Entertainment

From left to right: Kristo Mercado (guitar and bass), Diego Cerrudo (guitar) Ligaya Escueta (vocals, guitar, bass), and Ninja Nicolas (drums), Artist & Repertoire Manager Dani Mendoza, General Manager of Offshore Music Audry Dionisio, CEO of Offshore Ely Buendia

Indie rock artist Ligaya Escueta has officially evolved into a full-fledged band. During the record label signing with Offshore Music, the alternative quartet was introduced with Kristo Mercado on bass and guitar, Diego Cerrudo on guitar, Ninja Nicolas on drums, and Ligaya Escueta on vocals, bass, and guitar.

“It was a natural process,” opens Ligaya Escueta. “Because we are all good friends outside of the band. I think that translates into the music… It is really something collaborative, and we all have a big part in it.” 

Organic—that is how Escueta initially describes the formation of the band. The transition from solo artist to band is entirely expected, given the current course of the “Ligaya Escueta” artist identity.

“It didn’t feel much of a change because that’s already how it felt like. We already felt like a band before,” Cerrudo shares, noting how easily each member fell into place in terms of dynamics, influences, and sound synchronicities. “We were complete from the start,” he adds.

Lead singer and guitarist, Ligaya Escueta, contract signing

Following the shift to a more collaborative setting, the band says there will be inevitable changes in the creative process of music-making.

“We have to split responsibilities more, especially when it comes to songwriting,” Mercado admits. “In the off-going future, there will be a big ‘change,’ now that we are all hands on with future projects.”

On the other side of things, Artist & Repertoire (A&R) Manager, Dani Mendoza shared how natural this “debut” was for Ligaya Escueta and the label. “Honestly, the paper [contract] was for formality, but they have already been operating as a unit. We are happy to welcome them to the Offshore Music roster.”

Ligaya Escueta Socials

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/32GPsNDIVdDvE2EX2GcVyT

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/people/Ligaya-Escueta/100083005895770/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dollshoesnicesocks/

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dollshoesnicesocks?_t=8ipMR5kjvMn&_r=1

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ligayaescueta

Strong demand prompts organizers to advance general ticket selling to August 15, with 80% of all concert tickets already sold

Visual Credits: Photo by Andrea Beldua; Creative Director: Karen dela Fuente; and Art Director: Elliesha Angeles

Good news! Early bird tickets to Over October Live at the New Frontier Theater have officially sold out.

Strong demand has prompted organizers to move the regular ticket-selling schedule up to August 15, 2026, a week earlier than its supposed rollout.

With 80 percent of tickets already sold, the Ikot band expressed gratitude to the fans who have supported their biggest headline concert yet.

“Knowing that so many people want to be part of this concert makes the occasion even more special to us,” shares Over October in a press statement. “We’ve prepared so many surprises for this concert, and we’re definitely inspired to make the experience worthwhile for everyone.”

Over October Live at the New Frontier Theater will happen on October 4, 2026, serving as the band’s last show featuring the original five-member lineup.

Before their 2026 solo headline concert, the band has mounted two sold-out concerts at the Music Museum and the band’s successful 2025 anniversary show at the MOA Sky.

Tickets are available via TicketNet Online and participating outlet stores, with regular tickets available now.

Over October Live at the New Frontier Theater is presented by Over October, with GNN, Move It, and Swee Lee Philippines as partners.

The group expands its reach through cross-border collaborations, festival appearances, Japanese TV debut, and a high-profile performance with Kento Nakajima

SB19 also hints about the re-release of “Gento,” featuring Kento Nakajima

SB19 continues to turn its long-term ambition of becoming a global phenom into a growing reality, with a series of activities in Japan that have brought the P-Pop supergroup closer to one of Asia’s most important music markets.

The group’s recent activities in Japan span music collaborations, major festival stages, and landmark television appearances, further strengthening SB19’s strategy to reach international audiences.

SB19 recently debuted at SUMMER SONIC 2026, one of Japan’s biggest music festivals, performing in both Osaka and Tokyo. The appearance placed the acclaimed group alongside prominent international headliners and prominent local music stars, giving them an opportunity to represent Filipino artistry on a global scale.

For PABLO, performing at SUMMER SONIC means realizing a dream that once felt impossible and distant. “Performing in both Osaka and Tokyo is another milestone for us, and we’re incredibly grateful for the chance to introduce SB19 to Japanese audiences and connect with them. We have a wide range of songs and genres in our repertoire, so fans can expect an energetic and diverse set that showcases different sides of SB19. Most of all, we hope our performances will allow people to experience our music, feel our energy, and hopefully capture their hearts.”

In Tokyo, the multi-awarded Filipino supergroup shared the Pacific Stage lineup with artists including Kento Nakajima. The Tokyo performance also delivered one of the trip’s most talked-about moments when SB19 welcomed Nakajima onstage for a performance of their viral smash “GENTO.” The team-up brought two artists with a shared connection to the Philippines and Japan, creating a cross-cultural moment on the massive festival stage. The performance has ignited anticipation for an official release of a “GENTO” collaboration involving Kento Nakajima, adding excitement to SB19’s continued push into the Japanese music market.

“This time, I had the special opportunity to write part of the lyrics for this track,” Nakajima shares. “There was definitely pressure putting new lyrics on GENTO—such an important song for SB19—but the members kindly told me, ‘Just be yourself, as always,’ so I poured in everything that came to mind.”

Apart from the explosive festival performance, SB19 has also crossed a major bucket-list milestone with its live television debut in Japan on NTV’s DayDay on August 13.

According to JUSTIN, appearing on a major Japanese television program involves a different kind of preparation, coordination, and way of presenting themselves. “While we remain the same SB19 that people know in the Philippines, being welcomed into a Japanese television program is a huge milestone for us and something we are truly honored and grateful for.”

The TV stint enabled Japanese viewers to get to know the members beyond their music. During the morning program’s Dotti Dotti segment, the Filipino quintet performed their latest single “LAWLESS” in Japan for the first time, giving Japanese television audiences a direct introduction to SB19’s latest musical direction. The program also featured the members in a playful hammer-and-rock-paper-scissors-style game with host Ryota Yamasato, popularly known as Yama-chan.

The group’s recent activities in Japan mark another important transition in SB19’s new creative arc, showing how its plans to conquer various international markets are gradually translating into tangible opportunities.

JOSH explains, “Now, having these opportunities in Japan through our collaboration with top Japanese artists, performing at SUMMER SONIC, and appearing on Japanese television feels like an important step forward in that journey. We’re more than grateful to be able to share our music and connect with Japanese audiences while learning from every experience along the way. We hope this chapter will help us reach even more people around the world.”

With these developments coming to fruition, KEN is positive that SB19 will continue to build genuine connections with the Japanese audience. “We would love to have more performances, television appearances, and features in Japanese publications, but most importantly, we want to continue introducing our music and sharing who we are as SB19. We hope that more people will discover our songs and embrace us as artists.

The Japanese edition of SB19’s Wakas at Simula is now available at major record shops and online retailers in Japan under Sony Music Japan.

From left to right: CEO of Offshore Ely Buendia, Paco Pastor, General Manager of Offshore Music Audry Dionisio and Artist & Repertoire Manager Dani Mendoza

Independent Philippine-based music label Offshore Music adds budding soul and pop-inclined artist, Paco Pastor to its growing roster.

Heavily attuned to the soft and sensual nature of the soul music, Paco Pastor is a Manila-based artist who aspires to create his path in the industry with a genuine approach to his musicality and identity as a singer-songwriter, as well as a live performer.

“There are so many aspects to me as an artist that it really isn’t just one color,” explains the 19-year-old Pastor in an interview, seamlessly likening his artistic personality into colors. The singer also mentioned how female artists such as Sade, Nectar Woode and Olivia Dean have influenced his craft, allowing a more feminine persona to come to fruition in his current artistic endeavor as a way to celebrate these qualities in his path to being known as an artist.

In connection to being thankful to creative women, he also notes the involvement of his best friend, Alysha, encouraging the singer to embark on a career in music. “Being on stage or performing [was] never one of my dreams. But I always knew that I did love music, but performing up there? Not a chance… Until this [Alysha] girl came into my life.”

Moreover, Pastor shares how having supportive parents (who are also artists) is what really got him to pursue this journey head on and high. He recalls his mom saying, “If you didn’t make good music, we wouldn’t have let you go this path at all. Good thing you really are our child.”

From left to right: CEO of Offshore Ely Buendia, Paco Pastor, and Artist & Repertoire Manager Dani Mendoza

Since then, Paco’s journey as an artist has been steadily building momentum, with the singer-songwriter embracing the act of performing live after making his debut appearance with a full band at one of the label’s self-produced gig nights. He also began jamming with seasoned musicians through his management team at Waddle House Manila and, in turn, was eventually signed under Ely Buendia’s music label. All of these developments happened in a span of this year alone.

“He was someone we wanted to develop and explore,” reveals Artist & Repertoire (A&R) Manager of Offshore Music, Dani Mendoza, in the label’s decision to sign Paco Pastor. “He [Paco] is his own producer, he is his own songwriter, his own performer. He is the full package in terms of his brand, performance and music. To Offshore Music’s very core, we have always been music first and champions of those [musicians] who need the support to put their music out there. It was easy to make that decision then and there.”

Paco Pastor Socials:

FB: https://www.facebook.com/share/14kfaCrrZhk/

IG:  https://www.instagram.com/ppacopastor?igsh=NWNyMjY1amtrcjYx

YT: https://youtube.com/@pacopastormusic?si=05xYIW_NZcioM8dP

TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@ppacopastor?_r=1&_t=ZS-98PBfe0S00r

SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2hBknkAqiWOVPBQSwcCd1K?si=kaXMmyIqQcG6O949GcJtDw&utm_source=copy-link

The fast-rising OPM outfit turns the restless cycle of overthinking into a genre-bending track fueled by funk, synths, and raw alternative rock

NEXTONE, one of OPM’s promising rising bands, makes a comeback with ““Nagkulang,” a fresh single that blends an upbeat groove with the emotional uncertainty of questioning one’s worth after a relationship falls apart.

Released through Sony Music Entertainment, the track carries crossover appeal through its distinctly late-night vibe, combining punchy beats, city pop elements, shimmering synths, and contemporary pop-rock sounds into a catchy, high-energy anthem.

The song’s concept began with the word itself. From there, the band developed a narrative centered on someone who, despite believing they did nothing wrong in a relationship, comes to terms with self-doubt in the wake of an unexpected romantic fallout.

Instead of treating heartbreak with a traditionally subdued or stripped-down approach, NEXTONE deliberately gives “Nagkulang” an energetic pulse. The contrast is central to the song’s appeal: its catchy melodies and driving production choices mirror the restless cycle of overthinking, while the repeated hook conveys the word that keeps playing inside the mind of the storyteller.

The eclectic quartet explains, “We really wanted the word ‘Nagkulang’ to feel like it was stuck in the listener’s head throughout the song. Because of that, we were intentional with how we approached the melody and production. The whole idea is about getting inside your head, questioning whether you did something wrong, and never really knowing the answer. That contrast between the catchy, almost light feeling of the song and the weight of what it’s actually about is what makes it feel a little crazy, almost like the song itself is driving you deeper into that overthinking.”

While the band has mostly explored guitar-driven arrangements in their previous work, “Nagkulang” enables the band members to experiment with funk, alternative pop, rock, new wave, and synth-heavy production. The songwriting process itself proved unusually instinctive. The chart-topping act completed the song’s structure and melody during the first session, before allowing the material to sit and eventually giving it a clearer sense of its potential.

“One of the most memorable parts of recording was working on the bass and guitar parts,” the band adds. “Those ended up being the more challenging elements because we didn’t want to overstuff the production, especially with the heavier synth parts already carrying a lot of the song.” The band ultimately opted for restraint, ensuring that each instrumental layer contributed to the song without overwhelming its central groove.

With “Nagkulang” marking a fresh creative direction for NEXTONE, the band sees the track as a stepping stone toward further growth in their upcoming releases. They shared that the song served as a mature turning point in their songwriting and production process, influencing the way they have approached the music they created afterward. The band also teased another release before the year ends, which they hope will offer a different sound from “Nagkulang” and serve as a fitting close to their musical journey this year.

NEXTONE’s “Nagkulang” is now available worldwide on all major digital music platforms through Sony Music Entertainment.

Her first independently written Filipino song finds beauty in vulnerability, uncertainty, and the courage to begin again

Following the chart-topping breakthrough of “Palayo sa Mundo,” which has recently crossed 70 million streams on Spotify alone, Filipino singer-songwriter Jolianne commences her new era in music with the release of “Daanan,” out today via Sony Music Entertainment.

Penned by Jolianne, “Daanan” conveys the experience of finding comfort in another person when you least expect it. Rather than portraying love as something immediate and perfectly formed, the song approaches it as a process that is built through small acts of vulnerability, familiarity, and right timing.

“Daanan is about falling in love for the first time and about having someone gently guide you through your firsts and learning, little by little, to let someone into your life,” the Cebu-born pop artist explains. “It’s about choosing to grow into love instead of rushing toward it and discovering yourself through the eyes of someone who sees you completely.”

The guitar-pop ballad is also about treating love as something “you slowly nurture and choose every day.” Jolianne adds, “Sometimes, you don’t know exactly where the road will lead—you just know that you want to keep walking, hand in hand with someone, until you find out together.”

For Jolianne, writing in Filipino meant deliberately stepping outside of her comfort zone. My comfort languages as a writer are English and Bisaya, so writing in Filipino felt like entering an entirely new space. It made me feel like a beginner all over again. Daanan challenged me to stretch beyond what I already knew, and I’m happy that I allowed myself to be a beginner again.”

That sense of discovery extends to the song’s creation. Jolianne initially recorded the melody as a voice note without chords or a beat, an unconventional starting point for her usual songwriting process. Produced by Luke April, the song gradually expands from a sparse, intimate opening into a fuller orchestral arrangement, mirroring its movement from uncertainty to surrender.

The accompanying music video, directed by Raliug and created with Lunchbox, brings the song’s central metaphor to life through dance. Jolianne plays someone learning to dance from an instructor she develops a crush on, with moments of awkwardness and hesitation reflecting the vulnerability of learning to let another person in.

“I really liked the idea of using dance because there’s something inherently vulnerable about letting another person teach you,” reveals Jolianne. “You have to be willing to look a little silly, make mistakes, and trust that they’ll catch you when you get the steps wrong. That became a visual metaphor for the love I’m talking about in the song: you don’t know what you’re doing at first, but you slowly become more comfortable with each other and learn the rhythm together.”

Jolianne’s “Daanan” is out now on all digital music platforms worldwide via Sony Music Entertainment. Watch the music video on Jolianne’s official YouTube channel, which premieres on Aug 14, 2026 at 6:00 P.M.

New effort from indie vet Aldus Santos is a hybrid of singer-songwriter fare and filmic soundscapery

The debut single from writer-musician Aldus Santos’ newest project, St. Ruin, drops today, August 14. It can now be streamed on major digital platforms via Lilystars Records.

Santos is best known for his work with aughts-era group The Purplechickens and neo-folk act Pamphleteer, as well as his music journalism (Rappler, NME, Billboard, Rolling Stone) and literary output, which includes concert reportage Alternate Endings (Offshore Music, 2020) and criticism-autobiography crossover The Demo Versions (Everything’s Fine, 2022).

He also co-wrote Eraserheads: Combo on the Run, a documentary on the famed band and their much-lauded 2022 reunion show, which had its streaming debut on Netflix in May.

“Uncool,” Santos shares, is a love letter to the departed, with “its verb tenses volleying between a pretend present, a protracted past, and a poignant future.” Santos adds that he wrote it for his only brother, who died of cancer in 2023.

Apart from Santos – who is on vocal, guitar, and harmonica detail – the track also features performances from bassist Yan Bagay Cruz (Bayang Barrios, Joey Ayala, Abby Clutario) and drummer Dave Cruz (Blind Stereo Moon). Electronic artist-producer kvtvlv’s synth and sound design work, meanwhile, elevates the melancholy tune into something akin to a filmic experience.

“Uncool” is the first advance single off the forthcoming EP A Cocktail Called Last Word, which Santos describes as “a grief journal in audio.” The EP is reportedly slated for an October release, and will be Santos’ first recorded output since Pamphleteer’s double-A-side Two Novellas in 2022. The St. Ruin songs, moreover, marks the writer-musician’s maiden appearance under the stellar Lilystars Records banner.

“You’d think it would be weird to get back on the horse and put out new music and launch a new alter-ego in your 40s…but not really,” Santos says, laughing. “A poet doesn’t stop hurting past a certain age.”    

Photo credits:

For images of Aldus Santos

Photography: Iverson Escalona | Art Direction: Janna Mangahas

Precious Pages’ CAT-HA app lets readers enjoy free Filipino stories anytime, anywhere.

Readers can now enjoy Filipino e-books for free on CAT-HA, the newly launched digital reading app from Precious Pages Corporation (PPC), one of the Philippines’ leading publishers of Filipino novels.

Previously known as Precious Pages iReader, CAT-HA gives readers easy access to their favorite romance stories while also allowing them to explore new titles anytime, anywhere. Whether on their daily commute, during a coffee break, while unwinding at home, or simply in need of a quick escape, readers can enjoy their favorite stories right from their mobile devices.

One of CAT-HA’s key features is its FREE TO READ collection, giving users access to select titles completely free of charge.

Precious Pages Corporation President Segundo Matias Jr. shared that the app was inspired by his vision of making reading more accessible to people who may not always have the means to buy books or access reading materials.

“Alam naman natin yung crisis na marami sa mga Filipino ang hindi nakakapagbasa. Minsan nakakalungkot isipin na may mga taong hindi nakakabili ng books o walang access sa mga reading materials. Yun yung ginagawan ko ng paraan sa publishing, na sana yung mga walang kakayahang makapagbasa, magkaroon ng pagkakataon. Kaya yung mga ganitong klaseng initiative, tulad ng app na libre, malaking bagay.”

Segundo also said that CAT-HA is intended to offer a curated reading experience, with titles selected for their quality and appeal. “Kapag nakapagbasa ka na rito, you expect na compelling yung mga novels at maayos yung grammar.”

Looking ahead, he hopes CAT-HA will eventually expand beyond its current selection to include a wider range of genres and formats.

“Ang objective namin, sana magkaroon ng app na sari-saring genre na rin ang mababasa ninyo. In the coming months and years, sana pati comics, children’s books, at lahat na. We tried to fit in everything here, na kapag binuksan mo yung CAT-HA, nandun na.” 

The CAT-HA app can be downloaded from the Google Play Store, Apple App Store, and Huawei AppGallery.

Please click here for the CAT-HA launch photos.

Follow Precious Pages on social media for updates.

Precious Pages

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PreciousPagesCorp

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/preciouspagesbookstore/

The 14-episode family drama-suspense series stars the Philippines’ most acclaimed stars Sharon Cuneta and Barbie Forteza

Key Art HERE
First Look Stills HERE

Prime Video has unveiled the official key art for Honor Thy Mother and announced that the 14-episode family drama-suspense series will premiere on September 11. A collaboration between GMA Network and ABS-CBN Studios, the series features a powerhouse cast and acclaimed creative talents in a compelling story centered on family, legacy, and secrets hidden for years. The cast is led by Sharon Cuneta, Barbie Forteza, John Estrada, Khalil Ramos, Tonton Gutierrez, and Mercedes Cabral.

After being separated for years, a mother and daughter finally find their way back to each other, only to discover that they have become bitter rivals. With painful memories resurfacing and both fighting for what they believe is rightfully theirs, they are forced to choose between facing their troubled past together or allowing it to drive them further apart.

Sharon Cuneta stars as the formidable CEO of a powerful family-run business whose carefully controlled world is shaken by an unexpected crisis. Barbie Forteza plays a determined young woman whose arrival unveils a life-changing truth: she is Sharon’s long-lost daughter. As mother and daughter are thrust back into each other’s lives after years of separation, they must navigate a complicated relationship shaped by secrets, ambition, and the painful consequences of the past.

The series is directed by award-winning filmmakers Onat Diaz, known for Wildflower (2017), Dirty Linen (2023), and The Alibi (2025), and Jojo Saguin, known for Linlang (2023) and The Alibi (2025).

First-look stills from Honor Thy Mother, premiering on September 11 exclusively on Prime Video. Photo courtesy of Prime Video.

Premiering on September 11, Honor Thy Mother consists of 14 episodes. The series marks the first Prime Video Original collaboration involving GMA Network and ABS-CBN Studios, bringing together talents and creatives from two of the Philippines’ leading entertainment companies.

Honor Thy Mother joins thousands of titles available on Prime Video, including Filipino favorites such as The Loyalty Game, Love is Never Gone, The Silent Noise, The Alibi, LOL: Last One Laughing Philippines, Saving Grace, Linlang, and Drag Den with Manila Luzon Seasons 1 and 2; Korean titles like See You At Work Tomorrow!, Absolute Value of Romance, Siren’s Kiss, Spring Fever, Surely Tomorrow, Head Over Heels, GOOD BOY, Newtopia, and Marry My Husband; and anime hits including Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX, Jujutsu Kaisen 0, and Rurouni Kenshin.

The service also offers a wide selection of award-winning and critically acclaimed Amazon MGM Studios titles, including Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan: Ghost War, Elle, Off Campus, Young Sherlock, Fallout, Reacher, Road House, The Boys, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, and The Summer I Turned Pretty. Subscribers can also enjoy licensed fan favorites such as John Wick, along with exclusive live sports coverage, including the NBA, and acclaimed sports documentaries like Bye Bye Barry, Kelce, and Earnhardt.

Prime Video members can stream their favorite movies, series, and other content anytime and anywhere on thousands of compatible devices. The Prime Video app also allows members to download select titles on mobile devices and tablets for offline viewing at no extra cost. In the Philippines, Prime Video is available for P149 per month.

For more information on Prime Video, visit www.amazon.com/primevideo.