Entertainment

Reconnection is the theme of the song “Kwentuhan” by Autotelic. It is very relevant because it will help us to commemorate with our love ones and help us to cherish one another most especially on what’s happening today and also out on all digital streaming platforms.

Despite the fact that the song was written in early 2019, its message has never been more important. “With the past year being a time when people have been unwittingly disconnected from one another, ‘Kwentuhan’ reminds us of the value of the human bond and is just what we need for a brand-new start,” says Kai Honasan-Del Rio, keyboardist/backup vocalist.

The songwriter/vocalist, Josh Villena said “Kwentuhan’ is about the importance of communication. Maraming tao ang hirap ibahagi ang mga naiisip at nararamdaman nila. Minsan, ang kailangan lang nila ay tenga na handang makinig.

A quick catch-up with a friend or a family member can not only make a difference in their lives, but in your own as well. Josh explains, “‘Kwentuhan’ is a conversation I wish I could still have with a friend that had passed away.” Nowadays, people are more caught up in their own business that they tend to forget about connecting with those who matter. What the song reminds us is that we have to cherish the relationships and friendships that we have, while we still have the chance.

Following through with their new direction, Autotelic again deviates from their usual synth-heavy dance pop-rock sound that they are known for and takes a slight turn to guitar-driven alternative rock, giving the track that 90s to early 2000s feel. Rather than a “change of sound”, the band considers this shift as an expansion of their music, instead. Josh mentions, “Our genre is very broad. We have two guitar players and two synth players. Ang damingpwedeng sound nailabas especially with those instruments at maramingpwedengi-bidanatunog.” But what has stayed the constant is their distinct songwriting which continues to hold true in every meaningful line that ‘Kwentuhan’ is packed with emoti, just like always.

About Autotelic

Autotelic is a 6-piece OPM band, popular in the country’s local gig scene. Since their formation in 2012, they have been recognized for their hits, ‘Laro’ and ‘Languyin’ — the former bagging an award during the 30th Awit Awards in 2017. In 2016, they released their debut album ‘PapuntaPabalik’ which three years later became certified platinum. They now have an additional EP entitled, ‘Takipsilim’ plus two recent singles, ‘Ikaw’ and ‘Bago.

Follow Autotelic for the latest updates: https://autotelic.lnk.to/Bio

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The rising hip artist/producer Blahza pushes his breezy hip-hop sound to a more palatable direction dives deep into romantic nostalgia on “Scared of Heights”—out today on all digital and streaming platforms worldwide. And released under Umami Records.

“It’s not easy to admit when you don’t have courage, but it’s so relatable because we all fall short in some aspects, especially love—when the past year has made interactions very limited,” Blahza reveals.

Blahza puts into perspective how important the song meant to him, and for the most part, how its message could resonate to music fans of all stripes. “So many of us don’t take the opportunity to even say hi to someone we’re are crushing on for fear of rejection or making ourselves look dumb. This song is about finally saying hello and starting that dream relationship you want and can provide.”

The multi-talented rapper/producer also pointed out how “Scared of Heights” is a personal anecdote of him being infatuated with someone in his teenage years. “All the times growing up when I was really into a girl who was in my class and didn’t know how to tell her that I liked her,” he admits. “The countless memories imagining what I would say when I finally built up the courage.”

Tucked somewhere between Plain White T’s alternative pop leanings and Post Malone’s titanium-grade hooks, the rising hip-hop artist and songwriter embraces his more vulnerable side in songwriting, and drops memorable verses over moody but immaculate production.

With its icy breeziness and stripped-down appeal, “Scared of Heights” easily ranks as one of his most accessible yet earnestly compelling releases so far, firmly establishing himself as one of the formidable forces this side of Asian-American rap.

Listen to Scared of Heights via Umami Records: https://www.umamirecords.sg/scared-of-heights/ 

Finally SB19 unravels a new music era that not only elevates their sense of creative aptitude and sonic ambition, but also uncovers their range and discipline as thespians of their own craft. Released today via Sony Music Philippines, their new single “What?” stakes its claim to global domination with a contagiously massive sound that’s larger and louder than life. Veering away from the glossy, dance-pop tunes and anthemic ballads of Get In The Zone, SB19 are pushing the envelope production and songwriting-wise on their latest track, as they command supremacy of P-Pop’s explosion in the global market without resorting to formulaic tricks and pandering to trends.

This time, the acclaimed boy band are transcending the genre that positioned them to become the formidable stars that they are now: comfortable with the convergence of personalities, styles, and influences — while embracing a musicality that is hard to pin down, and refuses to be categorized. “The song ‘What?’ is really different from what we have done before,” main rapper and lead vocalist Pablo shares in a statement. “This one has a more aggressive take to it compared to our previous songs, so I really had to force out the ‘oomph’ in the voices of the members. I was really meticulous with the recordings, but so were they. That’s why we would record ’til morning and until everyone was satisfied with their parts. The feeling had to be there.”

SB19’s very own Pablo, who is also credited as one of the songwriters and producers of SB19’s latest song, reveals that “What?” proves that they’re “not just here to play games or act cool.” He admits, “A lot of people still doubt us, denouncing everything that we do and everything that we’re trying to achieve. We love what we do, that’s why we do it respectfully. ‘What?’ is about self-love and empowerment. Each of us has our own flag. We should be proud of it and raise it as much as we can. As SB19 and as individuals, we know that we’re not the best at everything, but that shouldn’t stop us from what we want to achieve.”

The release of the song comes with a visual accompaniment that marks a triumphant return to the band’s groundbreaking aesthetic and empowering message. The music video of “What?” shows SB19 in battle mode as they claim freedom in a fictional, post-apocalyptic war zone, and exude an aura of power and longevity to go along with its cinematic appeal.

The song will be available on all digital platforms worldwide this March 9, 2021 (7:00pm Manila time) via Sony Music Philippines. SB19’s live launch performance, which will air on the band’s Facebook and YouTube pages at 7:30pm, Manila time — on the same day.

The “One Last Kiss,” which serves as the theme song for the anime film, Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice upon a Time and was directed by Hideaki Anno who is also the author, screenwriter, and director of the film Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon A Time. The visual accompaniment was released on Tuesday the 9th of March at midnight, the same time the song was released.

The collaboration, which has finally come to fruition with the conclusion of the “Evangelion: New Theatrical Edition” series, has received rave reviews from fans of both Hikaru Utada and Evangelion. The music video has already garnered more than 200,000 views on YouTube in the first 30 minutes, and has amassed over a million views in less than a day since it premiered.

By request from Hikaru Utada, Anno readily agreed to work on the video, saying “under the present circumstances [requiring measures for COVID-19], a possible way to create a music video without actually directing a video shoot would be for the artist to film herself and any other footage on her end, then sending them to me to cut and edit into the final video.” Anno sent specific instructionsvia email including some requests for eye focus and lip sync.

With minimal staff help and implementation of all the necessary COVID precautions, the artist filmed the music videos in the outskirts of London. The video footage gathered during shoot, was then sent to Anno and his team in Japan for finishing.

Watch here the music video of Hikaru Utada’s “One Last Kiss”:

English singer-songwriter James Arthur returns with his new single “Medicine,” following the massive global success of his song “Train Wreck.”

The film “Medicine” is blatantly autobiographical. The song was written during James’ first writing session for the new album, and it was the very first song he recorded. “Medicine is an uplifting ode to self, relationships, culture and connection, and healing,” James says.

“Medicine is an uplifting ode to self, relationships, culture, and attachment, as well as the soothing, restorative forces of love over adversity,” James writes. It’s the ideal song for the coming spring of 2021.”

“The last year has forced any couple to look at themselves. It held a mirror up to us all, didn’t it? And my partner was hugely supportive through that whole time. There are some pretty dark lyrics in there: ‘When I’m suicidal, you don’t let me spiral…’”

The journey to his new record began in January 2020 whilst James was on a European tour, and old demons began to resurface. “On stage in Madrid, I had this brutal panic attack. I’ve obviously suffered from anxiety over the years but I’d never had that before, not on stage, not it taking hold of me – to the extent that I had to get off because if I didn’t, I was gonna die. Then the next day I developed really bad flu symptoms and had to be rushed into hospital. They found that I had a gallbladder infection, and had to remove it immediately.”

Arthur spent a week in hospital in Switzerland, having cancelled the tour. When he got home, he checked into Nightingale Hospital in central London, and subsequently used his new home as his place of rehab. He undertook therapy 3-4 times week, embarked on a course of medication, began practicing cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), gave his gym a good work out and, to relieve the pressure, cancelled the American tour.

By March James was fighting fit enough for his UK arena tour. “And it was probably the best tour I’ve ever done.” But then Coronavirus and lockdown hit. By late spring, with restrictions easing, Arthur was back working. His foresight in building a studio and investing in industry-standard recording gear paid immediate dividends. “And all of a sudden, the music started sounding great. From day one there was a sound that I wanted to go for. Even early on it sounded like a real album, a proper body of work.”

James recently signed a new deal with Columbia Records UK, a co-deal with Columbia Records Germany, who have worked with James for the last five years since his No.1 album ‘Back From The Edge’.

He has sold over 30 million records worldwide and has released three hugely successful albums ‘James Arthur’ (No.2), ‘Back From The Edge’ (No.1) and ‘YOU’ (No.2), alongside nine solo UK Top 40 singles. He has had two No.1 smash hits and was awarded a disc for reaching a billion streams on Spotify with ‘Say You Won’t Let Go’, the No.1 global hit that brought the singer-songwriter from Middlesbrough back from the edge (it currently has 1.6 billion streams on the platform).

James recently dominated the airwaves and charts with his storming collaboration with Sigala ‘Lasting Lover’. The track was a No.1 airplay song in the UK, No.1 on iTunes and Top 10 on the Official Singles Chart. He also recently hit the Official UK Chart with ‘Train Wreck’, a track written and recorded for his 2nd album ‘Back From The Edge’, that found a new lease of life via Tik Tok. The track has had an incredible 365 million streams to date.

Reggae band of eight members Just in time for summer, We Got has released their latest song. “LDR,” a Sony Music Philippines release, is a breezy tropical tune that depicts how cruel a long-distance relationship can be most of the time.

The song slices through the emotional core with its honest take on relationships gone wrong, punctuated by offbeat beats, syncopated bass lines, and punchy horns.

In a collective statement, We Got shares how “LDR” managed to tackle themes that center on trust, temptation, and eventually, lost love. “We have observed that this situation keeps happening over and over. We made this song not to raise more hurt feelings, but to help them realize that there’s more to life than dwelling on lost relationships.”

“LDR” was produced by Raymund Marasigan, who has worked with the crossover act on numerous occasions, particularly on their previously released tunes “Ligaya,” a cover of The Eraserheads’ beloved ‘90s hit, and “Lihim Na Pagtingin,” an original which has amassed more than a hundred thousand streams on Spotify alone.

The band considers working with the acclaimed rock iconas one of the best things that happened to them individually, and as a band. “From his years of experience in the music industry, he was able to share his techniques to make our songs more unique.”

“LDR” was recorded at Kodama Studios with Shinji Tanaka at the helm of mixing and mastering duties, and Hazel Pascua serving as the track’s sound engineer. It will be part of an upcoming record to be released soon via Sony Music Philippines and SoupstarMusic.

We Got’s latest single “LDR” is out now on all digital platforms worldwide.

Ben&Ben will step into another form of giving entertainment to the people. The Inevitable Drone Show- It will be the first time to present a music performance by the use of drone lights to highlights the Manila Skyline in coeval design.

Presented by SMART 5G, the environmental friendly and unconventional performance will no doubt hit the headlines as its nearest places including the Rizal Park will enjoy and have the priviledge to experience this modern light show LIVE on February 28 (Sunday) at exactly 7pm. The show will at the same time air on Ben&Ben’s official Facebook page. The award-winning Filipino collective will perform an extended version of “Inevitable,” the celebrated song which was used as a soundtrack and music score for SMART 5G’s romantic sci-fi TVC starring Korean drama big stars Hyun Bin and Son Ye Jin, to complement the picturesque storyline in the sky.

For their part, Ben&Ben immediately said yes to participating in this initiative that explores the creative possibilities of aerial entertainment, easily becoming the first Filipino band to mount a drone show.

“The first and probably the most immediate reason why we accepted this project is because it merges different forms of art with technology to create a one-of-a-kind experience for our audience,” vocalist and guitarist Paolo Benjamin shares in a statement. “Some of us have experienced drone shows before, but only set to pre-existing songs and records. The opportunity to actually score and record the music and live performance to one such show was something we could just not pass up on.”

Ben&Ben’s percussionist Andrew De Pano takes pride in the fact that the nine-piece outfit are also involved with the visual aspects of the drone show, and not just the music itself. “The mere fact that it’s a drone show is definitely a first big difference,” Andrew says. “We also had to base our music performance solely on a storyboard, which was a new experience compared to the usual scoring of a commercial with more or less final video footage to reference off of. We hope that with the work we put into it, the audience experiences the story of our song Inevitable, set to a unique visual experience that even we are especially excited for.”

The Inevitable Drone Show is a collaboration between SMART 5G and Ben&Ben.

‘Inevitable,’ the song that Ben&Ben will be performing, is out now on all digital platforms worldwide via Sony Music.

Gutsy passion of fern when it comes to music, a taste of blur genre lines and infuse eclectic production with pop sensibilities. fern. easily build himself as a frightening multi talented artist for a span of three years in the music industry. Apart from creating and producing tracks for some of the biggest indie, R&B, and pop artists of this generation, he wrote songs that become his source to deliver divulge intimacy.

As he become successful on landing in PARADISE RISING’s most known mixtape, semilucent and gathered a huge number of listeners in spotify, for the record of 20 million streams on the app. The commend singer-songwriter/ producer is prepared for breaking new grounds to his newest single ‘Whatever This Is’ to be release under Island Records Philippines and available now on all digital and streaming platforms worldwide.

Produced by fern., prolific electronic artist similarobjects and experimental beatsmithVINCED, ‘Whatever This Is’ is an R&B jam that is about diving into some sort of relationship without fully committing to it. Meticulously arranged with quiet storm beats and sleek minimalism, fern.’s latest song delves into a level of showmanship that isn’t tied to theatrics and drama; instead, he pulls off a balance between unguarded moments and emotional honesty to create one of the most compelling work of his career.

Fern reflects, “The song was written about a personal experience of mine. Music has always been my way of facing my emotions and coming to terms with them. ‘Whatever This Is’ is one of those songs that was made just because I wanted to let go of certain emotions and be okay with whatever I was feeling at the moment.”

The stars align in fern.’s favor as he continues to embrace his crossover potential without losing his credibility and interest to make something gold out of the ordinary. Taking into consideration the recording process behind the song, fern. admits that he produced the beat first before writing the lyrics of ‘Whatever This Is.’ The multi-talented artist shares, “After producing the beat, I recorded the song with my friends and they helped me a bit with the song production.”

The collaborative experience resulted into a slow-burning anthem that not only treats emotional openness as a rite of passage, but also something that is worth celebrating to. “I don’t really think about my songs in this way so I can’t really tell what makes it different and what makes it cut above the rest,” says fern. “My songs are basically just the product of my emotions and they all represent the different stages that I go through in life.”

About fern.

fern. is a music producer and songwriter from Manila, Philippines. He is known for his debut single ‘Into You’ (2017), another notable single ‘Lie 2 Me’ from his first self-titled EP, and his award-winning collaborative track with Julie Anne San Jose, ‘Down on Me.’ He is also known for co-writing and co-producing ‘You,’ Claudia Barretto’s second single.

In 2019, he released his debut album Loveless. The album contained ‘Sweet’ and ‘Look Into My Eyes,’ collaborative tracks that feature Kiana Valanciano and Leila Alcasid respectively. He has then released three more singles: ‘Want U Bad,’ ‘Blinded,’ and ‘Angel Eyes.’ His song ‘Kaori’ was also included in 88rising’s debut album semilucent.

An 80’s pop inspired music was been created by Zack Tabudlo as he launched his new track ‘Elizabeth’. This is about a girl who gives hints of love and interest, but is afraid of commitment. ‘Elizabeth’ is mainly influenced by Zack Tabudlo’s praise for Liza Soberano. As a matter of fact, it is related to her for it is her real name outside of showbiz. And his new single was been released today via Island Records Philippines.

Zack admits that it was actually Liza who got him into songwriting at a young age. “I wrote a ton of songs about her starting out until I paved my way to writing through my personal experiences,” the Nangangamba singer confesses.“She’s such an inspiration to a lot of people including me, who got started with a craft I love to do.”

A fictional account

From a lyrical standpoint, ‘Elizabeth’ puts accurately into words Zack’s frustration about unrequited love, and how the most interesting pieces of music come from a place of romantic uncertainty and youthful sentiment.“The song is about a person who gives you mixed feelings, showing interests but throws you off from time to time,” Zack adds.

As a fictional account that exists in the writer and producer’s fevered imagination, ‘Elizabeth’ gives us a different side of Zack that we haven’t heard of: a distinct range, a flair for infectious storytelling, and a way with words.

An earworm of a track

With its pulsating beats and retro-futurist sheen, Zack shares that his new song is heavily indebted to the new wave hits of the ‘80s, rendering the earworm of a track a colorful, fun exterior.“It’s my first time releasing a song with this style and it’s been fun,” the young producer and singer-songwriter said. “I wanted to go for something mellow having the foundation from the original one but has a ‘slow dance’ feel to it instead of going full ballad.”

For his part, Zack incorporates a lot of personal modified samples for the drum tracks and a lot of 80s synths and effects. The aesthetic move allows the eclectic artist to explore sounds outside of his comfort zone, and experiment with outsider ideas that don’t necessarily subscribe to conventional music-making.

Zack Tabudlo

With a slew of catchy singles under his belt, all leading up to what’s looking to be a promising full-length in the future, the young musician is gaining momentum. His hustle may have been riding below the radar, but one can expect 2021 to be Zack’s year.

Zack Tabudlo’s ‘Elizabeth is out today (February 26, Friday) on all digital platforms worldwide via MCA Music Inc.

Follow Zack Tabudlo:https://zacktabudlo.lnk.to/FollowZack

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Singapore-based electronic musician Eve Alai collaborates on the laid-back jam “Summer” with UK-based musician Arjun Ratwatte and Sri Lankan promoter Madaid-out through Umami Tracks on all online platforms internationally on 26 Feb 2021.

“Summer” hits gold with the sounds of California sunset cruising via fizzy, vintage compositions and feel-good tropical vibes, a much-welcomed move from Eve Alai’s deep house numbers.

By now, it’s clear that Eve Alai wants to concoct the perfect summer anthem for long drives, and on his latest track, he achieves this feat by writing an earworm of a hook around Warren G’s beloved classic ‘Regulate,’ and infusing guitar chords to the mix. The acclaimed producer adds, “I wrote the first verse, then the chorus and immediately had Arjun in mind so we got talking about collaborating on the track. He wrote the second verse and the writing was complete, but I felt that the production was missing the last bit of oomph it needed.”

Sri Lankan producer Madaid completes the foundation built by Eve Alai and Arjun Ratwatte, and instills his production style for a warmer sound. For his part, Madaid switched out the kick drum, and brought the entire track to life by adding his inimitable touch. “It was a very smooth process for me as we all work on Ableton, so we just sent one project file back and forth between the three of us,” Madaid shares. “I believe that silence is the canvas we musicians paint on, and that was my thought process when approaching this track.”

The cross-cultural collaboration took place within the three artists’ respective studios in Singapore, UK and Sri-Lanka. According to Arjun, they have been working on this project since November 2020, and that all participating musicians brought their own flavours and dropped it in a melting pot. “It’s a fulfilling feeling now that song is out! Our comfort zones in terms of genre are worlds apart between the three of us. Finding that middle ground was the beauty of this record.”

Eve Alai, Arjun Ratwatte and Madaid’s “Summer” is out everywhere at this link: https://www.umamirecords.sg/summer/