersecurity to become skilled SOC (Security Operations Center) professionals. SOC Amplify will provide hands-on training in cybersecurity tools and techniques, along with a solid understanding of cybersecurity concepts and best practices.

Newsletter: Overwhelmed security team? Here's how you can help them

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Feeling exhausted from monotonous tasks, becoming less focused at work, or feeling negative or cynical about one's job. These are symptoms of burnout and practically anyone in the workplace has already experienced this at some point in their life. In fact, it's so pervasive now that the World Health Organization (WHO) already classified it as an occupational phenomenon. 

Newsletter: Kesha shines a light on her dark depths on new album, Gag Order

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Pop superstar Kesha has released Gag Order, her fifth album and the crowning jewel of the GRAMMY-nominee’s eclectic and inspired discography to date. LISTEN HERE.

Newsletter: GUCCI announces Vietnamese Superstar Sơn Tùng M-TP as the exclusive “Friend of the House” in Vietnam

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Luxury fashion brand GUCCI has recently announced Vietnamese superstar Sơn Tùng M-TP as the exclusive "Friend of the House" (FOH) in Vietnam. Sơn Tùng M-TP's ambassadorship with GUCCI represents a significant milestone, as he becomes the first male FOH for GUCCI in Vietnam, further strengthening the brand's connection with the Vietnamese audience.

Newsletter: SB19 drops new single “GENTO!”

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Multi-awarded Filipino boy group SB19 drops their latest single “GENTO,” giving fans a glimpse of what is to come for the group’s much awaited “PAGTATAG!” era. 

Newsletter: Love Again (Soundtrack from the Motion Picture) pays tribute to the exceptional work of Celine Dion

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Sony Music Entertainment and Columbia Records have finally released LOVE AGAIN (Soundtrack from The Motion Picture). The 14-track album features five new Celine Dion songs, including the title track, “Love Again,” and the latest song, “I’ll Be.” 

Newsletter: Renaissance XX: Two Decades of Driven Art Direction at SM Megamall Art Center Set from June 3-28

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Way back in 2003, a new gallery introduced itself to the Philippine art scene. Christened with the engaging and appropriate name Renaissance – the French word meaning rebirth – the gallery was the brainchild of Manuel and Agnes Romero.

Newsletter: Selling your verified digital wallet? Think again

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The recent spate of selling and even rental of verified digital wallets in the country should not be taken lightly. It is, in fact, alarming because its owners or account holders risk losing their identities with far-reaching consequences, according to cybersecurity and digital privacy company Kaspersky.