Entertainment

Darren Espanto has came back home after spending time overseas during the lockdown, and he hasn’t arrived empty-handed. The threefold treat of a new track, a fresh look, and an upcoming show from the artist will not disappoint fans who have been waiting for his return.

Darren will go live on TikTok Exclusive on June 5th, Saturday, at 8:00 PM via his personal TikTok account,  @darrenespanto, in desire to interact with his followers. During the TikTok Exclusive, he will give away prizes and show the choreography for his new track, “Tama Na,” dancing challenge.

The song, which was written and produced by singer-songwriter Zack Tabudlo, talks about self-worth and breaking free from toxic relationships. “Tama Na” will be part of Darren’s upcoming album, and a music video for the song is planned for release as well. Fans will also get the chance to listen to “Tama Na” live during Darren’s concert on June 9.

Viewers of TikTok Exclusive may even be surprised to see an all grown up Darren Espanto, who recently debuted a new look through his social media accounts. As he has just turned 20 years old, the singer, who first became famous as a contestant on The Voice Kids Philippines, has shed his child performer image and now sports a sexier, more mature side.

To updates on his current activities  just tune in to TikTok Exclusive with Darren Espanto to hear firsthand about his lockdown experience in Canada, his thoughts on turning 20, and how he feels about recording over Zoom and this new digital era of music. Darren will also be answering questions from viewers through TikTok’s Live Q&A.

Don’t miss this awesome online event. Download TikTok on your iOS and Android devices today.

The iconic reality show Keeping Up with the Kardashians, like all good things, must come to an end. We shall truly miss a show with 20 fascinating, interesting, and heartwarming seasons where we got a glimpse into their daily life. If you haven’t seen the previous episodes, this is your last chance to catch up with Kim, Khloe, Kourtney, Kris, Kylie, and Kendal. hayu got down with executive producer Farnaz Farjam to talk about memorable experiences and moments from the show.

Most epic moment

For the past 14 years, Farjam shared that his favorite and most memorable moment was still Kris Jenner’s lip moment—she didn’t want to film because of her swollen lip, but decided to carry on with it anyway as they were on a family vacation. A totally relatable episode as it gave us a lot of laughs!

The Kardashian-Jenners IRL

While the whole world sees them cry, laugh, and get crazy on TV, Farjam shared how some of the siblings have been lately in real life, especially now that the show’s about to end. Get to know more about the Kar-Jenner family behind the scenes:

• Kim always comes with the most thoughtful gifts for the family. She’s the Kardashian who, according to Farjam, loves being in front of the camera the most. Kim is also the most fun to film thanks to her playful nature—during a time after her divorce, she would go crazy wearing all the funny wigs.
• Kourtney is commendable for the strength she showed as she went on an emotional ride working through her emotions from Season 19 through 20. Amazingly, she emerged with a new and fresh attitude during Season 20, radiating positivity and just wanting to live her best life.
• One of the most appreciative of and caring for the crew is Khloe. “One of our film producers, after filming in South Africa, had to go to hospital and he got hit with a $15,000 medical bill and he was stressing out,” Farjam said. “Khloe just wrote him a cheque.”
• Opposite of camera-loving Kim, Kylie is the one who actually likes filming the least. But on a brighter note, Kylie was much present in Season 20—perhaps due to it being the final one. It can be seen that she made an effort to be visible and felt for this last season.
• Kendall, despite not being a parent yet, shows how much love she has in her by being a cool aunt to her nieces and nephews.

For the past decade, the Kardashians have been in the spotlight revealing their everyday life—happy moments and struggles combined, from failed relationships and sibling fights to family disputes. The show highlighted how even though they are celebrities, they are just as normal—they still experience the same challenges and conquer them in their own creative ways.

Prepare your tissues because this last season of Keeping Up With the Kardashians this June will surely be emotional as the family will close this chapter of their lives.

Catch the final episodes drop every Friday on hayu on the same day as its U.S. premiere. Get your Kardashian fix plus access to unlimited shows by signing up via http://hayu.com. You may also download the app to keep keeping up with the Kardashians! Subscribe to a weekly plan for only Php 49 or a monthly plan of Php 149 along with a FREE TRIAL. Or get hayu prepaid pass and save on your weekly, monthly, or quarterly pass to never miss out on your favorite TV shows!

Prepare for an evening of rising anthems and iconic sing-alongs as kumu live and GNN present an online concert with some of the best Filipino singer-songwriters from all time.  The digital display, dubbed ALPAS, offers musical listeners a glimpse of “concert” normalcy in an intimate, stripped-down atmosphere, in addition to bringing live performances to the streaming public.

Aia de Leon, Barbie Almalbis, Kitchie Nadal, Ebe Dancel, Johnoy Danao, and Bullet Dumas, acclaimed alternative/pop-rock/folk icons, will co-headline a show for the first time, working as both solo artists and collaborators. The six musical acts will also perform as a group in a special medley number arranged and created by Ronaldo Tomas, an award-winning musical director.

With new security and health protocols in place, the virtual showcase will be shot at the outdoor area of Conspiracy Garden Café, an iconic music venue that is home to several music greats and independent bands, and in Madrid, Spain where Kitchie Nadal is currently based.

As expected, Nadal is excited to be part of this once-in-a-lifetime collaboration, and has all the great words to say about the upcoming online show. “I’m excited to work with the artists that I admire in the music industry. It’s an opportunity that I wouldn’t want to miss.” Barbie Almalbisexplains that this is as close to playing for a live audience, and that performing in Conspiracy again makes her feel nostalgic. “I’m more than happy to share the stage with the artists that I look up to, and hopefully, the energy and enthusiasm would resonate with the music fans once they see it on the virtual screen. It’s something that we’ve worked hard for.”

Aia, Barbie and Kitchie (ABK) have staged a sold-out, collaborative concerts at the Music Museum in 2016 and 2017, and held a benefit online show in 2020 to raise funds for the employees of indie music venues in Metro Manila. Ebe, Johnoy, and Bullet (3D) on the other hand, have performed as 3D, and went on to headline three, sold-out concerts: twice at the Music Museum in 2015 and 2016, and at the Kia Theatre in 2018. These concerts were organized and produced by GNN.

Bullet Dumas admits that he missed performing, and that ALPAS came at the right time when everyone needs a source of entertainment to keep them going while public life is on lockdown. “I haven’t performed in an actual show since early pandemic,” the young music virtuoso shares in a statement. “People in the live events industry are barely surviving, so this opportunity from KUMU and GNN means a lot to me. And I know how a simple show can move people especially in this crazy era of our lives.”

JohnoyDanao admits that this is the very first time since 2020 that 3D will be reunited together, and he wouldn’t want to miss it for the world. He’s also looking forward to working with Aia, Barbie and Kitchie on this special project. “It’ll be the first time that all of us are performing together, so I think that’s something to look forward to.”

When asked about what makes ALPAS worth watching despite the lack of an actual “live” audience, Aia De Leon takes pride in what the virtual concert stands for especially in the time of pandemic. “ALPAS is your connection to something real. When the songs hit home, this is your connection to the memory as well as the future promise of the live gig experience.”

EbeDancel echoes Aia’s sentiments, stressing the importance of music in forging a sense of community amidst the most challenging of times. “People, in my opinion, will always need music. As much as we miss the live audience, this will have to do for now. Someday, somehow, we will all see each other again.”

From 6 p.m. on June 5, 2021, ALPAS: A Digital Concert will premiere. General admission tickets for ALPAS are now available for purchase on kumu for P499 each. Visit www.kumu.live for more information about how to purchase tickets.

Brant Buckley found a new path in life after suffering a career-threatening injury on the tennis court: music, concentrating on his Blues. He’ll be doing a live streamed set on The Bunker on May 20th. This is a weekly live video streaming event featuring original singer-songwriters and bands from Chicago and the surrounding areas. Every Thursday at 8:30 p.m., the shows air. It’s 06:00 a.m. in the In an intimate, comfortable environment, a multicam presentation with studio quality audio is presented. The livestream can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6lrgJ0k20.

About the artist

Brant Buckley  is a graduate of Berklee College of Music with a Bachelors of Music in Songwriting. He was born outside of Chicago (Hinsdale) and has lived in Costa Rica but spent most of his life in Philadelphia. East coast folk music and the coffeehouse scene inspired his early sound: James Taylor, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Kenn Kweder, and Nick Drake. Last 2012, Buckley independently released his first album, My Life, which was featured in The Times of India (India’s CNN). He released Chicago Summer, a 3 song E.P. His song Shine had over 55,000 YouTube plays last 2015. April 1st 2021, he released his single Don’t Shoot Your Blues Away getting radio airplay on Uncle Buc Plays The Blues Show. Recently, he released his second full length album: Times Strange.

Brant met Bluesman Jesse Graves last 2013. Graves was Philadelphia’s leading bluesman during the 1970s and played with Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Bonnie Raitt, Hound Dog Taylor, Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup, and Tom Waits. Jesse learned from Reverend Gary Davis and passed on the Blues and Native American Spirituality to Brant. In 2014, inspired by Jesse, Brant moved to Chicago to learn more about the Blues. Working as a tennis pro, Brant experienced the Blues for himself after having a career ending tennis injury. The pain taught him what Blues are all about.

Buckley’s Chicago Blues sound is haunting, melodic, and rhythmic. There are traces of Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson, and Son House, and he draws heavily from his folk and spiritual heritage. He is a firm believer in the power of music. Brant is also a USPTA-certified tennis pro who has been practicing meditation (Kriya Yoga) and energetic healing for over ten years. Brant has written over 60 interviews and reviews for The American Blues Scene as a contributing author. To name a couple, he’s spoken with George Thorogood, Bobby Rush, John Hammond, John Primer, Dick Waterman, and Walter Trout.

About the song

As narrated by Brant, he relocated to Chicago as a USPTA certified teaching tennis professional. Tennis had been a huge part of his life since he was a kid. With his persistence, he landed a Pro position, teaching tennis, but unfortunately suffered an on the job right foot injury which abruptly ended his tennis days. Over a three-year period of pain, muscle weakness and dejection, he lost his money, job, and was forced to sell his precious car. He was miserable. From this dark time, he wrote the song, “Nerve Damage Blues.” The lyrics in the song talk about his four year battle with nerve pain, a lawsuit, and overcoming the injury. He had the Blues so bad he couldn’t even play the Blues and he didn’t want anything to do with anyone or anything. Looking back, the injury was an extreme blessing for him and it happened for a reason. Going through it taught him what the Blues are all about. He is thankful for the injury as it created his new musical sound. Real Blues are no joke and it’s like Son House said: “The Blues ain’t nothing but a low down shaking chill. If you ain’t had em I hope you never will.” To know more about Brant Buckley, make sure you follow him on his social media accounts:

Official Website: https://brantbuckley.com/bio

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brantbuckley/?hl=en

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

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2TYunq1O5wHHCJO3AxgfXt

Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/brant-buckley/579442672

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/brant-buckley/nerve-damage-blues

The virtual concert that offers an exciting music experience at the comforts of every music fan’s home are coming together with the acclaimed and award-winning solo artists EbeDancel, JohnoyDanao, Bullet Dumas, Barbie Almalbis, Aia de Leon, and Kitchie Nadal. ALPAS is a digital show produced by kumu, an online community platform for livestreamers, and GNN Entertainment, a Manila-based music events and PR agency. The event is a flagship effort between the two producers to keep the live music scene alive while public life is on lockdown.

With new security and health protocols in place, the virtual showcase will be shot in advance somewhere in a ‘familiar’ music venue that serves as second home to a lot of progressive-leaning acts and independent bands, and in Spain, where one of its artists, Kitchie Nadal is currently based. Expect the iconic singer-songwriters to perform their biggest hits and rarities in a stripped-down format, and collaborate for a special ‘medley’ number arranged by renowned musical director, Ronaldo Tomas.

“Music feels more essential than usual in the time of pandemic,” kumu Live Events Manager Lorraine Alelis shares in a statement. “It’s quite challenging to find a sustainable workaround to help artists connect with their fans and implement welcoming developments in the virtual concert space. ALPAS is our way to support the live music scene as we transition into the new normal. Thanks to GNN, we’re given an opportunity to push boundaries, build a system around it, and help more people in the concert industry who have lost jobs.”

ALPAS marks the first time that the six top-notch performers will be equally headlining a show after having performed as solo acts or part of a collective. Through the years, the singer-songwriter trio (EbeDancel, JohnoyDanao and Bullet Dumas) have staged three-peat sold-out concerts at the Music Museum (2x) and Kia Theatre (1x) in 2015, 2016 and 2018 respectively, while the queens of alternative rock (Aia de Leon, Barbie Almalbis and Kitchie Nadal) have performed as a group in two sold-out concerts at the Music Museum in 2016 and 2017, and a benefit virtual concert in 2020 to raise funds for the employees of indie music venues in Metro Manila. All these shows were organized and produced by GNN Entertainment.

ALPAS tickets are now available for purchase via kumu, with a price of P499 for general admission and the show is slated to premiere on June 5, 2021 from 6pm onwards. For more details on how to buy tickets, go to this site: www.kumu.live

New single of Ben&Ben “Magpahinga,” the nine-piece collective wrote a lovely piano ballad from the point of view of someone who is in dire need of guidance. Also offer words of genuine compassion and encouragement to every person out there who might be going through a lot in these difficult times. “Magpahinga” is out now on all digital platforms worldwide via Sony Music.

“It’s a song that reminds us to check up on ourselves and address our own inner struggles,” lead vocalist and guitarist Paolo Benjamin points out in a statement. “But also, it is a song that aims to accompany the listener, and remind them that in those moments of hardship, they are not alone.” Without resorting to being preachy, the band’s latest offering also reminds listeners that there’s nothing to be ashamed of in taking some time to step back from the situation and heal on your own terms.

Written by Miguel and Paolo Benjamin, and produced by JP Verona with the band, “Magpahinga” was recorded in the house where the band is currently staying. The remote place has a beautiful baby grand piano, which keyboardist Patricia Lasaten used as an instrument to complement the band’s introspective lyrics.

Percussionist Andrew de Pano takes pride in how everything came together beautifully to convey a sense of cinematic earnestness. “The piano helped give the song a nostalgic texture, magnified further by Pat’s emotional performance. The sound design elements were added in by our lead guitarist Poch, using a unique instrument called a Seaboard. These bass and pad sounds definitely helped widen the soundscape and set it apart from our past ‘stripped-down’ releases.”

Here, the quiet moments filled with lovingly sparse details, take the lead, while the instrumentation speaks volumes even when it retreats inwardly, giving off that sweater-weather vibe.

“We wanted to make sure that above all else, the message of the song stands out,” lead vocalist and guitarist Miguel Benjamin adds. “The piano, violin, and pads are all present to reinforce the melody and support the emotion that the lyrics holds. We hope that the listener feels the song as much as if it were their own experience.”

Starting on May 19 hayu will be stream and download the Botched returns for a seventh season. Where back to the O.R. for another season of mind-blowing patients transformations of the world-renowned Drs. Paul Nassif and Terry Dubrow bring their unparalleled surgical skills and hilarious banter.  From heartbreaking to jaw-dropping, the doctors once again take on life-changingsurgeries with patients who have not only been “botched” by bad plastic surgery but have experienced harrowing physical trauma from inexplicable genetic defects and nightmare-inducing accidents.

This season pushes the doctors to pursue innovative new treatments as they grapple with some of the most complicated cases of their careers with the episodes like “I Got Dumped Because of My Plastic Surgery,” “I Should Have Done My Homework,” and “Surgical Secrets Revealed,”.

Some of the patients this season include: 

• A woman that grew an extra set of softball-sized breasts in her armpits that lactate when she breastfeeds.
• A trip to the ER following a near fatal accident left a patient with a life altering, “shark-bite” sized hole on his abdomen.
• A man who believes his nose was deformed by his mother’s IUD while he was in the womb, creating debilitating breathing and self-esteem issues.
• A woman with the BRCA gene had a mess of a mastectomy and fears her doctor may have left breast tissue behind, still leaving her at risk of developing breast cancer.

Botched is an Evolution Media production with Douglas Ross, Alex Baskin, Tina Gazzerro Clapp, Matt Westmore, and Sarah Kane serving as Executive Producers, along with Dr. Terry Dubrow and Dr. Paul Nassif.

Season 11 of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills features a heady mix of marriages, parenting problems, life shifts, and other challenges faced by housewives Erika Girardi, Kyle Richards, Lisa Rinna, Dorit Kemsley, Garcelle Beauvai, Sutton Stracke, Crystal Kung Minkoff, and Kathy Hilton.

Can’t get enough of high-society life? With the Real Housewives of New York, expect more of the same. Season 13 follows Leah McSweeney, Luann de Lesseps, Ramona Singer, Sonja Morgan, and Eboni K. Williams as they explore the complexities of dating, creative projects, self-love, friendships, and professional development as they go about their everyday lives.

For a glimpse of medical action, Botched offers a glimpse into the lives of world-renowned Drs. Paul Nassif and Terry Dubrow bring their unparalleled surgical skills and hilarious banter back to the O.R. for another season of mind-blowing patient transformations. From heartbreaking to jaw-dropping, the doctors once again take on life-changing surgeries with patients who have not only been “botched” by bad plastic surgery,but have experienced harrowing physical trauma from inexplicable genetic defects and nightmare-inducing accidents.

Wondering where the rich are snapping up properties with the Covid-19 crisis changing the New York real estate scene? Catch Million Dollar Listing and follow a group of real estate brokers as they work with high-end clientele.

Season 1 of Dating New Filter UK will teach you what you need to know about modern dating. Every episode features comedians observing singles as they date, or at least attempt to date, and offering unfiltered commentary on the viewers’ shock and awe. It’s everything you and your peers are always yelling at the television throughout dating shows: humorous, wince, and completely honest.

You’ll hardly run out of excuses to binge-watch with hayu’s thrilling lineup. Now you can watch unlimited shows with a subscription or prepaid card! Sign up for a weekly plan for just Php49 or a monthly plan for Php149 with a 7-day FREE TRIAL at hayu.com. Alternatively, purchase a hayu prepaid pass to save money on your weekly, monthly, or quarterly pass series on hayu.com!

The Real Housewives’ Home of the Housewives: A True Representation of the Thrill Ride Life of Being a Woman on Hayu

With reality series The Real Housewives, you’ll get your fill of edginess, glitter, tension, excitement, and all-around awesome women slash housewife strength. hayu, the Home of the Housewives, is a great place to watch the show.

With so many spin-offs from the triumph of the first TRH season, The Real Housewives of Orange County, you’ll never be short on Housewives content to binge-watch and keeping yourself amused.

Know more about what the latest developments are for some TRH series:

The Real Housewives of New York City

Seasons 1-13 | Brand New Episodes every Wednesday, Same Day as the U.S.

New Faces, New Drama! With a new apartment and furry friend, Leah McSweeney is on a mission to continue elevating her life. The Upper East Side welcomes back Luann de Lesseps, who is excited to settle in her new space, be closer to friends, and spark up a new romance.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

Seasons 1-11 | Brand New Episodes every Thursday starting May 20, Same Day as the U.S.

These diamonds are back and under pressure! Erika Girardi shocks the group with news that she is filing for divorce from her husband and is entangled in a web of legal proceedings. Kyle Richards struggles with the realization that her daughters are growing up and her impending empty-nest status.

The Real Housewives of Orange County

Seasons 1-15

Dive-in headfirst into the private lives of the privileged residents of Orange County, the elite Southern California community. Offering a fly-on-the-wall view of the day-to-day existence of the truly decadent and extravagantly casual, this is an addictive real life soap opera starring the tanned, bleached, and fabulous.

The Real Housewives of Dallas

Seasons 1-5

Time to saddle up and head to the Lone Star State! Demonstrating that everything is indeed bigger in Texas, these sophisticated southern socialites flaunt over-the-top lifestyles as they jockey for position within the elite tiers of the Dallas social scene. The series gives an exclusive look inside their massive Texas mansions and glitzy galas full of intriguing gossip and shocking scandals. With big egos and quick tempers, these proud Texans prove that things are truly wilder out west.

The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City

Season 1

Head to the scenic mountains of Salt Lake City for a peek inside the unconventional lives of six successful women navigating an exclusive social circle in a city where religion, status and perfection are praised to the highest degree. Representing an array of religious beliefs; these Utah ladies have been blessed with luxurious homes, multi-million-dollar businesses, glamorous lifestyles and families. But the pursuit of perfection can take its toll, leading to plenty of drama within their elite group.

The Real Housewives of Atlanta

Seasons 1-13

Head to the southern U.S for an up-close and personal look at life in Hotlanta, as the series follows a group of glamorous Southern belles as they balance motherhood, demanding careers and a fast-paced social calendar, and show what life is like in the most exclusive areas of Atlanta. These driven and ambitious women prove that they’re not just “housewives,” but entrepreneurs, doting mothers and passionate Southern women.

The Real Housewives of New Jersey

Seasons 1-11

Big homes, big hair, big money and big drama. Welcome to New Jersey, home to some of the Garden State’s most affluent ladies and the families they run. These best friends do everything over-the-top, from their decorating, to their dating and their fighting. The Real Housewives of New Jersey showcases the McMansions and lavish lifestyles of these women and all the conflict that new money can buy.

Get ready to join the ladies in their ups and downs as they manage their lives through womanhood by watching the entire Real Housewives franchise. Now you can watch unlimited shows with a subscription or prepaid card! Sign up for a weekly plan for just Php49 or a monthly plan for Php149 with a 7-day FREE TRIAL at hayu.com. Alternatively, purchase a hayu prepaid pass to save money on your weekly, monthly, or quarterly pass series on hayu.com!

Philpop 2020 Songwriting Festival is very successful and now PhilPop returns this year with a digital bootcamp that puts a spotlight on up-and-coming songwriters and composers in the Philippines. Also launching the “PhilPop 2021 DigiCamp: Music Breaking Borders,” the songwriting mentorship campaign will push through in a virtual setting to adapt to the new normal and offer a positive learning experience for attendees even at the comforts of their home.

PhilPop 2021 DigiCamp: Music Breaking Borders is an initiative of the PhilPop Music Foundation, chaired by Mr. Manny V. Pangilinan. This year’s virtual event is co-presented by MAYNILAD, SMART, MULTISYS, TUNECORE and BELIEVE.

Now ready to implement a more inclusive but intensive approach to mentorship and training, the country’s premier songwriting institution will be holding a 14-week program for aspiring participants to learn and further hone their skills in the field of songwriting, marketing and branding, recording and arrangement, intellectual property rights, music appreciation, and more.

With the challenges of mounting a bootcamp in the time of pandemic, PhilPop remains committed in being at the forefront of empowering the future generation of recording stars and industry professionals, and ensure that these dreams and aspirations are not halted even by unfavorable circumstances. “We decided to carry on with the camp because we feel, more than ever, now is the perfect time to reach out to a lot of songwriters who are constrained at home due to the pandemic, PhilPop Executive Director Dinah Remolacio said in a statement. “Artists are becoming more productive and creative at home, and we believe that the digital sphere will enable PhilPop to reach these special group of people who want to further educate themselves and who want to be mentored in pursuing their dreams.”

PhilPop Program and Marketing Manager Gab Cabangon explains that apart from the technical requirements such as preparing and updating the website for the DigiCamp, PhilPop is also collaborating with some of the coaches and partners in creating a musiccurriculum and program suited to a virtual environment. “This includes developing pre-recorded lectures, brainstorming exercises that can be done online, and identifying the ideal session format for each topic. Teaching and mentoring online requires a shift in how we approach the camp this year.”

This year’s coaches, mentors, speakers, and consultants include some of the biggest names in the music industry such as Ryan Cayabyab, Noel Cabangon, Thyro Alfaro, Marlon Barnuevo, Trina Belamide, Jungee Marcelo, Ben&Ben’s Paolo and Miguel Guico, and more.

Apart from the transition from a physical camp to a digital camp, Gab Cabangon takes pride of PhilPop’s more expansive programming that were not included in the previous iteration of the songwriting workshop. He shares, “The DigiCamp this year will also include benefits such as music production and music release opportunities for fellows who participate in this program. Lastly, there’s going to be a lot more concrete outputs that will be expected from the songwriters who will apply for this program.”

The digital songwriting bootcamp application  is open to all Filipinos 16 years old and above before June 9, 2021. Applicant must have a Smart mobile number for log-in purposes and special announcements. Basic music and songwriting knowledge is a must, should be a Filipino citizen and must have sufficient wi-fi capabilities for all online activities.

Be part of this year’s PhilPop 2021 DigiCamp: Music Breaking Borders, just log on to PhilPop’s official site to register. Application period starts from May 7 to June 25, 2021.

Finally and it’s official: Ben&Ben have released “Upuan,” the first single off their upcoming sophomore album to be released under Sony Music. Also out now on all streaming platforms worldwide.

It was written in 2019, in Dumaguete upon arrival at the hotel after one of their shows, their new song takes a nostalgic look on young love, and as Ben&Ben describe it, “the palpable romantic tension that arises from friendships that are formed by sitting next to each other, and the adventurous conversations that ensue.”

“Upuan” paints a picture for listeners that interprets gestures in such lifelike ways, capturing a play of details with romantic earnestness. The band points out, “we incorporated a more visual style in the song, painting a picture for the listener and transporting them to that familiar place, of falling in love with someone they just met, whether that is in a classroom, by the beach, at a restaurant.”

There is magic in the way Ben&Ben fuse all these elements together to create a cinematic landscape punctuated by poetry and inventiveness. It’s effortlessly picturesque, while employing a level of commitment to make the audience feel like they’re part of the experience, as if tapping into something personal and is of utmost importance to their being.

In a joint statement, the nine-piece collective said that the music of “Upuan” was conceived during a random jamming sessionwith no prior agenda as to how it would sound. “But to our surprise, that first jamming brought about the soul of how Upuan sounds now. The earthy, ethereal soundscapes, and that sense of sonic adventure came from the fact that we just moved in together, and being in a new place surrounded with summer vibes and nature elements, helped shape our expression of our new song. We feel very blessed to be close to nature in this season and it’s almost like a tribute to their beauty that we included them in the song.”

Written and produced by Ben&Ben, co-produced/mixed by Jean Paul Verona, and mastered by Leon Zervos, “Upuan” was recorded in the band’s home studio. Verona and sound engineer Sam Marquez helped in the recording process, giving the song its final touches.

The acclaimed hitmakers are also currently working on their second album. “Since the production of this song, we’re continuously working on all the other songs that will complete it. We’re really pushing forward in terms of experimentation and diversity of sound in the songs.”