On November 8, 2024, at 7 p.m., Ely Buendia will have an official launch party at 123 Block in Mandaluyong City to commemorate the release of his upcoming album, Method Adaptor.
In classic Ely Buendia tradition, the event will feature a full-length concert performance by the critically renowned hitmaker, wielding guitar in his environment, on stage.
Furthermore, he will be performing with an amazing group of gifted musicians signed to Offshore Music (OM), including Ligaya Escueta, ALYSON, Carousel Casualties, and Aviators.
The Ely Buendia: Method Adaptor album launch, presented by Gabi Na Naman Productions (GNN), will feature exceptional surprises in terms of production and repertoire, as well as a live debut of the songs from his new record.
The song serves as the third single off her upcoming fifth album, to be released at the end of the year
Photo by Nina Sandejas
Barbie Almalbis has released two songs already, “Desperate Hours” and “Homeostasis,” and now she’s back at it with “Understanding,” an unashamedly musical ballad about her inner troubles.
In “Happy Sad,” her latest song, she explores the stigma associated with mental illness and her own experiences with it while using songwriting as a therapeutic tool.
The alt-pop figure explains, “Sometimes we have to let go of things, and there are just things beyond our control, and we just got to continue, walk in and through the ‘wilderness,’ but I’ve always found hope in God that even through the hard times, He is still doing something good.”
Nick Lazaro, who also assisted in arranging the instrumental parts, produced the emotionally vulnerable track. Eclectic Kiss artists such as Pikoy, Marika Laciste, Faye Yu, and Marj Rojas also contributed to the background vocals, adding subtle layers of intricacies to the mix.
“I recorded the acoustic guitar and vocal at home, and we did backing vocals with everyone in Nick’s studio,” says Barbie Almalbis. “Nick also recorded the main instrumental track in his studio.”
“Happy Sad” is set to be on her forthcoming full-length album, which will be released in 2024. The album will explore her path towards mental health, recovery, and self-discovery through a thematic lens. She intends to make it available in November 2024.
“Happy Sad” by Barbie Almalbis is currently available on all digital music outlets across the globe.
The $4.45 million seed fundraising round for Clout Kitchen, a consumer AI firm based in Los Angeles and Manila, was revealed today.
Together with Taiwan’s AppWorks, Antler, Hustle Fund, Founders Launchpad, Orvel Ventures, and founders and creators like Gabby Dizon (YGG), Kun Gao (Crunchyroll), Voyboy, Jankos, and Perkz, the round was co-led by a16z SPEEDRUN and Peak XV’s Surge.
Founded in 2024, Clout Kitchen creates interactive games and pop culture experiences powered by creators, giving top creators additional avenues to communicate with and grow their fan bases.
Clout Kitchen is led by serial gaming and creator economy builders.
Justin Gorriceta-Banusing (CEO) founded and scaled AcadArena (SEA and LatAm’s leading campus gaming platform) to series A and an exit while in college. In high school, they built CONQuest Festival – the largest creator event in SEA with 80K+ attendees.
Marcel Feldkamp (CBO) was a pioneering League of Legends pro/creator, playing in the 2013 World Championship. After retiring, he founded the gaming talent agency Prime – who later joined United Talent Agency via Press X.
Clout Kitchen’s first product is Backseat AI, an in-game “buddy” for League of Legends co-built with Tyler “Tyler1” Steinkamp – one of the world’s biggest gaming content creators with over 20 million followers. Backseat AI is Riot-compliant and guides players on how to best play the game in real-time – from what characters to pick to which items to buy, all by an AI voice twin of their favorite creator. Since launching early access testing in June, the product has hit over 45,000 waitlist signups.
“Our thesis at Clout Kitchen is to build things that grow the pie and add value for fans, creators, and game developers alike,” said Justin Banusing, CEO, Clout Kitchen. “We grew up in this space, so it’s our way of giving back.”
Pricing starts at US$4.99 monthly for each creator “buddy,” who earns from every subscription. Backseat AI’s buddies roster continues to expand with streamer & cosplayer Emiru and pro player Jankos – with more top creators lined up in the coming months.
“As a creator myself, I know how difficult it is to keep your community and business growing,” said Marcel Feldkamp, CBO, Clout Kitchen. “It’s easy when you’re starting and have all the time in the world – but it gets harder to keep giving the same love to everyone as you scale. We want to solve that problem.”
With this financing round, Clout Kitchen looks to expand Backseat by scaling its workforce, creating its US office, and building out its shared internal tech stack for future creator-powered game companion applications and experiences.
“As a gamer and a creator myself, I’m excited to support Justin and Team Clout Kitchen in their journey to unlock new frontiers for our community,” said Jamie Lin, Chairman & Partner, AppWorks,“ Justin and the founding team showcased exceptional hearts, heads and hands from the moment we met them, the very traits we look for in founders.”
“At a16z, we believe in the transformative power of technology and games to reshape how we connect, create, and experience the world. Clout Kitchen embodies this vision wholly, and we are thrilled to support their journey as they pioneer new ways for fans to engage with the creators and games they love,” said Jack Soslow, Investment Partner, A16Z GAMES.
For more information, visit the Clout Kitchen website.
Henry Moodie, a future worldwide pop sensation, drops his much awaited new EP, “good old days,” on Robots & Humans (UK) and Columbia Records (US). The EP was released after the two amazing singles, ‘beat up car’ and ‘bad emotions’ were released separately. You can watch Good Old Days online here.
The focus single from the EP, “still dancing,” was also released today. Henry creates another epic ballad with “still dancing,” which features amazing production and a vocal performance that shines. It is both lovely and endearing, and listeners old and new will undoubtedly find a great deal of relatability in it.
Speaking about his new EP good old days, Henry said:
“‘good old days’ is an EP about navigating growing up. from songs about mental health, friendship, childhood, first love & first heartbreak. this EP captures what my late teens felt like”
Henry Moodie, who is only 20 years old, has already received over 572 million streams globally, made it into the Top 10 UK artists on TikTok in terms of views in 2022, and was selected as one of Amazon Music’s Artists To Watch in 2023. Henry discovered his voice as a songwriter and solo artist after completing a songwriting diploma at BIMM. His lyrics are broad and timeless, and he exudes emotional sensitivity. In the winter of 2023, Henry published his debut EP, “in all of my lonely nights.” With 450 million plays overall, the tunes include the self-penned and produced ‘you were there for me’, the worldwide top 100 hit ‘drunk text’ and the touching ‘pick up the phone’, which garnered 350 thousand streams in within its first day. Henry recently played at festivals in the UK, Europe, and Asia during the summer after his first headline tour of the UK and Europe sold out in a matter of days, including an amazing gig at London’s KOKO.
Her four-track release blends jazz pop sensibilities with soulful vocals and lush arrangements
Photo credits: Franco Maigue
Muri of The Ransom Collective has finally released her first EP, 11ème!
11ème, molded by her move and reconstruction experience, is a confessional artifact of Muri as a traveling person navigating personal development, grief, and revelation. The soulful pop EP transports listeners to her vibrant world, where she meets new people, travels to other cities, and embraces different cultures. However, songs created especially to express her thoughts of accepting things that aren’t meant to be and finding home in odd places are at the center of this exquisitely intricate undertaking.
“I’m excited to just share a little bit of my world with everyone,” the Paris-based artist admits. “It’s a concoction of stories, feelings, and languages. I want the music to simply be an exchange, a conversation. One of giving— letting people hear what the world has shown me; and receiving—connecting to people as they experience the music.”
Sonically speaking, Muri’s first EP brims with balmy and soulful tunes that are delivered with newfound ease and confidence. Here, both the storytelling and the musical backdrop take the center stage, allowing Muri to deliver prophetic notes that are subtle and tender, yet never calculated in its pursuit for attention or conversation.
Muri explains, “With my EP, I felt I really went off-track with what I thought I knew as my music style. I feel like this stage of mixed identity, living in multiple countries, gave me this gray area to try new things, challenge my assumptions about songwriting, and inject elements of my multiple worlds. It’s an indie-soul-pop album, infused with dreamy synths, spoken word, and snippets of multiple languages.”
Check out the track list:
1. Afternoon
2. Anywhere but here
3. Story
4. Rêve-toi
EP launch and AXEAN Festival 2024
On Sunday, September 22, Muri will release her new record, 11ème, at Sari-Sari Cocktails in Makati City. Her band The Ransom Collective will also reconvene for a special session, along with performances by some of her music colleagues, including Leanne & Naara, Kai del Rio, Jerms, and Billz. In contrast, Muri will perform the EP’s songs live with her backing band.
On September 28 and 29, 2024, Muri will also be the main attraction at the AXEAN Festival 2024 in Bali, Indonesia. The internationally recognized showcase festival has expanded to become a platform that showcases musical talents from Southeast Asia and beyond. It also offers a genuine face-to-face networking opportunity for artists and music industry professionals worldwide to connect.
The award-winning Filipino band will also be staging their 25th anniversary concert next month, featuring rarities and hits from their four-album catalog
The iconic music video for “La Bulaqueña,” which features Miss Universe Philippines 2024 Chelsea Manalo and compatriot Bulakenya, has finally been released by Filipino alternative pop group Orange & Lemons.
The music video, conceptualized and helmed by reliable partners Everywhere We Shoot, highlights the concurrent narratives of O&L and Manalo, demonstrating the profound ties and influence of a photograph from the turn of the century known as Una Bulaqueña on their shared geography.
The aforementioned masterwork, directed by Juan Luna y Novicio, features a subtle naturalness that portrays a Filipina from a privileged rural background—possibly from Bulacan. It is a great delight to be able to watch their newly released music video featuring our Ms. Universe Philippines Chelsea Manalo. It greatly portrays the missing piece of the puzzle, and everything from the visual up to the song really syncs to its right place. It was indeed a great production and a must-watch from them.
“The symbolic repetition of the painting deepens the narrative and signifies the theme,” Clem Castro, the lead vocalist and guitarist of seminal alternative rock outfit, Orange & Lemons, explains.
An unexpected collaboration
During her Miss Universe Philippines campaign, Chelsea Manalo’s team used “La Bulaqueña” as the background music for one of her concept photography, which mimics the subject of the Juan Luna painting. The posts from her team and fans eventually went viral on TikTok and other social media platforms, prompting the band to revive the idea of filming the song’s visual narrative, with Chelsea completing the missing piece of the puzzle.
Castro shares, “Working with Chelsea was a breeze. She was a natural behind the lens and a jolly individual. A true beauty queen, both inside and out.”
Aside from Manalo, the Moonlane Gardens act also collaborated with the National Museum of Fine Arts to turn their vision into a reality. As the first band to film a music video inside the museum, O&L were able to fulfill a dream project: mixing music, culture, arts, architecture, and pageantry in a contemporary setting and theme.
“Our team and label did a couple of inquiries, and the stars aligned,” Castro reveals. “We are grateful that the National Museum of Fine Arts decided to partner with us with this project.”
25th anniversary concert
Aside from the release of “La Bulaqueña” MV, Orange & Lemons recently announced their upcoming heafline show, aptly titled “Now & Then: Orange & Lemons 25th Anniversary Concert, happening on October 18, 2024, from 7 p.m. onwards. at the Metrotent Convention Center in Pasig City.
The award-winning four-piece band is slated to perform a three-hour set featuring some of their most notable songs—crowd pleasers, critical favorites, and rarities—from their generation-defining, four-album catalog.
The highly anticipated event aims to celebrate the band’s incredible journey from their indie beginnings (Love in the Land of Rubber Shoes and Dirty Ice Cream) to their mainstream success (Strike Whilst the Iron Is Hot), from their psychedelic era (Moonlane Gardens) to their Tagalog-flavored pivot (La Bulaqueña), all leading up to a discography that exudes with daring intimacy and ambition.
In an open letter posted two weeks ago, O&L expressed utmost appreciation to the fan’s unwavering support and passion for their music.
“Reaching this quarter-century milestone feels like a dream come true, and it’s a testament to the incredible community that surrounds us,” shares Clem Castro, the lead vocalist and guitarist of seminal pop-rock outfit, Orange & Lemons. Each chord we strummed, each lyric we penned, and every note we sang has been made richer by your enthusiasm and love. You’ve been with us through the highs and lows. From our beginnings as truggling artists, to our rise to fame, the heartaches of disbanding and a decade of quiet moments, the reformation and new releases. We couldn’t have done it without you.”
For this game-changing concert, the Lihim act also promises a diverse selection of songs from their wide-spanning discography that define different eras and stages of their career. “We normally play short sets on the big stage all over the country, leaving out most of our catalog in favor of more popular ones. For this concert, we want to bring to the big stage and perform live, if not all, a majority of songs from our past 4 albums. Expect us to perform and tell our story for over 3 hours!”
Along with the main performance, concertgoers can attend the Meet & Greet section, which offers them the opportunity to meet and greet the band as well as a special set of songs and covers that were omitted from the three-hour set.
Produced in association with GNN Entertainment Productions, Orange & Lemons and Lilystars Records present the “NOW AND THEN” 25th Anniversary Concert. JB Music, Marco Polo Hotel, David’s Salon, Fisherman’s Friend, Suit It Up Manila, Unknown13 Pub, and Welcome Home Café are the sponsors of this event.
Early in the new year, Filipino singer-songwriter ACEL plans to establish her new life in the Netherlands.
In an official statement shared on social media, the former lead vocalist of Moonstar88 appreciated the endless opportunities that accompany embarking on a new path.
“I don’t intend this as a farewell, but rather as a fitting homage to the family, friends, and colleagues who have contributed to my journey over the years,” the pop-rock icon clarifies. “The baggage that comes with leaving reminds us of places, people, and memories that truly matter, even in the grand scheme of things. As I make space for new beginnings and experiences, part of my heart will surely long for the feeling of being completely home. This country has defined who I’ve become as a person and an artist.”
Following the announcement, ACEL extended an invitation to her friends, family, and fans to join her for a final performance in a major concert that GNN Entertainment Productions is co-producing.
Dubbed Being And Becoming, the farewell concert and album launch will serve as a gift to her friends, loved ones, fans, and colleagues who have become part of her life and career journey through ups and downs.
The One Love hitmaker explains, “The concert will present the new songs from my newest album release, Being And Becoming. For this concert, I’ll be very honest and vulnerable in sharing the things that I struggled with when I was younger, and the things I realized that helped me to be the person I am today.
This album is a result of the things I’ve processed from the past, coming to terms with how I see myself and knowing the truth of who I am and who I am meant to be.”
ACEL adds, “Now that my family and I have decided to move to the Netherlands, I want to take this opportunity to celebrate this gift of music that was entrusted to me, hoping that I would be able to encourage and empower those who will attend.”
In addition to the performances and unexpected visitors, ACEL’s next solo show will promote the causes of her non-profit organization, Right Start, which she founded with friends 14 years ago to give underprivileged children access to innovative child care.
The private performance will start at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, October 11, 2024, at the Teatrino Promenade in Greenhills, San Juan. You may purchase tickets for Being and Becoming at bit.ly/acelconcert.
The Jansen, The Panturas, Navicula and more join the regional showcase festival’s well-curated roster
The official lineup for this year’s AXEAN Festival has been unveiled!
AXEAN Festival 2024 is reaching new heights with a varied lineup of musical acts from Southeast Asia and beyond, building on its success story and steady track record to gain traction in the global festival circuit.
New addition to the lineup
Some of the biggest acts in Indonesia, including The Jansen (a lo-fi indie punk duo known for fusing lyrical poetry with bold, unapologetic music), The Panturas (a surf rock band formed in 2016), and Navicula (one of the most well-known rock acts in Bali), will be performing with the previously announced group of performers.
“The reason why we wanted to invite them, and also other popular local artists wherever we host our event, is because these talented artists may be big in their home markets but could be unknown to the rest of the world,” AXEAN Festival co-founder and team leaderPiyapong Muenprasertdee explains. “We believe that local talents can reach an international audience if they are put in front of the people who can bring them to the global market. And having local heroes spearhead this attempt, other smaller local artists can have the courage and confidence to follow suit, resulting in more attention from the world to our region’s music, pushing for that tipping point to put Southeast Asia on the global music map.”
Other newly added artists in the lineup include Assia Keva, Rafi Sudirman, Skandal, and Spella Ruby from Indonesia; Golden Mammoth, Lust and Zee Avi & The Good Things from Malaysia; Mix Fenix from the Philippines; BLACKARMATUS x DJ XULALIT from Thailand; and Dattie Do from Vietnam.
Jimbaran Hub, the venue for this year’s AXEAN Festival 2024
Introducing TAICCA’s Taiwan Beats Showcase
Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA) also returns as one of the festival’s major partners and continues its involvement in supporting artist development initiatives through its Taiwan Beats Showcase at the AXEAN Festival 2024.
This year’s showcase will spotlight three outstanding Taiwanese talents: The Chairs, a Golden Melody Awards (GMA) winning band; I’mdifficult, an experimental pop band known for their ‘sophisti-pop’ sound; and the vibrant Jurassic-Pop duo, The Dinosaur’s Skin. Presenting the dynamic and eclectic music scene from Taiwan, TAICCA will host a networking event, connecting Taiwanese talents with key figures in the music industry.
TuneCore participating in the fourth-year running
TuneCore, the leading independent development partner for self-releasing artists—owned by Paris-based Believe, one of the world’s leading digital music companies—returns to AXEAN Festival for the fourth consecutive year as a stage sponsor. This year, TuneCore presents “TuneCore Village,” a dedicated stage showcasing independent artists from across the region. A total of 18 artists from the Believe Group will be featured in this year’s lineup, with 6 artists represented by TuneCore and 12 by its parent company, Believe.
Cyrus Chen, Head of TuneCore SEA, emphasizes TuneCore’s commitment to providing resources and opportunities for regional artists to connect with global audiences. “Southeast Asia has such a rich and diverse music culture, and we are committed to helping indie artists thrive and be heard globally. Festivals like AXEAN help pave the way for the next generation of musicians.”
More about AXEAN Festival 2024
Happening at Jimbaran Hub in Bali, Indonesia, from September 28-29, 2024, the first intra-regional showcase festival in Southeast Asia promises to be a “celebration across borders” where music, culture, and arts come together to create an unforgettable experience for its patrons and new attendees.
Aside from the showcase performances featuring over 40 emerging and established acts, the festival also puts a spotlight on the music conference format with industry mixers and networking activities on the side. The acclaimed international showcase festival also recently introduced a private songwriting camp as part of its artist-centered programming. As explained earlier in the first press release, “The initiative aims to foster a spirit of creativity and inclusivity in a globalized setting while nurturing cross-cultural collaboration amongst the finest and most promising songwriters, producers, and artists in the ASEAN region and also from other regions of the world.”
Given how the SEA region is “rich with musical cultures and thriving local music scenes consisting of traditional and all imaginable modern music genres and sub-genres that are virtually invisible to the world,” Piyapong holds great expectations for AXEAN’s potential to serve as a platform that empowers artists and music professionals to navigate this constantly evolving landscape and emerging trends. “To put it simply, I believe from the facts and numbers I have researched, our regional music industry is much smaller than our potential! Thus, we need to have the support of our artists, our music communities, our music businesses, and hopefully our governments and commercial sponsors to help export our artists and grow our presence on the global music stage!”
The Thai co-founder of AXEAN continues, “We’d like to invite you to come and show support to your local and regional artists, give a warm welcome to the interregional artists who have traveled from far away, and discover new music and artists! Whether you are a fan of one or more of our showcasing artists, or you’ve never heard of them before! Of course, don’t forget to visit and appreciate Bali, the stunning island paradise!”
Halsey, a genre-bending musician nominated for a Grammy®, has released her most recent hit, “Ego”. In addition to releasing the new single, Halsey also debuted the music video for the song, which has a 90s vibe and has her in both starring parts.
The Great Impersonator, Halsey’s upcoming fifth studio album, will be out on October 25. She revealed the album’s artwork and trailer. Described as a “confessional concept album,” The Great Impersonator explores fate, time, and what kind of artist Halsey may be if she lived in other eras.
As an extension of the concept, for the album artwork reveal, Halsey shared clues to fans to discover time capsule boxes hidden around the world. The first cover was located in London, with four additional decade themed covers found in New York, Toronto, Los Angeles, and Sydney. The additional covers are available for pre-order as vinyl variants.
Additionally, her cover of PAPER MAGAZINE, in celebration of the publication’s 40th anniversary was released last week.
The songs “Lonely is the Muse,” “Lucky,” and “The End” were released before “Ego.” On September 11 at 8 p.m., Halsey will perform “Ego” at the MTV Video Music Awards. ET/PT from UBS Arena in New York.
With four RIAA-certified albums under her belt, Halsey has collected over 50 billion worldwide streams and over 75 million RIAA-certified adjusted singles. She is one of the few musicians in history to have two RIAA-Certified Diamond records and four separate songs reach one billion streams on Spotify.
The award-winning Filipino band will be performing a three-hour set featuring timeless and obscure songs from their critically-acclaimed, four-album catalog
Orange & Lemons, a pop-rock band from the Philippines, are celebrating 25 years of incredible music with a one-night event.
On October 18, 2024, at 7 p.m., at the Metrotent Convention Center in Pasig City, the hitmakers behind the generation-defining hits “Hanggang Kailan,” “Heaven Knows (This Angel Has Flown),” and “Just A Splendid Love Song” will perform their greatest hits throughout a three-hour concert featuring their entire career. ahead.
The special event, titled “Now & Then: Orange & Lemons 25th Anniversary Concert,” marks a significant turning point for the four-piece band, who have persevered through lineup changes over the years to continue engaging the local music scene with captivating releases and unforgettable performances.
“Reaching this quarter-century milestone feels like a dream come true, and it’s a testament to the incredible community that surrounds us,” shares Clem Castro, the lead vocalist and guitarist of seminal alternative rock outfit, Orange & Lemons. “We normally play short sets on the big stage all over the country, leaving out most of our catalog in favor of more popular ones. For this concert, we want to bring to the big stage and perform live, if not all, a majority of songs from our past 4 albums. The albums that defined different eras of our career in the music industry from the beginnings—the shot to commercial success, the psychedelic, and the cultural eras. Expect us to perform and tell our story for over 3 hours!”
As an established indie act who continuously pushes their boundaries from a genuine artistic standpoint, O&L promises to deliver a true concert experience like no other. The Bulacan-based alternative rock outfit considers the full-length concert as a special gift to their legion of supporters, who have been with them through highs and lows, from their beginnings as struggling artists to their well-received reformation.
O&L explains this profound love and respect for their fans in a collective press statement: “The music industry has seen a lot of changes, and being flexible and open to evolving with the times has helped us stay relevant. Our fans have been a cornerstone of our journey. Their support, enthusiasm, and feedback have inspired us to keep pushing boundaries and to stay true to ourselves. We’re always looking to grow and improve, whether it’s through honing our craft, exploring new musical avenues, or learning from our experiences. Building a genuine connection with our audience and staying true to our artistic vision has been key to our lasting presence. It also helped a lot to learn that we have to wear different hats, a business and a creative one that keeps us on check and balanced, staying focused on the bigger picture and not letting obstacles derail our journey. We intend to last as long as we can.”
Produced in association with GNN Entertainment Productions, Orange & Lemons and Lilystars Records present the “NOW AND THEN” 25th Anniversary Concert. The following tiers of tickets are available at https://orangeandlemons.helixpay.ph:
General Admission (PHP 2,000) – access to the concert
VIP (PHP 2,500) – access to the VIP section and access to the Meet and Greet
SVIP (PHP 3,500): access to the VIP section, access to the soundcheck and the Meet and Greet, and limited-edition merchandise
