This year’s festival deepens its commitment to artistic exchange through KEXP, KOREA SPOTLIGHT, and new cross-cultural initiatives

AXEAN Festival has unveiled the second group of performers set to take the stage at this year’s event, adding another dynamic lineup of acclaimed, rising, and breakthrough artists from across Asia and other parts of the world.

Continuing its mission to spotlight the richness and diversity of the global music scene, the newly announced acts span a wide range of musical styles. The lineup features everything from indie rock, alternative pop, electronic jazz, and soul to hip-hop, progressive rock, experimental music, modern MOR, dream pop, and contemporary Asian sounds, reflecting the festival’s commitment to celebrating creativity across genres.

Wave two lineup

Joining the roster are Aelea (Indonesia), Arivu (India/TuneCore India Showcase), Basboi (Indonesia), Bishnu Paneru (Philippines), brkfstblend (Japan), Cactus Cactus (Singapore), can’t be Blue (South Korea), Ciggarats (Vietnam), Clever Moose (Indonesia), Crystal Murray (France/United States), D’MASIV (Indonesia), Drizzly (Indonesia), El Karmoya (Indonesia), Emptyyy (Indonesia), Feral Stripes (Indonesia), GEE EXCLSV (Philippines), Gavendri (Indonesia), GENIUS Flow (Laos), Given (Indonesia), hailinhtasm (Vietnam), Laze and Mardial (Indonesia), Littlefingers (Indonesia), Litty (Japan), Mayu (Japan), MRCH (South Korea), Nerd Connection (South Korea), Olsam (Indonesia), Silly Silky (South Korea), and YuuHai (Cambodia).

Collectively, this year’s roster reinforces AXEAN Festival’s longstanding commitment to championing musical discovery while creating valuable opportunities for cultural exchange, regional connectivity, and international collaboration. Beyond its showcase performances, AXEAN Festival continues to develop programs, conversations, and initiatives that address the most pressing issues that affect or shape the region’s music ecosystem.

AXEAN Festival co-founder David Siow adds, “Every year there are new developments in each Southeast Asian music scene—be it new artists, new movements, new companies, or even new geopolitics. We strive to address and serve as a bridge, connecting the relevant artists and delegates to each other and allowing for them to meet each other and form organic relationships, all in the hopes that we can build a better future together. If you come to AXEAN Festival, you are tapping into a community that grows and builds with you.”

Live on KEXP makes its Asian debut at AXEAN Festival

Among this year’s key milestones is the landmark partnership with KEXP, the internationally renowned Seattle-based public radio station and music platform celebrated for championing independent artists worldwide.

For the first time ever, Live on KEXP will record in Asia, with select artists performing exclusive live sessions during the AXEAN Festival. The collaboration represents an important step forward in increasing the global visibility of Southeast Asian independent music.

“KEXP exists to help artists reach a global audience,” shares Chris Sanley, Executive Producer of Live on KEXP. “While we live in a world that makes it easy for us to connect online, we know there are significant barriers keeping artists from coming to our studio in Seattle to record a Live on KEXP session. For nearly two decades we’ve been sending our team to international music-centered events to record live performances with artists from outside the US, anchored by the idea of going to the music rather than waiting for it to come to us. Diana’s work on our radio show, Eastern Echoes, and her commitment to showcasing and highlighting independent artists from Asia, inspired us to bring Live on KEXP to the Asian continent for the first time.”

For Diana Ratsamee, host of KEXP’s Eastern Echoes, the partnership offers an opportunity to reshape how the world experiences Asian music. “In American and international media, our stories have long been underrepresented and our music boxed into narrow definitions and expectations. KEXP’s show, Eastern Echoes exists to reflect the incredible breadth of sounds that make up our Asian communities, and this partnership with AXEAN Festival will expand on that work in amazing ways.”

KOREA SPOTLIGHT partnership

AXEAN Festival also welcomes KOREA SPOTLIGHT, the flagship K-Music showcase presented by South Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism (MCST), and the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA).

Since its launch in 2017, KOREA SPOTLIGHT has introduced outstanding Korean artists to audiences around the world. This year’s delegation is particularly significant, as it features four artists who all emerged from MUSE ON, KOCCA’s artist discovery and development program for promising new musicians.

Making their Indonesian debut, can’t be blue, MRCH. Nerd Connection, and Silly Silky will perform not only as part of AXEAN Festival’s showcase program but also at a dedicated KOREA SPOTLIGHT showcase in Jakarta.

SEA URBAN: Putting a spotlight on Southeast Asia’s thriving hip-hop/R&B movement

Further expanding its programming, AXEAN Festival 2026 introduces SEA URBAN—a new platform dedicated to Southeast Asian hip-hop, rap, R&B, and contemporary urban music.

The initiative combines a curated showcase featuring some of the region’s most exciting urban artists with an accompanying industry panel examining the genre’s rapid growth, evolving identity, and increasing global impact.

“Hip-hop sits in an interesting place: it’s mainstream, trendy, and fashionable, but it also carries real weight because it resonates with the struggles of urban youth,” AXEAN Festival co-founder Piyapong Muenprasertdee reveals. “What sets Southeast Asian hip-hop apart is that each scene is shaped by where it came from, with artists weaving traditional sounds into their beats—which makes every country’s scene distinct and worth the world discovering. That’s why the showcase and panel matter: these scenes have mostly grown on their own, and putting them on a shared regional stage is how we help these voices travel further and collaborate across borders.”

Tickets for AXEAN Festival 2026 are now on sale through the festival’s official ticketing platform  www.loket.com/o/axeanfestival.

This year’s edition is co-presented by Jimbaran Hub as the venue partner and TuneCore as the main stage sponsor. Supporting the festival are EMPIRE as stage sponsor; the Embassy of France in Indonesia & Institut Français Indonesia, the Embassy of France in Singapore, Centre National de la Musique, Institut Français, KEXP, KOREA SPOTLIGHT, the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA), and the Republic of Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) as festival partners. Additional collaborators include The Orchard as VIP partner, MADVERSE as the primary sponsor of the songwriting camp, KSR and Musicway as secondary songwriting camp sponsors, Sounds Australia as the music exchange partner, Symphonic Distribution as the panel partner, PERMATA BANK as a supporting partner, and DEBEAT Sunset Road and Millers Records as equipment partners.

Following their acclaimed Lollapalooza Chicago debut, the quintet delivers a fearless bop that celebrates creative independence and reinvention

Watch the music video of “LAWLESS” here

Fresh from making history with their critically acclaimed debut performance at Lollapalooza in Chicago, SB19 has released their latest single, “LAWLESS,” which they premiered live for the very first time on one of the world’s most prestigious music festival stages.

“LAWLESS” marks a new direction for the award-winning quintet, transitioning from a locally established act to a global supergroup brand. In “LAWLESS,” SB19 declares that they’re an outlaw on the run: gutsy, more determined to take chances, and not the type to seek approval.

No longer constrained by conventional industry expectations, SB19’s latest bop sets their sights on disrupting the norm, reflecting a state of creative and career liberation. As the lyrics best describe it, “I’m lawless, better be cautious.”

Buoyed by maximalist production and cinematic soundscapes, “LAWLESS” takes P-Pop to a more sonically riveting ground, fusing hip-hop swagger with contemporary pop, Western, and surf rock influences.

Accompanying the release is an equally audacious but strikingly entertaining music video that subverts classic outlaw tropes through tongue-in-cheek homage to Western films. The visuals show SB19’s signature blend of wit, charisma, and boundary-pushing creativity.

SB19’s “LAWLESS” is out now on all digital music platforms worldwide via Sony Music Entertainment. Watch the music video here.

Production Credits:

Composers:

John Paulo Nase (RADKIDZ)

Joshua Daniel Nase (RADKIDZ)

Josh Cullen Santos

Tomas Costanza

Tim Gent

Charles Anthony Rangel

Lyricists:

John Paulo Nase (RADKIDZ)

Josh Cullen Santos

Tim Gent

Charles Anthony Rangel

Mixing Engineer: Emil Dela Rosa

Mastering Engineer: Emil Dela Rosa

Producers:

John Paulo Nase (RADKIDZ)

Joshua Daniel Nase (RADKIDZ)

Tomas Costanza

Eight years after Sarah Geronimo popularized the acclaimed movie theme, its songwriter finally shares the deeply personal version that inspired the beloved composition

Nearly eight years after writing “Isa Pang Araw” the acclaimed theme song for the blockbuster film Miss Granny, Filipino singer-songwriter, composer, and producer Miguel Mendoza is finally recording his own version of the award-winning ballad that was born during one of the most emotionally challenging periods of his life.

First performed by Sarah Geronimo for the 2018 movie, “Isa Pang Araw” quickly became one of the era’s most beloved film theme songs. It went on to win the 2019 Awit Award for Best Song Written and Performed for a Movie/TV/Stage Play and received a nomination for Best Original Song at the 67th FAMAS Awards. This time, Mendoza revisits the celebrated composition not only as its creator but also as its performer, offering a deeply personal interpretation that brings listeners closer to the emotions and experiences that inspired the song.

Selfie with Miguel Mendoza

Hearing Miguel Mendoza sing his own song gives it a more personal and heartfelt meaning. It shows that music can reflect a person’s journey and that even difficult moments can turn into something meaningful that continues to inspire others.

Some songs begin as assignments. For Mendoza, however, “Isa Pang Araw” ultimately became something far more personal. Faced with the challenge of writing another piece, he found himself drawing from a deeply emotional period following the passing of his father. The longing for one more conversation, one more embrace, and one more day together became the foundation of what would eventually be one of the biggest hits of 2019.

“I wasn’t simply trying to write another song for the film,” Mendoza shares. “At that point in my life, I was grieving the loss of my father, and I found myself writing from a place of longing. Isa Pang Araw became my way of expressing everything I wished I could still say and every moment I wished I could relive.”

Now, Mendoza revisits the composition through the perspective of the person who first lived its story. Far from reinterpretation, Mendoza describes the release as a homecoming: an opportunity to honor both the journey behind the song and the people who have carried it with them through the years.

“For years, people connected with the song through Sarah’s beautiful performance, and I’m incredibly grateful for that,” he says. “But this recording is different because it allows listeners to hear the song from the voice of the person who experienced the emotions that inspired every lyric.”

Miguel Mendoza first rose to national attention as a finalist on Philippine Idol in 2006 and later emerged as the Third Star Dreamer of Pinoy Dream Academy Season 2 in 2009. Over the years, he has built a strong reputation as a songwriter, composer, and producer, creating music for some of the country’s top artists while also earning accolades in film, including the 2018 Metro Manila Film Festival Award for Best Musical Score for One Great Love.

His rendition of “Isa Pang Araw” is now streaming on major digital music platforms worldwide through FlipMusic.

The rising alternative quartet celebrates the release of their debut full-length album with a headline concert at one of the country’s most iconic cultural venues

Stream their new single “Purgatoryo”—out on streaming platforms worldwide

Following the buzz generated by their breakthrough debut, Filipino alternative band fitterkarma is set to headline its first major solo performance, kung tayo’y nasa isang horror na pelikula, tiyak ako ang una mong papatayin: The Album Concert, on September 19, 2026, at the historic Metropolitan Theater Manila.

Presented by fitterkarma in partnership with GNN, the concert marks the official launch of the band’s highly anticipated debut full-length album, which is slated for release two weeks ahead of the live show.

For the first time, audiences will experience the record live exactly as it was envisioned: from its opening track to its emotional finale, performed in its entirety with elaborate production.

“Witnessing the record live will be a more fulfilling experience,” says vocalist and guitarist Joao de Leon. “For me, watching the songs performed live is the best way to experience it, because music being played live has no limits, reaching and releasing your emotions, and the record is meant to be felt above all.”

The concert also marks fitterkarma’s most ambitious live production to date, featuring an expanded stage design, exclusive concert-only arrangements, and a special collaboration with The Manila String Machine, whose orchestral backing promises to add new dimension to the band’s already cinematic sound.

“I think hearing any album in the order intended by the artist is an experience in itself,” shares guitarist Lory a.k.a. Mikee Mendoza. “So aside from the studio album itself, we hope to be able to elevate that experience by bringing it into a live setting and bring justice to the recorded versions of our tracks.”

Lory also explained how the collaboration with The Manila String Machine helped transform the songs into something bigger than what they initially imagined. “Since we’ve already worked with them on several recordings, it only felt natural to have them join us onstage for the album launch.”

Formed in 2023, fitterkarma is composed of Joao de Leon (vocals/guitar), Sophia Miranda (bass), Sanders Bayas (drums), and LORY (guitar). Known for combining Philippine folklore with macabre aesthetic and theatrical elements, the band has produced two of the biggest hits of the last two years: “Kalapastangan” and “Pag-ibig ay Kanibalismo II,” both peaking at No.1 on Spotify Philippines Top 50 and Billboard Philippines Hot 100 charts for multiple weeks.

The critically acclaimed band has unveiled its latest single,“Purgatoryo,” a preview of its forthcoming debut album, kung tayo’y nasa isang horror na pelikula, tiyak ako ang una mong papatayin. Wrapped in atmospheric textures and simmering intensity, the track explores a heavier, noise-driven sound shaped by shoegaze influences while preserving the melodic pop elements that have defined the band’s distinctive style.

Tickets for the album concert are now available through Ticketmelon under the following ticket tiers:

Orchestra: ₱2,999.00 (Soundcheck Access, Meet & Greet 8pax/Batch, Signed Poster)

Orchestra Side: ₱2,199.00 (Soundcheck Access, Signed Poster)

Loge: ₱2,199.00 (Soundcheck Access, Signed Poster)

Orchestra Back: ₱1,666.00(Poster)

Balcony: ₱999.00 (General Admission only)

Independent pop artist Estelle Fly is back with her first release of the year – ‘Bury it’ – a song about the power of unspoken attraction and the tension of deep yearning for someone you can’t fully have.

‘Bury it’ marks a defining new chapter in Estelle’s music career. Confident and unapologetically herself, the single embraces vulnerability and desire with newfound conviction, signalling a new era that pushes her sound forward while introducing herself to listeners old and new.

“This song feels like both an ending and a beginning,” said Estelle. “It represents me beautifully closing the chapter of everything that’s brought me to this point, and introducing what I like to call an era where I am exploring the concept of desire.”

“It’s an era where I finally have the freedom to explore ideas and emotions I’ve always wanted to write about. Not just about love, but also longing, vulnerability, confidence, attraction, and all the beautifully complicated parts of being human that I don’t always share openly.”

Listen to Estelle Fly’s ‘Bury it’ here

“Sonically, I wanted ‘Bury it’ to feel intimate and somewhat hypnotic, almost like you’re caught in a memory you don’t really want to leave. Lyrically, there’s a lot that’s intentionally left unsaid that is expressed through the music. Sometimes the strongest emotions are not the ones we confess, but the ones that we keep to ourselves.”

“With ‘Bury it’, I wanted to capture the tension of yearning for someone, but knowing you can’t fully have them. The feeling of the push and pull between wanting someone and choosing not to act on it is exciting, confusing and strangely addictive all at once. This feeling that we end up burying is usually the one that we remember the longest.”

In the music video for ‘Bury it’, Estelle plays an actor who is often cast as on-screen lovers with her co-star. Off camera, they’ve always been good friends, but over time, the lines between performance and reality begin to blur. When two people are reminded by the world constantly about their chemistry, you start to wonder if the feelings are acted out or have always been there.

Estelle Fly is one of the few pop artists from Singapore who strikes a fine balance between music and dance, having traversed through the entertainment scene in multiple roles as an idol and actress, and now an independent soloist. In 2025, Estelle released her latest EP ZONE, and took to the stage at Waterbomb Singapore. This year, she has been selected as a Spotify RADAR artist, and will be releasing new songs to mark her upcoming new era.

INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | SPOTIFY | APPLE MUSIC