Her smile and infectious charm was felt across the room. She began holding the mic and immediately grabbed our attention, like any other talented Filipino would do. She's ISHA PONTI, and yes, we felt right away how she wanted us to listen to her songs.
Albeit quite familiar with her previous songs, she's taken a little different path than usual. She's launching a new album called LIKAS which she dubs as a more emotional and personal album. She sang her heart out in between conversations , and she began mustering the courage to let it all out, feel her songs made of love, her growth as an artist and undoubtedly raw self discovery. LIKAS for her was an authentic outlet, so she gives her time to be her truthful self, both as a songwriter and a storyteller. She also worked with several producers such as Adonis Tabanda,whom she worked with for her artistry and sensibility. She also garnered the nod of the 17th PMPC Star Awards for Music, a feat for a very talented person of her age in the industry.
A few of the songs she sang resonated with me, particularly KABANATA which was about hope, love and longing. There's also NUMERO which was a bit catchy, and HINGA which was a bit of an emotional journey. If you're a bit more involved in OPM, she's got more singles like Darating, Halika, Warmth, Gulong, Bakas, Riversky and Mismo.
You may listen to her songs now on all streaming platforms, or listen to radio stations nationwide by requesting for it. In each single she plans to release, you'll see her vulnerability, and hopeful beginnings.
If you want to see her perform live, she's having an album launch this coming June 20th at the Viva Cafe in Quezon City. Show starts 7pm and she will be with other special guests to join in on the fun too. LIKAS is her vehicle to make sure you're going to hear more of her songs, and if you're up to it, she's on social media via Ponti Entertainment Productions. Follow Isha's and their account for more information.
The country's one and only "Revival King" Jojo Mendrez is at it again as he releases his own version of the OPM classic hit song "YAKAP" originally done in 1979 by Junior aka Antonio Barretto Morales, a Spanish Filipino singer and actor based in Madrid and written by George Canseco.
Popular YouTuber Director Ronald Carballo dubs this as something hair raising, deeply exciting when he previewed it on his online show DireKwentuhan with Ronald Carballo. He told Jojo how he felt this version was something that he could feel from the heart, and would resonate during this generation. He also mentioned how much this has recall, and relatable for ordinary folks.
Jojo laments "You've got to be in the mood to sing songs like these, but initially, we thought this wasn't going to be released. I didn't have the voice or appetite that time to work on it, but I got to do the first few lines and managed to do it after that. I know of a Charice Pempengco version, but this arrangement is different. After recording, we had to re-do some of the lines and perfect it with the help of Jonathan Manalo of Star Music."
He adds "They have plans and so many songs to do in the pipeline. It just takes time because of the meticulous ways of recording it. I feel their love and care when we brainstormed about it. This includes the work we did with Tamis ng Unang Halik originally done by Tina Paner."
Jojo also furnished a copy of the song to Optimum Star Claudine Barretto, who immediately sent her reactions and love for his rendition of the song. Here's the screenie of that shared on socials:
Loved by his friends, the media and pinoys who adore his OPM versions, he's also excited to announce that the track is now out on streaming platforms. Just search for his name Jojo Mendrez or the track title Yakap on platforms today.
Took the trip down Reliance street to visit VIBE PH as they take their awesome party at their newest place, the MVP STUDIO. It's their biggest one to date (I heard they've got bigger plans), but seeing them enjoy their new home was something I didn't want to miss. I could see the hosts excitement before the opening number and I managed to document parts of that and talk to them about it. When I asked if they were nervous about performing in the show, they told me they were more keen to give their viewers the best OPM performances they can dish out.
Elmo Magalona performed with the Vibe Jocks, they did several songs of his Dad Francis Magalona which I kinda miss seeing on TV. It's been a while since we've seen Elmo too, and I hope they get to do more with him in future shows. Aside from that, they also did a tribute to well loved all girl 90's band Prettier Than Pink. They performed the hit song "Cool Ka Lang", something folks in those younger years actually bopped with. It's so good to see them happily playing instruments again together, like a reunion of sorts and VIBE PH made it happen.
Prettier Than Pink performing Cool Ka Lang
VIBE PH Jocks and Elmo Magalona
PPOP Group VVINK
Shaina Magdayao and JM De Guzman
Enrique Gil and Andrea Brillantes
The Juans with Vibe Jocks
We also saw VVINK perform one of their hit songs, which was young, fun and fresh sounding. They're pretty good dancers too as with any good PPOP group would do. They also had The Juans, Earl Agustin and the band Lily for the Main Vibe stage, can't help but notice because they've got lots of fans screaming their lungs out. To end the evening, they had Salbakuta on stage, who performed their hit songs. They had the crowd up on their seats, and the Vibe Jocks also did a few Basil Valdez songs which they also loved. Enrique Gil, Andrea Brillantes, Shaina Magdayao and JM De Guzman then surprised people, then promoted their two shows A Secret in Prague and My Bespren Emman.
Imagine, these folks have been doing these performances every week (and good ones at that). They also try to do new things, play those OPM songs you love and make a huge effort to present it to you the way you love. The sheer number of talented artists each week baffles me, because production must have cost a ton to do this. New artists on the other hand can also promote their songs, it's a really nice platform for them. They also can rally their fans to vote so they could watch them on stage. It's a full blown entertainment hub, and it'll be a better one since they have a new home in Mandaluyong. It sits beside the Launchpad Building in the same street.
See, they're just starting, and soon they'll have more icons, great performers in the show. I think VIBE PH is doing a good job. I can't wait to see what they would come up with in the next few weeks, months or years!
CJ NAVATO Wins SING GALING! (Photo from CJ's IG post)
Filipino actor, former child star, dancer, and now singer CJ Navato is your new SING GALING Sing Lebrity Edition Champion of 2026. This happened at the grand finals held at the Meralco Theater in Pasig City.
CJ was always fond of singing in Karaoke, just like you and me, but much of the courage he had stemmed from the charity he got to help when he won the competition. Now he's got a total of 1 Million pesos in prize that he gets to share with the foundation, a vacation package for him and his family, and a one of a kind trophy made for this 2026 Sing Galing Sing Lebrity Edition.
Here's his winning moment:
Johannes as runner up gets 250,000 pesos and the same with his beneficiary which caters to animals in Mindanao (Bantay Hayop Davao). He lauded CJ too about this win. He says "It was fun, ended the competition with a thankful heart. We talked last night and he truly deserves it. It was FUN, when I do something I enjoy it. It's a different feeling and I did that. I'm just happy to be here! Having a beneficiary, I know they lack a lot of things and I hope this would become a LOT of help to care for the pets they have in the facility. I have songs on Spotify, I love to do everything."
Here is Johannes' interview after the event:
Here's CJ's interview after the win!
CJ says "It's not about winning, but the opportunity to share it to
the world. Thank you SING GALING for giving me this chance, I am so
grateful! I am happy to share this talent that the Lord has given me,
thank you!"
Congratulations CJ! Here's wishing more well deserved projects in the future!
After a grueling 13 years in Sweden, OPM artist Zelle is back in the country for new music, a new perspective with empowerment, her truth and the process of healing. Her single "Martir" talks about the trials and tribulations of love and the complexities of relationships.
This resurgence didn't come easy as it stemmed from her own life experiences which happened recently, a matter that compelled her to go back to the country.
She admits experiencing depression, but realized how she could use music as an expression. It was something that she knew was important, to use it to heal. Her gift is now being used with intention and fervor, which is why her music feels more genuine than ever. A way to show her truth, and strength which she hopes to also inspire other women.
Love certainly is still part of her songs creative process, but says she uses a more psychological aspect in writing about it. She shares how one shouldn't lose their identity while experiencing love. That's a pretty strong statement!
She now is doing gigs and tours with a dependable band. With John Abiathar De Leon on drums, Archie Salvador on guitar, Chester Ventura on violin, and Jing Gonzales on bass plus a few more people in charge of production, she's ready to perform in different stages, here or elsewhere. She's also preparing a release for another single "Liberate Me" which she's doing soon. In the meantime, listen download and stream "Martir" on all streaming platforms and take that awesome healing and feisty journey with Zelle.
In this day and age, people in the Philippines often do not get work in places across the country. To find a better life for them and their families, Filipinos venture out at sea and become seafarers. It's not easy to be away from family and remain in the deep blue ocean for weeks, months, some even years. Some fall prey to unscrupulous individuals who wouldn't bat an eyelash to not give them what's due them especially if they need government help, or lawyers to protect their rights (maritime or others) even if they are not in the country.
They need help, and this is where GOLD Foundation and maritime organizations come in. They just announced a concert for a cause called ALON Pagibig, Pangarap at Pagasa, slated this June 28th 6pm at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila. This is headlined by one of the most popular bands in the country BEN&BEN, talented singer John Mark Saga and lovely female PPOP Group CALISTA.
Seafarer Cecilia Giron tells us about her experience at work and says "This is a very humbling type of work, I was a bit hesitant at first, but I was able to perform the job. When I went home, I was so thin and didn't encourage me to go back . 13 years in a cruise ship, and a few years more, fooled by our love story, but I didn't want to end my dream. I had to work for my daughter, and later asked to do the same work now. It only took 5 months to finish it."
Jebsen Gamido an awareness advocate in the maritime sector told us about those experiencing not just abuse, but even mental health concerns for those who are working on ships. There are tons of seafarers who are in the same shoes and hopefully it will also be highlighted at the ALON concert.
Cadet Jerimy Orquiza shared how he didn't want to become a seafarer, but since he worked in a maritime school, he was inspired about their stories and got interested with their lives, even if it means being away from their families so they could provide for their loved ones.
Marville Espagob of ISWAN shared how he had a great career, but it was hard for him mentally. The ALON concert is intended to help folks like him, and he will have a chance to talk about it in the show. They provide free helplines to understand them and their stories."
Ms. Lala Tolentino of The Mission to Seafarers adds "There has been no event that is like this to remind ourselves of love, welfare and hope. We support the family and seafarers around the world, no matter what the nationality, race or trust. We are recognizing them, they carry 90 percent of what you are wearing today. They are hidden workers, unseen, and this will make them be on the spotlight. Because they want to help their families, they set aside personal happiness because no matter what it seems, they deserve our recognition. The benefit concert will go to fund the mission for the seafarers and their families."
Gelo Ruiz who's directing the concert says "ALON will be a tribute born out of love. There are about 3 Million out there, and this is very personal for me because I am a son of a seafarer. This will be about their Stories, their Advocacies, and how we have better lives with their sacrifice. We are making ways to inspire people, and our program contains Ben&Ben, Kelvin Miranda, Calista, and John Mark Saga who will sing for one night. Every artist have their own story, it gives people hope. Calista will also showcase women empowerment with their numbers, and John Mark has real seafarer family members. We hope you get to support us on June 28th!"
Expecting a whopping 7000 attendees, they are still looking for partners, you may reach them on their social channels and email too. Tickets available at ticket2me.net and it will be held at the Ninoy Aquino stadium in Manila. Make sure you bring along your seafarer family members, friends and everyone.
John Mark Saga is a seafarer's son and says even the poster tells a lot about growing up without his father on his side. He got to pursue his dreams because of his father's sacrifice which he wasn't able to do in the past.
Calista says "It's an honor to be part of this big movement about seafarers and their families, it's a responsibility to represent the women and we have been advocating empowerment even those who are on board. With ALON, and our music, we hope it touches hearts for those who work in the industry. We will support them, and their dreams as seafarers too."
Calista had their concert years back to help frontliners and medical professionals, this time they're doing it for seafarers which is a very noble thing to do.
It's an important advocacy, for the seafarers and their families. If you want to do the same, go support them in the concert. Tickets will surely sell out fast because concerts like this cost more on a normal day. They plan to give the proceeds to organizations that help seafarers with legal, medical and mental needs. Get tickets via Ticket2Me.net and watch the event at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium because it's going to be one fun night!
Filipinos can't deny their affinity for something that soaks them in love, hope, hurt and a lot of melancholy. We met with Seb Pajarillo and Jeniffer Maravilla a few days ago and listened to two new singles they've released, and it was quite interesting.
First off, as individuals, they're very different than what I thought they would be. I've met Jennifer during a workshop a couple months ago, and her serious quiet looking facade could fool anyone who's going to meet her the first time. She's very bubbly, quite fun to talk to, a person who you can strike a conversation with.. or initiates it (which I absolutely like about her). She's also a fierce singer, one that could read a phone book and belt it out like the powerful divas we watch on Philippine television.
Seb on the other hand, felt like a young classy gentleman. He's not the type that super imposes his good looks, but the one that takes time to do things and makes you fall for his charm. His voice is much of a crooner, someone who could do good with the classics but instead delved into more emotional type OPM told into stories. He's also a very nice guy, which will be quite a huge addition to his attractiveness and the ability to sing.
With the folks from GMA Playlist, they're releasing individual singles. Seb sang for us his latest one called "Dati Pa" which is about enjoying the feeling of being in love, and about losing it. Jennifer on the other hand sang "Di Na Pwede", which is about getting hurt, and asking for a chance for her questions to be answered.
I asked them a bit about their previous relationships, on how they fell in love with the person, and what they learned from it. They answered honestly.. and Seb says "I think I fell in love with her because I saw that I would really learn a lot from her. Growing up, I was used to being very dependent with my parents and I had a hard time being independent. I kinda felt that I'd be experiencing things with her that would lead me to learn stuff. She was smart, very independent, and I did learn a lot, but I also learned that loving someone means I need to equip and love myself first."
Jen adds "For me, I don't think you could tell that you will fall in love with a person. I couldn't tell the specific time, but now that I'm dating again, I realized that you need to qualify who you are going to be with for the rest of your life. You can definitely start with your preferences, that's where I'm starting again so far. Yes, I was hurt from that last relationship, no, more of devastated. Though I learned from it, it was almost half of my life. I never really thought it would end. I only learned to let go of the hurt when I started to love my self. That's when I began seeing things clearly, on what my preferences were, what I deserve, and what I want. I realized I also needed to go through that because it has really strengthened me."
Here's the rest of the interview on video:
"Dati Pa" and "Di Na Pwede" is out now on streaming sites. Go listen to them today and make your love a lesson too. This is under GMA Playlist of GMA Music. Follow Seb and Jennifer on their social channels too because from the looks of it, this is just the start of their music and acting careers, and did good.
Thank you to Sparkle for letting us interview these two talented singers!
If you're a fan of OPM songs, you're bound to listen to one of the most talented singer-songwriters of the 90's and 2000's... and his name is April Boy Regino. He's made remarkable achievements during his time, and made the title IDOL resonate with the masses. This 2024, a movie will be done telling his story under Water Plus Productions. It's called "IDOL (The April Boy Regino Story)", and we got to watch it earlier at the press screening.
This film stars John Arcenas who plays April Boy Regino and Kate Yalung to play the role of his wife Madelyn. I've seen John do several projects in the past, and he's quite a spirited singer doing the classics. He's also an architecture graduate, and managed by star maker Tyrone Escalante (both of them). John has bested 27 people in the auditions, and it was obvious, he's got the voice and mannerisms secured. He studied quite extensively using April Boy's previous movies and TV appearances which he took to work while filming. This is also directed by Efren Reyes Jr. who quipped how much they had to work on finishing this film even before the pandemic. Kate on the other hand is no stranger to films, modeling, commercials and stage. They look lovely on screen, and you could tell, the camera loves them.
Making this film was no walk in the park. They had to dish out production budget for the songs they needed to secure prior to filming. But it was producer Madame Marynette Gamboa's promise to him, before he passed... and they knew, they just had to do it.
Here's the media conference which was done after the screening, please enjoy!
The film really had a very colorful story line. While this is a biopic, it's being told from the eyes of April Boy Regino. His sadness stemmed from a lot of things including getting sick thrice, and the challenges of life was no joke. It also mirrors the crazy life of a celebrity in a Philippine setting, and where he succeeded, got to help his wife and kids, his community, and ultimately be loved. This is something that you would see in the film, and I'm telling you, there were a few members of the press that cried in the dark corners of that theater.
You will learn how to cherish every moment with your family after watching it. If you feel that's something you would like to feel, it comes out in theaters this November 27th. It's also rated PG so you can take your whole family to watch it.
Gian Magdangal and Lara Maigue have been certainly turning heads with their various covers on YouTube. My personal favorite is their version of "Last Night of the World" from popular musical Miss Saigon (which will be staged in Manila soon btw). Before they turned into lovers, they've been good friends and just went over that line with good intentions.
Lara is a very talented classical singer (a Soprano) educated from UP College of Music, and has gone in different places across the globe to promote Filipino talent and music. Gian on the other hand has been seen in the musical theater arena, always takes lead roles for obvious reasons. Both are actors, performers in live and on television shows too. On November 10, they'll be performing at the Teatrino Promenade in Greenhills, San Juan City. They properly call the show "The Greatest Duets goes BROADWAY" which is produced by GL Productions (their own production company). The premise is to take you to best Broadway musicals through the songs they personally hand picked to do duets with. I wouldn't want to pre-empt, but as far as skills go, these two are practically the most equipped to do that on stage and this intimate venue. As Gian states in previous interviews, one reason he got hooked with Lara is her natural ability to mesmerize anyone who would hear her sing. He on the other hand has exceptional singing and acting prowess, which he puts to good use.
According to Lara "It's the first time we are working on something together and it is a way to showcase our love for Broadway. My dream used to be with a full orchestra in Carnegie Hall, while he wanted to do it in The Sphere in Las Vegas. The new generation should know how relevant music is now. The magic of collaborating, we love seeing that. We are fans of Broadway musicals, it was a natural idea to come up with and we want people to enjoy it with us."
Gian adds "The first challenge is to do both hats as producer and performer. The team, the business, it's just the start and we plan to do something big next year. We want to make work happen, a lot of give and take, it's a part of learning together. "
"Our goal is to package this as two individuals doing shows, and perhaps, just showcase all duets. There are going to be few solos but it's seamlessly going to be a duet too so you are not going to be umay from it."
Tickets are sold at Teatrino Promenade via 09175130909 or GL Productions via 09663890156 or Ticketworld.com.ph. Go get them now as I'm sure it'll run out fast!
If you haven't caught their videos yet, you must go and check SKYGARDEN on YouTube to see how these 3 Japanese guys (Ryo, Iwa and Hiro) ended up in the Philippines. Today, they announced signing with GMA's altG Records (an arm of GMA Music) and will be releasing their first single called KOKOA in digital platforms this coming September 1st. They've been doing a lot of covers on YouTube, Facebook and social channels . They have been also gaining attention in recent months because of their hit long form videos about pranks, their efforts in doing Fiilipino things, and also pretending to be BTS in some of their videos which has gained millions of views.
SKYGARDEN signs with GMA's altG Records and releasing their first single KOKOA
I've met them this afternoon and they're a pretty fun bunch of guys. During the pandemic, Ryo saw his 2 best friends who lost their jobs and struggled with their mental state in Japan. It was then when he bought two tickets for them to bring them to the Philippines so they could experience the culture, and how it is to live here. They ended up adoring Filipinos, their couldn't believe how some of the people they met were generous, welcoming and kind despite their economic stature. This is just one of many reasons why they now choose to live here, and now they're not just content creators, and chose to make their brand of music.
If you get to listen to KOKOA, you'll see how it is a bit of a JRock experience, with the choice of using Filipino for the lyrics. So in a nutshell, it's a combination with Japanese rock with OPM. It'll remind you of those intros and outros of anime shows you've been watching online. It's something they are heavily influenced with. With their success, they plan to actually put it to good use and do a lunch movement, it'll be like CSR programs to feed those who can't by adopting schools. Aside from that, they plan to still continue to create content together to make sure they pay back those who supported them all these years.
Here's our conversation at the mediacon this afternoon.
They're funny, good looking and pretty driven about what they want to do in the content creation industry and music. They're in it full time and plan to do more of it in the next few months. You'll definitely see more of them in radio, different shows, online to promote their new single, which they hope you'll love. You can already pre-order it on Apple Music buy buying it now, then it'll alert on September 1st when you can play it. For the other platforms, you can start purchasing it on the same date. I like how they mentioned how supportive their parents are with their chosen careers. They really wanted them to follow their passion. This is under altG Records of GMA Music.
Congratulations Ryo, Iwa and Hiro. Keep on doing what you love!
I'm sure I'm not alone in saying that we miss XOXO. They're GMA's premiere girl group that's got super powerful vocals, and has very successful individual acting careers too. Members Lyra, Dani, Real and Mel started the event quite excited, showing why they're one of the most sought after performers by telling stories that made us all roll in laughter prior to them singing. They've got A LOT of personality, they can work out a crowd and get away with it. They're also great ambassadors of body positivity and about loving who you are no matter what color, race or ethnicity is. They pointed out how varied they are and proved how talent, music, encompasses everything!
This foray to OPM is somewhat a new endeavor for them. They made sure it's got dance, more upbeat than usual because it's something that is supposed to inspire you when you're down. It's something that could encourage you to learn, and leave those worries behind especially when you're with people who support you like friends and family. This is where they say "Go Lang ng Go!", here's where they performed it for us that evening!
@kumagcow UPBEAT SONG GLNG (GO LANG NG GO) RELEASED BY XOXO Under GMA Music #EntertainmentPH #tiktokshowbizreporter #ppop ♬ original sound - John Bueno
I didn't get to talk to her after the show, but she's my bias if you could say that. If you haven't seen Muriel on TikTok, you should definitely give her a follow. She's not only entertaining, showcasing her powerful vocals there, but takes time to tell different stories that touch the heart, interacting with her fans is certainly something that she does quite good, but something tells me she's gotten busy that she doesn't stream live as much anymore, but that's a good thing. It only means they're rising, doing performances not just in the country, but abroad too.
Which reminds me, Lyra, Dani, Real and Mel will be at the Best of P-POP and S-POP Concert this coming June 11. It will be held at the Esplanade Recital Studio and is produced by AOR Global Pte. Ltd. so make sure you get your tickets prior to the show. As said, there's going to be several groups performing with them like BGYO and BINI, plus a few more Singapore based artists so make sure you get tickets at sistic.com.sg as early as now because it's going to be absolutely crazy! They also told us they're very excited to work with fellow Filipino PPOP groups which they haven't done in quite a while. Here's how our interview with them that evening!
So if you're loving what you are hearing, go stream them on Spotify and other streaming platforms where available. Again, this is produced by GMA Music (who had their executives there btw). Thank you for the opportunity to talk with you XOXO! Can't wait for more music, take OPM where you're goin!
Hannah Precillas has been doing a lot these days.Aside from being in All Out Sundays as a part of Queendom, she's also a go to person for a lot of GMA's homegrown and international shows for their official soundtracks. Not surprised because she's been doing the country proud all these years after her stint at D' Academy Asia in Indonesia and the throng of events she's been in.
She had a single in the past that did pull a lot of heartstrings, and this time, she's happy to have been able to do her own rendition of Megastar Sharon Cuneta's "Sa Aking Daigdig" (In my world) which was done back in the 80's. Much to her worry, it was going to be hard since it is a classic OPM song from one of the greats in the music industry, plus it was going to be difficult to follow a pretty successful song back in the days.
Hannah had to refuse listening to the Sharon Cuneta version so it wouldn't have any effect to what she plans to do with her version. She admits only listening to it once before she recorded it and veer away so she could do a different take on this single.
Here's our interview with her this afternoon, please enjoy!
There are currently no plans to release other original music in the near future but as Hannah says, she's ready for whatever surprise GMA Music has up their sleeves and she's raring to do it. She also had difficulties making original songs because she tends to do lengthy stories about it instead. She also told us that it's difficult for her to write them because in a sense, she doesn't have that proper ending yet to her story.
She is currently in a relationship and is very happy. If you want to hear her version, the single is already out on digital platforms so make sure you stream them, download and take that Hannah Precillas experience even further. Again, this is under GMA Music. Thank you for the opportunity to talk to you again Hannah!
Looks like Quezon City 1st District Congressman Arjo Atayde is putting his Vice Chairmanship for the Creative Industry and Performing Arts Committee for the 19th Congress into good use as he sets to hold the first ever KYUSIKLABAN Distrito Uno 2022 this coming November 19. It's a music festival aimed at promoting OPM (Original Filipino Music) and will be held at FPJ Avenue (formerly known as Roosevelt Avenue) that stretches from Pitimini Street to Del Monte Avenue in the same district.
This will be participated by youth from the city and several bands, musicians, rap artists, singers and perfomers to promote home grown music. Congressman Arjo recently filed House Bill 457 which is an act declaring Quezon City as the Film and TV Capital of the Philippines. The event will also provide entertainment to thousands of his constituents, and nearby Barangays who have all been through the hardships of the pandemic. Hosting the event is comedienne Viveika Ravanes, funny man Smokey Manaloto and recently engaged Robi Domingo. Several well known bands such as Rivermaya, Pricetagg, Nik Makino, Issa Loki, OC Records and Callalily frontman Kean Cipriano, artist Juan Karlos, the Hydro Project, DJ Carla Cray, JP Bacallan and Bugoy Drilon will also be part of the lineup, all performing for the crowd.
The event will start at 2PM and will include free vaccination and registrations for Ollie Belmonte's QCID. The music performances will start around 4PM and it's all for FREE. You can get tickets from SK Chairmans, officials of their respective Barangays so if you're up to it, go get them there!
Took time out of my busy schedules for a night out on my neighborhood in Quezon City. Pretty dark out there, but I've seen something glow from afar, it was lights from a local bar where I saw FIREFLIES was playing.
It's a band formed in 2016, who now decided to get re-launched with new members in tow. If you're a little observant, you probably know most of them are from bands Cueshé who's had remarkable success in the early 2000's. Jay Justiniani does Lead Vocals, Jhunjie Dosdos on Vocals , Guitar and Keyboards, while JC Del Rosario IV does Vocals and Bass Guitar, RM Tolentino who does Percussions and Pat Galut does the Lead Guitar. They've been working hard the past few months taking a shot at writing songs, doing covers and performing in different locations across the Philippines.
Here's our short chat with them after a set, apologies as it's quite noisy in the bar we were in that evening.
Jay says "Actually, this group is easy to work with. Jhunjie is a former band member of Cueshé (like him) so we do really know each others dynamics. Our other band members are also good songwriters, so it was easy to work with even though we have different ideas. It was easier to make songs if you guys understand each other. Jhunjie and I are good friends, and good friends are hard to come by."
JC adds "Jhunjie and I started to work with Fireflies, and we now have new band members, we just didn't have a vocalist then, Jay agreed to join later on and that became a positive direction for the Fireflies band."
Jhunjie adds "I remember Jay was having doubts joining us a few years back. He was very busy and was based in Cebu. It was a bit difficult because we were playing in Manila most of the time. Some of the former Fireflies got a little tired working with us in the band because of the pandemic as income was really tight because we didn't have gigs during the lockdown. He had to go back to Davao. I was the only one left, I knew I had to do something. I'm thankful Jay agreed even if we haven't seen each other for a long time."
They named themselves Fireflies because it's like a spark in the dark. They're raring to perform in company parties, concerts local or foreign. They are currently being managed by Ms. Grace who previously worked in ABSCBN. You may get in touch with them through 09923150106 as it'll be surely busy during the holidays. They're bringing their new brand of music, some covers, and some old classics that 90's kids, Millenials and Gen Z's would absolutely love. They're going to release a few singles soon, so make sure you follow them also on their social channels at https://www.facebook.com/fireflies.ph because they're going to post updates of their gigs on that page.
Cheers to more music from FIREFLIES! Hope you shine brighter in the darkest hours and share your love of music even more!
If you"re a fan of Rico Blanco and his brand of music, you're in for a treat as he's slated to have a concert this September 11th at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
It's been a while since he"s done this, but he's so excited to perform some of his greatest hits like "Umaaraw, Umuulan", "Your Universe", "Yugto" and those he did while he was still with Rivernaya. His iconic songs have been adored by generations of music lovers and he is still advocating love for Original Filipino Music (OPM) and Filipino musicians til now.
During this press conference, we asked him about what changes he's undergone since having a relationship with Star Magic artist Mariz Racal, and he says "Nothing really, it's not change that happened to us, it's like our personalities really complemented each other. We're just good together, romantically and artistry wise."
Asked if she's going to be at his concert, Rico says "She's probably going to try but I know she has work during those days and will be under locked in taping. She supports me 100%".
Rico is also busy managing artists via his own entertainment label called Balcony. It's his way of paying forward to the industry after a highly successful career in music. Among the artists he's managing is Ebe Dancel and Zild which a lot of people liken to his brand of music. He also laments how the generation now is discovering that he's got his own band, as most of the young kids probably have seen him in different shows on ABSCBN.
Here's a part of the press conference yesterday.
The concert again will be slated on September 11th, 2022. Tickets will be sold on July 1st at Ticketnet so go get them soon. This is produced by KDR Music and they also announced that there will be other artists lined up which they will also be putting up concerts soon. I'm excited about that!
I've had the opportunity to ask questions a couple of times on Zoom to interview EZ MIL. After his hit song PANALO blew up in the charts, the clamor to have him here in the Philippines grew. Sure enough, as restrictions in the country relaxed a bit, he hopped on a plane and arrived to his homeland the Philippines to start what we now call "EZ MIL: PANALO Homecoming Tour 2022".
The press conference was held in an upscale bar in Tomas Morato, Quezon City a couple days ago and I was so happy I got to see him in the flesh. The good looking guy was flanked by his equally talented sister Raining Sorrow, Froilan Canlas, Kiefer Sanchez, Kelly Canoza, HBOM. Ren and his entourage. They were excited to talk about the show and what was going to happen in different parts of the country. This April 29th, they're starting the tour in New Frontier Theater in Araneta Center.
EZ says "I'm excited, I'm ecstatic that I will get to perform with the people I look up to. I used to explore music of what genre I should do, I learned a lot from that, it was my outlet back then. Right now we have 2 singles out but we'll have an album out soon. I want to attempt to always do better than what I use to just do covers with. Being in the states, I just want to give back to all the people that helped me to get here including co-artists and some of my family. Super excited to do this, we will go crazy on stage!"
We got a little piece of what he'll be doing in the concert, so here, enjoy!
Here's our interview with some of the performers and EZ MIL
Other concert venues will be in Davao SMX on May 1st, Legazpi City Astrodome on May 6th, Baguio City on May 13th, and his home town in Subic Olongapo Subic Gym on May 15th. Tickets are being sold at https://www.ezmilhomecomingtour.com or SM Tickets and Ticketnet. Go check out our recent uploads on TikTok (@kumagcow) to see how EZ MIL sings, the man has awesome pipes!
