Super talented singer songwriter Isha Ponti gave us goosebumps last night at the VIVA CAFE where she celebrated her birthday and launched her new album "LIKAS".
Isha says "If there's someone who acts like an anchor in my life, I would like to say thanks to my Mom and Dad, happy father's day! I always do this every year but this is special because being 20 means I've already experienced things and applied it to my songs. Some good, some that hurt, but it's okay. I'm good!"
She sang her singles "Darating" (an upbeat hopeful love song), "Hinga" (a call for pause before loving again), "Proud to Say" (not part of the LIKAS album but she made this song when she was 13), "Raining In Manila" (her cover), "Kabanata" (where she proudly showed her heartwarming music video too), Man I Need & So Easy (both an Olivia Dean original- her cover), and a few more to the delight of the crowd. She also did "Warmth", "Gulong" (about a hurtful relationship), "Halika" (a ballad about asking to admit love), "Bakas" (she cried on this bit), "Kung Di Rin Tayo sa Huli" (her cover of the December Avenue song), "Numero" (about self worth), "Riversky" (about believing in yourself), and the finale song the danceable "Mismo" (where everyone stood up!). Isha reminds us that her new album "Likas" is all about loving, learning, and experiencing her truth and I totally agree.
In the audience, she also had her relatives, friends from school, and press who have been helping her get her music out there. She thanked them all!
Isha acknowledged a few artists from VIVA, a PPOP girl group and of course, one of GMA's prime actors Kelvin Miranda (who did a duet with her btw!).
OPM is so blessed to have to someone like you Isha! Here's hoping you get to even more places. Seeing how passionate you are in your craft and how hard you've worked for it, please keep on writing and singing more songs!
I distinctly remember the times we've covered press conferences for Kiray Celis, her shows and movies. She's always the jolly one, cracking jokes almost every time we meet her, cementing her career as a formidable actress and comedienne. In recent years, she'd had remarkable success in selling products online. She was selling millions worth of products from different manufacturers and asked herself how it could have been better if she sold her own and have had all the profit herself and her team. And so, she did. She's now the proud CEO of Kiray's Brands who manufactures Hot Babe and Skin Vibe products. And yesterday launched the new Hot Babe Green collection and 2 new ones under Skin Vibe.
I personally asked her if she feels that this is her "calling", but replies that the term was too deep for her to connect with. As for success, she doesn't feel she's there yet because all of her earnings are still being invested back to the business and is positive that in the coming years, would bear fruit, but even then she wouldn't see herself doing something big as an entrepreneur. She'd laugh it off just thinking of it.
Hot Babe Green includes the Chamomile Tea, Lemongrass Pandan, Pistachio Matcha flavors. The drinks aid in digestion, lower cholesterol, detoxifies, cleanses and support weight management. On Skin Vibe, they launched Pwetturs B|eaching Cream and the Singova B|eaching Scrub that does exfoliation, brightens skin, and evens out your complexion. Took a while to put it out because she had to have FDA approval for it. It's a hard job, but she wants to make sure if she's going to have something out in the market, it had to be safe for Filipinos to use as she's got tons of resellers who are also helping her to grow her business. She's so thankful also to her affiliates, resellers and return customers who all contributed to the remarkable success of her brand.
Here's our talk with Kiray and the part where she also explained the viral Japan issues she addressed, she apologized for those who felt offended but be assured she got proper permits to do the shoot and Japanese folks were asking if she was a model, okay?!
If you want to get a hold of her products, Hot Babe Green and Skin Vibe is available at FB, TikTok Shop, Shopper and Lazada. Just order and have it delivered. I'm sure this isn't going to be the last of what Kiray has up her sleeves. She's also going to be married soon, here's wishing her the best of business and LOVE because she deserves it!
Had so much fun at iStudio Plus' iPhone 17 Midnight launch at the Bonifacio Highstreet grounds in BGC. Countless folks lined up early to make sure they get the much coveted iPhone 17 and the perks that come with it if you get it from iStudio Plus.
BGC's B3 area was transformed into an activity center filled with various brands like HAVIT, Insta 360, EcoFlow, Union Bank who partnered with iStudio to make sure everyone gets an experience out of the launch even before the release of iPhone 17 began. Several performers like DJ Nico Yabut, artists Yoki and Kiyo performed on stage to the delight of patrons who stayed and partied for hours, and got prizes from booths inside the activity area. They also had coffee and fruit drinks given for free if you complete the passport and celebrities saying hi too. This includes artist Raki who partnered with iStudio, he certainly had talent and his art work and merch was a hit with everyone at the venue!
Angel Guardian, PBB Celebrity Collab alumnus AZ Martinez, Asian Cutie took their sweet time to participate in booths, and later went with us to unbox their very own iPhone 17. Here's a few videos we took when the clock struck 12!
Then we also saw the first person in line named Vanessa Marcelo who hails from BGC. She really waited online to sign up for the form and went there as customer number 1 which means aside from owning an iPhone 17, she'll be getting various products and apple services amounting to Php 70k+. This also happened in different tiers with other folks who also spent the day lining up and enjoying the fun party that iStudio Plus had at their BGC branch.
If you want one, you should definitely follow their social channels to make sure when stocks become available, you can avail it from them. Who knows?! You might get perks like them too!
Spent the afternoon at the SM City San Lazaro for a windy event as popular portable fan brand JISULIFE opened at the 3rd floor Cyberzone in Manila.
The event was graced by Jisulife Country Manager LA Lucero, Marketing Head Igue Bonifacio and popular radio DJ Kevin Sy. They also introduced a huge sale to coincide with the SM City San Lazaro mallwide sale slated to run from May 17th to 19. Folks who were early got the chance to get the Life5 Plus at 599 instead of the original price of 750++, the same goes with the other fan models that they also lowered prices at this particular branch. They also held games for the public and gave away several Jisulife fans, and lanyards to keep them safe and tight while you carry it around all day.
They also told us this is one of many Jisulife stores that they plan to put up in the country that is bearing the new BLUE logo (it was previously Orange/Red), and they plan to change the existing kiosks and stores to look like this one too. They also plan to implement this look in the previous collaterals they have built including those inside department stores nationwide!
It's HOT and you know Jisulife can get that heat out of your system. If this branch in Manila is so near your place, go get them because there's a reason why they are number one in the market!
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.
It was almost a month ago since Bela Padilla and her partners launched her own beauty brand BELA. From the looks of it, things are actually looking crazy at sales that most of their stocks run out fast. From Shopee, Lazada, their TikTok Shop and their website, folks have been hoarding much of their products specifically the Bela by Bela Lip Balm and the Bela Dot Perfection Cheek Tint which much of us were also wearing that afternoon.
The two products work, plain and simple, which is why people have been raving about it since they launched their flagship ones. Even her celebrity friends, her followers and the working class, simple jane at home were using it, giving valuable feedback about its quality. Bela also mentioned how she plans to work with other people in order to release other products under the same brand, and from the looks of it, this is the opportune time.
Celebrity Mom, Entrepreneur and Content Creator Dani Barretto is a good friend of Bela from years back. They've always wanted to do a business together but it didn't come into fruition because when they were in talks, Bela had priorities and didn't want to hold Dani back about the business. There certainly is a time for everything, and now comes the launch of Dani Barretto's line of fragrance called DANI by BELA. It's 5 different Eau de Parfum which they planned and made together. It's fate, and it's here now!
DANI by BELA has sample sizes, so you could actually try it first before choosing the bigger bottle.
These are the 5 different fragrances of DANI by BELA. Thanks to Justin Montas for this shot, photo credits of this photo belong to him.
I initially assumed this would be for all for ladies, but no. They created a line of fragrances that cater for men, women and something gender neutral. For the ladies, there's Summer's Kiss, Spring's Touch and Nostalgia. For the men, they created Coolector. The gender neutral one is called Campfire, so really, there's something for everybody!
Bela apologized in behalf of Dani, because she couldn't come to the launch as she had the flu. She sent a video message for the guests at the event. In the meantime, here's our video coverage of the press conference, please, enjoy!
The fragrances are actually inspired by the scents they personally use and love. They also did Nostalgia for those that miss the things people wear years back, you could liken it to a popular cologne for babies if that gives it away. Bela's favorite is the Summer's Kiss, while Dani's is the Spring's Touch. Bela didn't like the way some men smelled like oxen, musky which you can detect a mile away. This is why Coolector smells clean and fresh, like something you'd be like out of the shower. The Campfire has higher woodsy content I think, though I find everything quite appealing. My personal pick is actually a bit off the beaten path, because I actually prefer the Spring's Touch. I think it fits my personality, and even though it was made femme, I think everything could be used by anyone. It is that good.
This product came as a surprise, BELA calls it BLOOM SOAP. Bela told us how highschoolers or frequent travelers used to cut soap in smaller pieces so they didn't have to carry the whole bar in school or their destinations. I haven't done that personally, but apparently much of the crowd who were there admitted doing it. Bela thought it was better that they had one package where people could try the different kind of soaps they have in one box to see what works and what doesn't, or basically preference. The new BELA BLOOM SOAP comes in Papaya, Pineapple and Coffee variants. She didn't want it to be like any of the soaps out in the market, and they've done extensive research before actually releasing this. It's made as natural as possible. These soaps can exfoliate gently, and doesn't have harmful chemicals that would irritate your skin. The Coffee variant is something new, it has bits of coffee grounds so you can scrub a bit with it. I prefer the Pineapple though because of its scent, and I think nothing of its kind is yet in the market. I love things that are unique, and this one is!
Now head on to BELA's social channels to know more about the new products. Again, you can get them in Shopee, Lazada, TikTok Shop and their official website. Some actually get them to resell, so it may be a good investment too. But so far, I've used the perfumes and one of the soap, just like the previous products they had, it worked quite well. You be the judge when you try it.
Just had this phone used for a few weeks now and I wanted to tell you the experience. For starters, a phone dubbing itself as a "Portrait Master" would have been a tall order, but the realme 12 series so far has been able to deliver that promise. They got portrait shots from an actual realme 12+5G and used it to shoot ordinary folks (like me), and saw quite amazing results. First off, I looked good in it.
This is a photo taken using a realme 12 Pro+ 5G, and image was even compressed on FB. Imagine the things you can do with this phone model in real life!
Here's our unboxing of the realme 12+ 5G
What I like most about this phone is the really good details on static shots, the video, and the actual display. It seems so crisp and bright, the colors are in a different league. When I played MOBA games in it, I get amazed whenever characters are being selected because it's all so vivid and the effects and music felt awesome... I was ready to switch and make this my primary phone.
realme 12 Series Phone Launch
These phones were launched a couple of weeks ago at the Green Sun events place in Makati. It was simultaneously streamed on FB and YT in the Philippines and they got us to walk through a photo gallery, all showcasing what the 12 series could do in real life.
The design and features of the realme 12 Pro+ 5G and the realme 12+ 5G were also quite impressive especially when it comes to taking portrait shots of people, moments, which you can do in one click. If you are taking interest in the realme 12 Pro+ 5G, it comes with a 12GB+512GB storage in Submarine Blue or Navigator Beige colorways. The price for the said model is only Php 25,999. If you want the realme 12+ 5G, you can get it in two varieties like the 12GB+256GB or the 8GB+25GB. The first one is Php 19,999 while the other is Php 17,999. Both models come with really good flagship level cameras and don't break the bank despite having those lenses in the handsets.
If you get them early, they have a promo on their official Shopee, Lazada and TikTok shops til the 15th where one could get Php 3,400 off since it's a brand day sale. They also have realme Care+ thrown in for the first 1000 customers for the realme 12 Pro+ 5G and the first 2000 consumers who would get the realme 12+ 5G. They got you extended warranty for it after the default one is done. You get peace of mind, which is priceless in my books.
You can also get the phone through Home Credit who they partnered up with for 18 month installment programs at 0% interest. They also did it in selected credit cards, so there's no reason not to have it. There will also be freebies in realme stores and selected merchants like the TechLife 4.5L airfryer whic you can see through while cooking. They also have a hair dryer or digital rice cooker (til stocks last). You can check their social channels if you want to know more about it.
I can vouch for the realme 12+ 5G. The 12GB+4GB Ram and 256GB Storage feels like I don't even have to delete photos or files anymore. It also has a MediaTek Dimensity 7050 processor, a screen size of 6.67 inch and a 16MP Front Camera which you can use for selfies with friends and family. The rear 50+8+2 MP cameras also give you the capability to shoot portraits, landscape and wide shots like a pro, without resorting to a pricey DSLR if all you want is a decent photo. Congratulations on making this one of the best things people can get this quarter realme! You've outdone yourselves!
It's been a while since I've seen Kim, last time was a press conference before the pandemic. But I've always taken an interest in everything that she's doing especially with her relationship with Xian Lim who's also a warrior (we both are from UE). Kim has always had that bubbly disposition, something that you can't really find much in the industry. I wasn't surprised to see her land big roles in a few series in ABSCBN, and as of recent, Linlang on Prime Video. Kim has been long gone with those teeny bopper roles and has already been the apple of the eye of various brands that want her as an endorser. And now she's a part of the LifeStrong family, and is endorsing the new Hairfix PROfessional Line.
Before she arrived, there were a few people that Hairfix had on the event to tell their personal experience with the products being launched. I guess this was done so people could connect with ordinary people.
Mom Chris says "I truly love their products til now and I've been very experimental when it comes to my hair. My hair is aging and it gets damaged a lot, I need to take care. I love the Collagen Peptide and Castor Oil leave on hairspray. I don't use conditioners but these combo is effective for me especially with coarse hair. The difference is quality of ingredients, so I'm inviting you to try it because it smells good and perfect for humid weather. I have tried Korean products that often do good but now you don't have to go there to get the same results. It feels more natural."
Doc Bea a dermatologist says "For those who experience sudden hairfall, these collagen, peptide and castor oil must be consistently applied so it would nourish the scalp and help your hair recover from getting damaged. Check the ingredients, look for hydrolized keratin, it can also increase hair shine and gloss. Even if you don't have those problems, use the products to prevent it before it happens. Understand that it should be suitable for your hairstyle, you have to be particular and do research what product would work."
Content Creator Dion says "Only a few things work for me and my journey with curly hair. It boosted the moisture of my hair and I had less frizz because of the shea butter and hibiscus extract that prevents that. The power curl line doesn't have paraben, natural curls get really damaged if you style it too much, it's got natural oils so I only shampoo every now and then (3x or less a week). When you are curly, it just has a life of its own, and the leave in takes care of it without alcohol. They are very affordable with Hairfix."
Marge Lee of LifeStrong Hairfix says "With our line, it gives a lot of options for people. The ingredients give various effect that people look for if they want to take care of their hair. 4 in one bottle solutions and these complements different types of hair."
When Kim Chiu arrived, she had a meet and greet at the Watsons store in SM The Block. She then gave us a chance to ask a few questions via a press conference after the event.
Thank you to the men and women who worked so hard that day. Thank you to Hairfix for letting us experience a few hours with Kim Chiu!
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
