BUM Black Army Releases New OUTLAND EXPLORER Line

BUM Black Army is taking you to the great outdoors and mixing their urban street wear vibe with it as they release their OUTLAND EXPLORER line this month. 

It's got that utilitarian style that BUM Black Army is known for but done in earth tones, something city dwellers could carry all throughout the day. It still gives you freedom to move, ample pockets, innovative as it can convert to a different item of clothing or accessory which is a great idea. The shorts have detachable pockets, the jackets and cargo pants provide lots of storage without sacrificing the base style. This is inspired by nature and the city, pretty modern and designed for the more adventurous ones too.

You can get these looks at the BUMBlackArmy.com website, on shopping apps like Shopee or Lazada. They also have a TikTok Shop and several BUM Black Army boutiques nationwide. It's time you try this Outland Explorer line for yourself and take that look to the next level with BUM Black Army.

MAKI Hints Full Album Release at BUGHAW Single and MV Launch

One of the nicest songs of this generation I heard was from this artist named Maki. He's gotten a huge following, not surprised because of the quality of the song, but it did have a notion of it being a one hit wonder, til I head the rest of the songs he came out with.

Speaking of which, he just recently released a song called BUGHAW. He also directed the music video, sort of his directorial debut too. This is under Tarsier Records which is under Star Music. They had a launch a few days ago at Matrix in Quezon City. It was quite intimate, with not just his fans in tow because his fellow artists and his whole family went there to support the very talented boy. Angela Ken, his brother Haro and ethereal sounding Dani Zam also performed before him, it was quite a revelation of songs that I haven't heard yet. I felt music in the Philippines had a very bright future after seeing that, no joke.

Here's the part where he got to talk to his fans that evening:

The Zushis, his fan group, all went in throngs to support him. All I heard from them and his family is how he remained humble, down to earth despite the remarkable success he's had for quite a while. He also hinted a full blown album which he plans to release soon, so stay tuned for that. He also wants to create his own short film, preferably Anime themed because he's quite fond of doing the art form. Here's why people adore him, check out the performances that evening on this video:

 

 

Make sure you stream his new single, and wait for the full album he plans to release this year.

MRLD's "7th Sense" Album Drops Midnight, Announces Concert Next Month

If you guys don't know who MRLD is, you should. She's a singer songwriter who hails from Cebu and is making waves on streaming platforms with her hit songs "An Art Gallery Could Never Be As Unique As You", "Ikaw Pa Rin" and "Ligaya". She was also featured by Spotify in New York's Times Square  as one of the most streamed female artists in the country.

She says "I was planning to release a full English album but I didn't feel a spark, this album is about my feelings , for things that I could not explain. It's mine and it is very simple. I already released 4, and the others will be done later this evening. Much of these were written 2 years ago, and it felt right, I had to make an album now. The track list was mixed initially, but I want it to open up minds, that I can carry different genres. Though there are lots of revisions, I had a lot of help from friends to make this happen."

The lead single is Hanggang Magsawa Ka, the longest single she wrote, a little painful, and she hopes you also cry when listening to it. Initially Malayo was supposed to be the carrier single, they just had to listen to everything and it was something they thought of while starting over, it's raw and 6 minutes long.

Listening to it earlier, it felt like an ode, very emotional and soft, all acoustic, hopeful and beautiful. 

She wrote it during 12th grade, puppy love, where she gave a person 2 chances, but thing is, she wasn't the one chosen, she wasn't the only one.. the song was made to have her overcome the hurt from it. She's also so glad about her earlier single "An Art Gallery Could Never Be As Unique As You" which has gained traction in Indonesia, one which they even made a Bahasa version too to cater to audiences there.

Her single SAGOT was the one she's super excited to perform because it's the one that she made with her fans in mind. It was for them and it's a bit upbeat, dancing and enjoying it is highly encouraged especially during the concert.

Her concert will happen on April 27th at the SM North Edsa SKYDOME, tickets are still available and she's rehearsing soon for the whole concept. It's going to be a special night with 2 guests being confirmed already.

This is just the start of big things for her, follow OC Records socials to know more about her!

Kiana's "Sweet Release" to be seen at Gary V Pure Energy: One Last Time Concert

The upcoming Gary V Pure Energy: One Last Time concert that has been extended this May 10th will be extra special as his daughter Kiana will be performing her newest single called "Sweet Release" on the same night. The last time I saw Kiana performed was during the Avon event where she stamped why she's a force to be reckoned with on stage. She's quite unique, has a different set of vocal styles, and is pretty talented in songwriting too. This particular single though is co-written by Rosemarie Tan and Philippe Dela Pena, and made sure it'll be danceable, more catchy, which will be quite a feat to perform on stage on the 10th. 

Kiana attributes this to her best friend and stayed very personal, and wanted this to be more pop, done in Filipino, which she's been doing recently (so watch out for more Tagalog songs from this lady). Kiana says "With this recent Tagalog songs I've been making, I'm really having so much fun! If all else gets done smoothly, I might be able to release a few this year or in 2025."

Currently, Kiana is based in the US and has been successfully performing in different events abroad. She's been heavily cheered miles away by Mom and Dad, and still won a few awards in the PH.

Dad Gary is so proud of what she has accomplished and how she got to draw her own path in the industry. Her performing on stage in the concert would be a good time for him to bond, and miss her, he gets to perform with her while celebrating 40 years in the entertainment industry.

The May 10th date was just something that was teased during the April 27 date, as there were still a LOT of people who wanted to watch it. Proceeds from this will go to Shining Light Foundation and will benefit the needy through this christian organization. There's lots of things you can look forward to in the concert, which I can only describe as WORLD CLASS!

SINOSIKAT's Kat Agarrado Releases New Single "Heart Calling"

Looks like the heavens are conspiring when it comes to Kat Agarrado as she attempts another shot with her music. This is still with Sinosikat, a rebuilding, a new start, stemmed by her love for music. She still never thinks about her looks (though she's quite blessed with it), and puts her efforts now in making more songs so a new generation would be able to listen to it. Sinosikat doesn't have permanent band members, it's her instincts that kick in and choose them to play with her, a different setup but works.

Kat says "My goal is to make people listen to timeless pieces, that even when we're old, there's substance, and they can still listen to it. Before I was doing rock elements, but now it's more polished, matured, the arrangements now will have horn sections. My dream is to make Sinosikat a wider audience, a younger one, to put our music in other countries. I want to do that especially when I get to network with bands and producers there, because they appreciate it but just lack exposure. Our music is world class, just like Filipinos." 

She adds "I hope to also join more international festivals, and become global. I think the youth now has lots of venues to listen to music, that's good and I would like to do collaborations with artists like Lola Amour, a indie artist named Isla, there's a ton that I see on YouTube. I'm sure they have a lot to offer, fresh ideas to contribute especially for the next singles."

Here's part of the interview we did with her during the launch

Kat continued to write songs about love, about family, a bit slow but she admits just doing it at her own pace. She also does standard songs and do Filipino versions so she wouldn't get rusty. She also writes about her friends, or things she experienced during the pandemic. Though this time, she finds it divine for everything that seemed to fall into place. From Pinoy Soul Records, to Warner Music Philippines, to her own studio, this is her way to help other artists too. This is a new beginning for her, her re-introduction of Sinosikat. 

PS Heard the single just now, and I like how groovy it sounded. It's like her being hungry to do more, I would liken it to the music of international girl group "All Saints", but it's only her on vocals. Amazing!

Go stream her new single "Heart Calling" on digital platforms and get smitten with Pinoy Soul all over again. Be part of her fresh start!

JOHN WOO Flick "SILENT NIGHT" in Philippine Theaters November 29

If you're raring to watch an action packed film these holidays, look no further as legendary award winning director JOHN WOO and Joel Kinnaman take you on a gripping film called "SILENT NIGHT". He adds this to hit films like Face Off, Hard Target, Mission Impossible 2, Paycheck, Reign of Assassins and Manhunt among others that he made in a span of 55 years in film. This will be in theaters come November 29 in the Philippines.

Silent Night is sort of a comeback for the director after his last one in Hollywood in 2017. He also is collaborating with Basil Iwanyk who produced Expandables and John Wick among others.

Joel Kinnaman on the other hand has been doing Netflix series House of Cards, Robocop, Suicide Squad. In this film, he's playing a father looking for justice because his son got caught in the crossfire of gangs over the holidays.

Sad for years, he went through rigorous training to find revenge with the same gang, so imagine the bullet ballet John Woo had to execute with that premise alone. Aside from Joel Kinnaman, cast includes Scott Mescudi, and a throng of character actors that will make this action packed film as intense or even better than his previous masterpieces.

John Woo is certainly a visionary, and this film was brought to the Philippines via Nathan Studios and 888 Films International. There will be more in the coming months for sure, but together with their recent hit series Cattleya Killer and Topakk, there will be no moviegoer that will say they're shortchanged when they go to cinemas. Follow Nathan Studios social channels for more updates about the film!

Jessica Villarubin Releases "Ikaw Lang Ang Iibigin"

Jessica Villarubin won The Clash 2 years ago. She's dedicating this new song to her future love, for the people that continue to support her so we asked a few questions during the launch of her single "Ikaw Lang Ang Iibigin" which is out now. She's done Queendom numbers in AOS and has been trending for quite a number of weeks.


Jessica says "I am thankful that I'm part of Queendom, it's just so nice to feel that I'm part of those who really excell in singing. It's a great honor, and people love our performances. The work we do there is like sharing things, we do songs and ask each other how to do it better. People see that and in real life, we're happy about the reviews of our portion. They love our performances and it all starts from that. I remember doing Free Your Mind with Hannah, Thea, and it's an upbeat song, I love that a lot. I also want to do theater, I also want to do other genre because I've always been doing ballads. I have a voice coach, I'm still learning. It's a different kind of training and with my seniors sing, it's different and I want to learnt the ropes and sing like them as well. My current single was composed by Vehnee Saturno. His songs have been hits -  done with different artists and it's a dream come true for any artist to do his songs. Among the songs that I listend to, I connected well with "Ikaw Lang Ang Iibigin". I have performed in Dubai, my concert in Cebu, the opportunities coming to me are experiences that I treasure today. I play instruments, I dance a little and want to do workshops. I want to practice more of that and I'd want that to happen soon. I feel I need to still work on my low notes, I admit I still have to learn a lot and practice so I could focus more on the craft. I want to sing a song for StartUp and I've seen that series, I've watched the Korean version of it and it would be an achievment if I could do that. Yes, there is a pressure to want to prove you're a good singer, because you have to believe in yourself, you use it to better your craft and be inspired with it."

She adds "Even if I'm busy I want to be with my parents, I love them and I always say I want to work for them so they could just rest, and my wish to become a singer has come true. "


 

Her single "Ikaw Lang Ang Iibigin" is now out on digital streaming platforms so make sure you download and stream the single, she's one good lass.

ASUS Releases New Vivobook 13 Slate OLED (A Detachable Laptop)

Looks like you're going to like a laptop like this because it's the world's first OLED Windows powered detachable laptop. Your thirst for entertainment in an OLED screen like this that gives bright and colorful displays will surely be on your Christmas wishlist as its fun, can be used in many ways... because it can!


The 13.3 inch hardware with an OLED touch screen and quad core intel processor will definitely be something for the creative ones, so you can switch between art, entertainment and office work with ease making you feel FREE while you press on keys, watching from the back of your room or the sides. This will be your best buddy in productivity, casual gaming (hardware can really handle it!) and entertainment. The ASUS Vivobook 13 Slate OLED comes in two artist versions made in collaboration with Steven Harrington (his very colorful artworks) and Philip Colbert (who does intense art installations). If you are the type that is versatile and on the go, one who prefers writing, sketching, doodling, it can handle the job for you and be your best weapon to win and finish those ideas, turn them into reality. It's got the usual ports, can be charged via USB-C which can do 60% in 39 minutes. This also has front and back cameras (5 and 13MP) which is enough for things you want to do in meetings, shared presentations, with the use of the ASUS Pen 2.0.

Price wise, I think it's worth every penny. Follow ASUS Philippines social channels because it's one of the best out there! Check them out today!

YLONA GARCIA Does “Don’t Go Changing” Under 88rising

I've seen her in the country and all I thought of while hearing her sing is that, she's severely underrated. She deserves an international audience and she's about to get it. Sydney based Ylona Garcia just released her single "Don't Go Changing" under American music company 88rising. This song was produced by Jonas Jeberg (who also did songs for Panic! At the Disco, Demi Lovato, The Jonas Brothers, Selena Gomez) and Marcus Lomax (who did songs for Justin Bieber, Maroon 5, Miley Cyrus0. Listening to it this evening had me put myself in a trance with a late night chill song. The lyrics though tell a story on how to grieve and showcase the different stages of letting go, something that hopeless romantics, people who fall in love intensely could easily relate with.

This is part of 88rising's efforts to bring artists from the East to West and it will be part of Head In The Clouds III which will be their third installment. Ylona says "This song simply embraces the truth in life's many mysteries. It talks about tough love." HITC3 by the way will be out on digital stores come first quarter of 2022. The video is directed by Louis Browne who also did work for artists like Jack Newsome, Ellie Goulding (whom I love in ehterial dance tracks!) and Rich Brian. The video (which is on YouTube already) shows a more mature, sultry side of her. Done quite nice, I could see how she's going places with this attempt.

I guess Ylona is going to be destined for an international career, and by the looks of it... she's doing quite good! Congratulations girl, you're going to be BIG!

Mikoy Morales Releases Single "Pusong Hindi Makatulog"

We're currently in Mikoy Morales' single launch at The Music Hall in Metrowalk in Pasig. He's a buddy and I have pretty much seen how he has matured as a singer, songwriter and lately a musical director. He's been writing for GMA and the artists on his stable like Julie Ann San Jose, Rita de Guzman and a lot more. He's also done jingles for different companies, lauded by his peers and took the hard route of working for his craft. 

Mikoy now takes the stage to release a self produced introductory single called "Pusong Hindi Makatulog!" (A Heart That Couldn't Sleep!) which he wanted to dedicate to fellow insomniacs that suffer those small unforgettable heartaches, broken hearts, or if you suddenly just miss someone. He takes pride in sharing this generic hurt, that if in cases he's not alone, you could well relate to in one way or another. 

Mikoy wants you to listen to his brand of music, more of pop ballad songs which comprise most of his repertoire. 

Now he wants you to go feel this personally by downloading it off digital stores like iTunes, Deezer and others. Take this journey with him, open your eyes to emotions and take that jump to deep emotions. He's going to take you there!

Here's his single which he sang live a few nights ago:

Here's a short interview we did after the show!

Congratulations Mikoy! Couldn't be prouder!

For more information about their artists:

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http://gmanetwork.com/artistcenter

The New Converse Chuck Taylor All Star II Mono

We've been very busy these past few weeks but when the invite to actually see the Converse Spring/Summer collection had me going. You see, I've got a quarter of my shoe collection with their name on it and to be one of the few people to actually see this is but an honor. Manila's influencers, bloggers and celebrities were actually there too and I was super excited about the new collection. They asked us to take off our shoes and gave us the Converse Chuck Taylor All Star II.

Thanks to Earth for taking candids of me while I was taking photos of her LOL. I'm wearing Chuck II Mono in Parchment White!

Now I wouldn't actually wear white on a normal day but once they gave me this pair, I changed my mind. I usually would wear black and because they got me this, I said "Hey! It actually looks good on me!" complete with a happy grin. This is part of the Chuck II Mono collection and is available in Parchment White (which I have) and the other is black. I suggest you get the white one as it gives you more flair, like canvass, you can also probably have this customized if you have artist friends who can doodle or draw. Although, I prefer it as it is.

Style wise, you still see the iconic design you see in every Chuck Taylor shoe, however, it's something inside that actually matters. I'm sure you've heard of Lunarlon right? It's that neon green colored insole cushioning which they have developed with a padded non-slip tongue and super soft micro-suede lining. If you're under the impression that Converse is a little uncomfortable in the sole, you must try it with the Lunarlon and you'll definitely change the way you look at Chucks! A pair costs Php 3,990.00.

Here's some highlights from the event on video. Enjoy!

There are more shoes and models in the pipeline, we've actually seen some of them and if you're excited, they'll come out in the first half of the year! I'm so excited for one of them but I've got to keep that a secret. I'll tell you about it when it comes out of the market!

For more information about their shoes:

Converse Philippines

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Visit their official website

http://www.converse.com.ph/

Kanye West x adidas Releases Yeezy Boost 350

I love shoes. Hence this story. I've been looking for a shoe exactly like this but in a different color. They released this in White, Black and Gray initially and now it's in Tan. I super like the concept of Kanye West and adidas Originals but this would only work with people who like neutrals. 

This Yeezy Boost 350 in Tan was just released before the year ends and I'm sure guys would probably have this on their trees since yesterday. I like the knitted form, the breezy feel, as the BOOST was made for comfort, performance and style. They did a really good job with the design and materials now with the help of current technology.

This costs a hefty but worthy Php 11,495 in stores like Commonwealth, Sole Academy or adidas.com so you better hurry before it runs out!

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Honor 6 Plus Out On May 7th

This just in. It looks like my favorite Android phone ever is coming out with another addition to their family. Say hello to the Honor 6 Plus. They've been making great phones with cameras these days and I'm still using my Honor 6 for that. They will still continue to do so with this one and they'll even match the front camera specs with it too, making this one of the few phones in the world to have an 8 Megapixel front and back camera. They'll be releasing this on May 7th in popular online shopping site Lazada. Lazada will be the exclusive seller of this phone all throughout that week before it comes out in stores come May 14, 2015. Prices start at Php 17,490.

People have been talking about this since December because of the supposed Dual Rear Camera (which they made a reality), Kirin 925 1.8GHz octa core processor, and 3GB RAM. Aside from that, the phone has a 5.5-inch IPS LCD 1920×1080 pixels display at 401 ppi so you can only expect even richer quality photos and videos when it comes out soon. This also has a Mali T628 MP4 GPU, 3GB RAM, 32GB internal storage and capacity to carry a 64GB micro SD card so you won't really run out of space for those movies and music you want to enjoy all day. It's also dual sim, dual LTE, but of course it would be so nice to have you on Smart as that's the country's biggest network! It also runs on Android 4.4.4 Kitkat OS, and has got a 3,600mAh Lithium Ion battery that can last you the whole day or even more if you're not going to use that much draining apps too. Remember, you can get these gorgeous phones only on Lazada come May 7. Store release would be a week after, so if you want to get first dibs you know where to get it!

For more information about their products:

Honor PH

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http://www.honor.ph/

Julie Ann San Jose Releases New Single!

Super duper gorgeous Julie Ann San Jose was within our midst a few days ago. She just came from a DAYOFF episode taping and was extremely running on adrenaline during this event. She also won in MYX Music Awards which happened a few days ago but was unable to get her trophy. She had commitments that same evening and had to leave early, so we did the next best thing and asked her to do an acceptance speech for winning the Favorite Mellow Video for the single Right Where You Belong. Here's the rest of our interview!

She knows what she's doing and so confident, her music career is still in the green and flourishing so she's got nothing to worry about. You might have also heard in the video interview that she's launching a new single called "Kung Maibabalik Ko Lang" which is a revival from a previous group/band in the late 80's to early 90's (not the one from Regine). It was also used for the Koreanovela "Future's Choice". It felt hopeful, romantic, to go back and look for love again. I know what you're thinking, haha!

 
 

Julie Ann San Jose started telling stories about the DAYOFF episodes she's also doing. "The process of getting Tuba is super hard. We had support, we had professionals to do harnesses and heights, plus an ambulance nearby which people should wait for because it'll show on April. The first one was with the Coast Guards and I had semi training on how to be one. I was scared of the water, especially because it's Manila bay, the oil, the waste water, I was scared. Then we had to do rescue sequences and had to flip life boats, it's not as simple as I thought it was going to be. I had to jump 20 feet from the sheep and clean the ship's sides. I was with Ate Mae Bautista and that helped a lot. 

The second episode though was a little easy because I just had to cook and sell banana cue. Although I'm always getting wounds from these episodes, I felt these are real battle scars. I have one for every province we went to I think. The third one was a little icky because we had to roam around and collect KB (Kanin Baboy or food for pigs), we had to feed them, we had to clean cages, I wasn't so happy. Especially the part where we had to sell them off after taking care of them for quite some time. 

The fourth episode was in Prince David in Ateneo, that's a 20 storey building and we had to put stickers on it and do it manually. Like a swing, one step and you're gonna fall. The gondola wasn't as easy as I thought, I was safe because of all the harness but think about the whole ordeal when the thing had 4 people on it plus Ate Mae with me. The men who pulled us up wasn't as healthy looking too, but I'm so glad I survived that! There's also an eel episode (igat) which are usually pests, it's so slimy and I didn't like that at all. I got stuck at that challenge because of all that slime, like giant worms. I'd rather have snakes than that. It's good that they don't bite and they live in muddy waters. Although they were already electrocuted, it was still hard, so think of the regular people doing this on a daily basis, they need this to survive. I also don't want to get penalized but I fell a lot in the mud later on because I didn't do well during the whole episode. You should all watch out for that soon because I will do more of it this year!"  

As for plan for another concert, she says YES there will be another one. She plans to do it in Araneta Coliseum and hopes her fans, her friends would support her just like the last one. She's a strong woman and she'll be coming out with more single soon from her album DEEPER which is still out on stores, music stations, record bars too! Follow GMA Artist Center's social media channels to get updates on when the concert will happen, it's going to be this year she hopes!

For more information about their artists:

Official GMA Artist Center

Like them on Facebook


Visit their official website

http://gmanetwork.com/artistcenter