Ben&Ben, the Award-winning, nine-piece collective and currently one of the most-streamed Filipino artists with dedicated fan bases across the world will release their international new single “Doors” on Thursday, April 16 through Sony Music. Then on Saturday, April 18, the dynamic young act will host a special YouTube Live event on the band’s YouTube channel to raise funds for the COVID-19 response in the Philippines.

Fans across the world can tune in from 7:00pm GMT + 8 (9:00pm AEST/7:00am EST/12:00pm BST) to see the acclaimed nine-piece perform “Doors” alongside other tracks from their certified Platinum and best-selling 2019 debut album, LIMASAWA STREET, including recently released “Fall”(watch the video HERE). Each member of the band will connect from their respective homes to stream the performance in their unique signature 3 x 3 format.  After the event, the live stream will continue to be available on YouTube as a video on demand.

“Doors” is mixed by Grammy Award-winning engineer Miles Walker (Beyonce, Usher, Coldplay, Rihanna) and mastered by Leon Zervos (P!nk, Maroon 5, Beastie Boys, Willy Nelson).

Also Ben&Ben explains: “Doors” is one of the most personal songs that we’ve written. It’s about passive-aggressiveness, how it can ruin relationships, and how anyone can be on either the sending or receiving end of it. So much of the hurt in the world now, much of which we all experience daily as well, is caused by people not speaking what is really on their minds… We drew on our emotions on these topics to craft the melodies, riffs, beats, and textures of the song. It was done so quickly; one day we were jamming the song, and a few days after we already had the track on record. Everyone just performed their most raw and pure feelings to make the arrangement.”

“YouTube is proud to collaborate with Sony to enable Ben&Ben’s live streaming event which aims to create a donation drive for COVID-19 response efforts. It is uplifting to see the power of music and Filipinos’ spirit of bayanihan coming together to lend a helping hand during this increasingly challenging time. We hope that Ben&Ben’s event does not just help raise funds but inspire Filipinos to get through difficult moments through music,” said Bernadette Nacario, Country Director, Google Philippines.

About the band

Ben&Ben photo landscape

Ben&Ben consists of brothers Paolo Benjamin and Miguel Benjamin on acoustic guitars and vocals, PochBarretto on electric guitar, Jam Villanueva on drums, Agnes Reoma on bass, Patricia Lasaten on keyboards, Toni Munoz and Andrew de Pano on percussions, and KeiferCabugao on violin. Combining folk and indie music with pop sensibilities, they have redefined the mainstream music lane with a sound that bridges the musical traditions of the past with a contemporary touch. And this is what sets them apart from their peers: Ben&Ben creates a blueprint that makes intimacy feel big and expansive.

Last month, Ben&Ben joined 14 artists across Asia in the remake of Taiwanese superstar Eric Chou’s original track “Forever Beautiful,” as part of their efforts to express solidarity and support for those affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. On March 27, they held a Facebook Live event for their COVID-19 donation site (www.puhon.ph), which garnered 2.2M views in the first 24 hours, surpassing the Facebook Live statistics of Latin Superstars Alejandro Sanz and Juanes. The donation site was created by Ben&Ben, Sony Music Philippines and other partners, with inspiring stories and messages of encouragement to frontliners. Puhon is a beautiful Visayan (Philippine dialect) word that means “hopefully” and is a famous lyric of Ben&Ben. 

Ben&Ben was invited to perform at Hong Kong’s Clockenflap Music & Arts Festival 2019 and Austin’s South by Southwest Music Festival 2020, and has graced Singapore’s Music Matters and Manila’s Wanderland Music & Arts Festival 2018 – where they co-headlined with international acts such as Lauv, Jhené Aiko, Kodaline and Daniel Caesar. In previous years, the prolific ensemble has performed in arenas and large-scale venues, most notably the Philippine Arena with a maximum capacity of 55,000, and other prominent events held at the Smart Araneta Coliseum and the MOA arena – both with more than 15,000 attendees.

With diverse musical influences that include The Carpenters, Fleetwood Mac, Simon and Garfunkel, Elton John, Bee Gees, Radwimps, Laura Marling, Bon Iver, Tom Misch, and Dave Matthews Band, to name a few, their songs paint an indelible portrait of a generation that knows their worth despite the brokenness inside, creating a connection between the personal and the universal.

Ben&Ben will continue to release music throughout 2020 and plan to tour their incredible live set again when possible.  

 Gloc-9

After deciding to go the independent route with Asintada, a management and production team headed by his wife Thea Gomez Pollisco, Gloc-9 sets the table for music projects that strike a balance between uncompromised vision and crossover appeal.

The acclaimed hip-hop figure has released new singles that create uplifting artistic statements through socially relevant songs. “Sampaguita,” his latest collaboration with accomplished young singer-songwriter Juan KarlosLabajo, proved to be as successful as his previous classic hits, smashing out of the gate with more than a million views in less than a month.

“When Gloc-9 decided to become independent, he made it clear to work on projects that matter to him on a personal level, and at the same time, promote awareness on the plight of the underprivileged Filipinos through his musical platform,” Thea reveals in a statement.

To their advantage, the recent releases garnered positive reception from music fans. The music icon’s recent performance with fellow rapper and songwriter Flow G on Wish 107.5 bus debuted at No. 1 on YouTube’s trending videos chart, reaping more than 6 million views as of today’s update. His captivating performance of “Halik” currently sits inside the video streaming chart’s Top 20 for a third week in a row—a blockbuster feat that adds value to his growing legacy as a successful hip-hop artist approaching his third decade in the game.

Another video of Gloc-9 is also making rounds on YouTube’s trending videos chart. His 24 bars rap challenge peaked at No. 4 with more than a million views in less than a week of its release. Taking dexterity to the next level, the award-winning rapper impressed listeners with a soul-baring wordplay over a Flip D beat.

Gloc-9

“Gloc-9 proves that even with challenges that stem from his newfound DIY leanings, there are solutions to impart your passion, and by using the online platform, the local rap and hip-hop music industry is still reaching out to the fans and followers, providing entertainment and positivity in a time of uncertainty,” Asintada’s Thea Gomez Pollisco shares. “This goes to prove what Gloc-9 has always been saying: inspiration and learning can come from all directions.”

At present, the prolific artist is actively involved in raising funds for both the frontliners and the urban poor communities through various charitable institutions and artist initiatives. He is also set to release a bunch of new singles and collaborations soon under his own management and production outfit, Asintada—which is home to several music acts such as Shanti Dope, JKris, Lirah, and Sandiwa.

Lea Salonga

Bayanihan Musikahan, Online Konsert-Fundraiser amounting to PhP 1.5 million additional  in 1 hour during the live concert-from-house of the broadway superstar Lea Salonga last April 2, 2020. She began and ended her hour with composition by the principal organizer of the project, Ryan Cayabyab, National Artist for Music. Emphasizing citizen action in the face of a pandemic, Salonga encapsulated an emerging dynamic of citizens helping citizens through small contributions and exercise of talent.

The unusual spike adds this amount to the total of PhP 22,373,178.00 already raised by April 2, 2020. Ms. Salonga announced this figure during her concert, while triggering a outpouring of support from Filipinos on lock-down, watching from their homes in the Philippines and overseas. The increased fund-raising momentum enables increased speed in delivery of food packs to the marginalized communities in Metro Manila facing the pandemic with extreme vulnerabilities.

The Samahan ng Nagkakaisang Pamilya ng Pantawid (SNPP), a 70,000-strong urban poor organization, began distribution of the Bayanihan Musikahan food packs from a few days after the launch of the marathon concert series, and is increasing pace and reach daily. Nearly 15,000 food packs have been provided families in dense, inner city pockets.

Filipino musical artists giving one hour concerts kick-started and sustain the Bayanihan Musikahan fund drive that enables this quick-response citizen action to stave off the possibility of worst case scenarios among communities compromised by poverty in Metro Manila. Among those who already performed are Martin Nievera, Ebe Dancel, Acapellago, Karylle Tatlonghari and Spongecola, Bullet Dumas, Rachelle Gerodias and Byeong-in Park, and Morisette Amon.

Donations came in at an increasingly fast clip as the Lea Salonga concert proceeded, and it was immediately clear to an audience of tens of thousands that the surge was driven by the experience of virtual, communal bonding around an admired singer, and heightened awareness of the gravity of threat to impoverished communities.

The citizen-led marathon concert series, livestreamed on Facebook, is an unusal partnership between and among the significant talents of the Philippine music industry and the most trusted of civil society organizations. Philippine Business for Social Progress receives, accounts for, and disburses the funds. The SNPP hit the ground running because it has a complete database on its membership.