After the release of her Tiktok viral hit "Better," Julie Anne San Jose returns with another #1 track, "Bahaghari" featuring non-other than OPM Rap Icon Gloc-9.   Julie and Gloc return in this hopeful new track, produced by Pino G which speaks of overcoming obstacles in love and life. The track debuted at the top spot of the iTunes Philippines All-Genre Chart upon its release, a consecutive feat Julie has celebrated for each of her singles since joining Universal Records.Talking more about the collab, she says "At this time that we're all experiencing, we must always look back and remember that there's hope at the end of each hardship. I'm proud to release this new collab with Gloc-9, kahit magkahiwalay namin ginawa, may common goal kami, which is to inspire and give hope in any situation."  The two previously collaborated on the Gloc-9 track "Maleta," which was recently nominated for Best Collaboration at MYX Music Awards 2020. This previous collab also debuted at #1 upon its release. Julie also dropper her latest music video, "Better," with these tracks teasing her exploration towards different musical genres in preparation for her new EP.  Bahaghari is now streaming on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, and Deezer under Universal Records.

Asia's Romantic Balladeer Christian Bautista makes a comeback to the international scene as he collaborates with Indonesian Idol Grand Champion Delon in the track “We Are Here.”      Written by Christian himself, the uplifting song speaks of a friendship that knows no bounds, especially in times of hardship. Talking more about the track, Christian says “The inspiration behind the writing of the song is definitely for us to be hopeful, to be strong even if we’re experiencing this, to come together, to tell each other that we are here for each other.”     In the track, he collaborates with Indonesian artist Delon, who made his career debut as the Grand Champion of Indonesian Idol season 1 in 2004. He has since been active in the music scene, as well as acting projects in television and film.     Christian first gained popularity in Indonesia with his hit single "The Way You Look at Me" in 2004. He has since appeared in a multitude of appearances and shows across Asia, bringing the Filipino talent and his well-known charm to the global stage. Through the years, Christian has done a variety of collaborations with musicians all across Asia and the world. One of his previous collaborations in Indonesia was a rendition of Jose Mari Chan’s Please Be Careful with My Heart with singer Bunga Citra Lestari, which they toured around in multiple television shows and concerts. Other international collaborations Christian has done in the past include ones with American Idol alum Jessica Sanchez, Korean group One Way, Malaysian artist Noryn Azis, Singaporean singer Kewei Tay, and Japanese artist Baby M. Aside from recorded collaborations, Christian has also performed on stage with the likes of Josh Groban and Boyzone, and starred in the 2011 Singaporean TV musical “The Kitchen Musical” alongside Karylle and other Asian co-stars.     We Are Here is now streaming on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, and Deezer under Universal Records. Delon appears courtesy of NAGASWARA Indonesia.

Filipino Surf-Punk band La Playa is back with new music with the release of the "Reanimator" double. Coming off of their first track "Soul Surfin," the four-piece up-and-coming band is bringing good vibes with their track "Barrier Beach." The track brings easy listening vibes as it is reminiscent of good memories spent by the beach as if summer outside were still around.  In creating their distinct sound, the music barely heard on Philippine shores, the band cites Twin Peaks, The Orwells, Santana, Fidlar, among some artists they take inspiration from in making their songs.  If this is indicative of what is to come, La Playa is more than ready to give audiences a good time, as if they were on the beach themselves.   Reanimator is now available on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, and Deezer under mustard music

Indie-pop singer-songwriter Paolo Sandejas finds solace in being "Lost" as he makes his 2020 comeback to the music scene. Inspired by 90's pop-rock, the young musician continues his trajectory of bringing modern, nostalgic pop with his releases.  The track Lost in particular speaks of finding peace amidst the noise; talking more about the inspiration behind it, he says "oftentimes we find ourselves going through the motions as if we’re stuck in a loop. This song is a reminder that it's okay to take a break and escape for a while."     Prior to this release, Sandejas has started to garner a following in the Metro Manila scene, with his previous single "Sway" receiving the Wish Urban Song of the Year at the Wish 107.5 2020 Awards, and his rendition of Michael Jackson's "Rock With You" reaching over 2.5M streams on Spotify. Amidst times of troubles the world is facing today, 'Lost' easily gives the comfort of good music and good vibes to help people find their way.

Pinoy hip-hop phenom Shanti Dope returns to the scene with his latest single "Lutang" Shanti continues to prove that he's a force to reckon with in the rap scene, constantly evolving with new beats, yet retaining his relatable flows.   In the highs and lows of life, Lutang speaks about being stuck on a love that you just can't resist. A collaboration between Shanti, producers BryMnzn and DJ Klumcee, Buddahbeads, and Ejac, each one brings their own verse and style that relates to the irresistible kind of infatuation.  Prior to this track, his previous single "Normalan" recently hit over 3 million streams on both YouTube and Spotify respectively, just months after its release. The track and video were released at the onset of the ongoing pandemic, affecting both physical gigs and promotional activities, yet its appeal remained and continues to prove Shanti's growing influence in the rap scene. Aside from this, he was last seen collaborating with OPM icons Parokya ni Edgar and Gloc-9 in the track Pati Pato (Parokya Remix), another much-awaited collaboration by fans all across the board.  "Lutang" is now streaming on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, and Deezer under Universal Records.

R&B/soul singer-songwriter Gail Belmonte has released her debut single "Tonight", via Singapore-based indie label Umami Records. A chill track with that feel-good fairy dust sprinkled on top, ‘Tonight’ is about enjoying the night, slowing down and taking the time to soak in its magical beauty. “I’m quite the night owl and work best during the nighttime, so I decided to write a whole song about how much I love the night,” Gail shares the details about her new song. “In writing ‘Tonight’, I felt a sense of safety in the night, and I wanted to portray that in the most comfortable and magical way possible - and that’s throwing a bit of love in there. The most important thing to me is that it’s completely okay to feel vulnerable on your own in the dark of night, and it is okay to slow down every once in a while and let the night time take over.” Gail’s voice is a formidable instrument that fits the song’s easygoing charm and brimming sensuality. Her singing style works pretty well in the context of flowy arrangements and vintage sounds, and it somehow finds fascinating corners within Tonight’s urban pop appeal.  Born and raised in Singapore, of Filipino descent, Gail Belmonte started singing and performing from an early age, and has won and appeared in numerous singing competitions in Singapore and Philippines since 2016. The upcoming singer-songwriter made her theatre debut in Pangdemonium’s staging of the Tony award-winning musical, Fun Home, in 2017. Gail Belmonte has been featured on tracks by artists like fulses, thecolorfractal, Fingerfunk and Tim De Cotta. The R&B artist is finally ready to put out her own music with 3 singles planned for release in 2020, in which she explores the effects of love, heartache, falling apart and putting yourself back together again.

hilPop, the country’s premier songwriting competition, sets its sights in penetrating the music landscape of the Asia Pacific Region and beyond with its new tagline, #MusicBreakingBorders. This year, PhilPop Songwriting Festival 2020 partners with Warner Music Philippines in its mission to promote quality Filipino music on a bigger, global scale.  Global PartnershipDuring the virtual presser held on July 2, 2020 via Zoom, Managing Director of Warner Music Philippines Ian Monsod took the opportunity to talk about the record label’s role in providing sustainable recording, production, marketing and promotional support needed to ensure breakthrough of world-class homegrown talents in the international market. “The value that we bring to this equation, especially connected to the fact that it’s about #MusicBreakingBorders, is that we are international major record label. We do have a network of A&R and marketing people all around the world. In terms of judging and production process, we’ll bring that unique value of this presence to the project. We share this ambition to elevate the Filipino artist to a global stage. It’s a difficult path, but I think with our partnership, we can improve the odds.” National Artist and PhilPop Music Fest Foundation Board Member and Bootcamp Master Ryan Cayabyab opened the online press conference with a message highlighting PhilPop’s duty to harness the talents of Filipino singer-songwriters and composers to create music that can inspire and motivate a nation. “From mounting songwriting festivals every two years, PhilPop Foundation has expanded its influence and range of activities by including boot camps across the country and now publisher of original content for use in albums, commercials and movies. Through PhilPop, the MVP Group has positioned itself as the primary champion of Filipino songwriters.” Decentralizing the monopoly and supporting regional talentsPhilPop Music Fest Foundation Executive Director Dinah Remolacio also stressed the importance of decentralizing the monopoly of support to Metro Manila fellows by giving equal opportunity to the next generation of singer-songwriters based in other cities and provinces, regardless of their identity, language and cultural affiliation. Remolacio told the audience in the online press conference that the move will help create a positive impact in the music industry and dispel the notion of bias in the selection process. Remolacio added, “When we had major pivot in 2018, the first thing that we did is to make the festival biennial. In between those years, we mounted all these songwriting workshops in different parts of the country to empower other songwriters in the region, so that they could submit entries to PhilPop. We want to diversify the winning entries in every festival.” PhilPop Boot Camp coach and folk icon Noel Cabangon, on the other hand, assured the press people in attendance about the prestigious songwriting festival’s commitment in highlighting the diverse and distinct music from the different regions in the country, and upholding its vision to produce the next wave of global hitmakers and superstars. “Despite the pandemic, and the challenges brought about by uncertainty of time, we are proud to announce that we, in PhilPop, continue to push our music forward, now more than ever— we are ready to break borders.” Background of the PhilPop 2020 Songwriting FestivalPhilPop is looking for the next generation of songwriting champs through its 2020 Songwriting Festival. This year, songwriters are encouraged to submit their entries based on their origin or residence namely—Metro Manila, South Luzon, North Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. From thousands of songs submitted, only three (3) songwriters will eventually represent each cluster through rigorous adjudication process spearheaded by Warner Music Philippines and PhilPop. The top 15 songs will have the chance to work with Warner Music Philippines and compete in the final rounds. Standout entries (Top 3) will be getting cash prizes from the MVP Group of Companies:P1,000,000 for the Grand ChampionP500,000 for the 1st runner upP250,000 for the 2nd runner up Finals night will happen on November 14, 2020.Submission of entries is still ongoing until July 4, 2020. For more details on how to join, feel free to register online via their official website.PhilPop Songwriting Festival 2020 is an initiative of the PhilPop Music Foundation, chaired by Mr. Manny V. Pangilinan. This year's PhilPop is co-presented by SMART, MERALCO, MAYNILAD and Warner Music Philippines.

Universal Records R&B singer JKris marks 2020 return with his latest single "Tsansa"     2019 brought a milestone for the Tawag ng Tanghalan alum, as he celebrated his first million streams with his rendition of the Ogie Alcasid classic "Sa Kanya" (the track now has over 1.5 streams on Spotify). Since his departure from the It's Showtime variety segment, he has gone to collaborate with OPM Rap Icon Gloc on the tracks Norem (which also featured Shanti Dope) and his debut single Pamaypay.     This new song "Tsansa," written by JKris himself and produced by Sly Kane (of Blaze 'N Kane), showcases the vocal range JKris is known for on top of a smooth listening track. Talking more about the song, JKris says he wrote the song based on a personal experience a few years back: "The song is about asking forgiveness from the person you care for, and in hopes that person will give you another chance in the relationship, hence the title."      With his distinct sound and relatable message, Tsansa offers another chance for JKris to take the OPM spotlight.   "Tsansa" is now streaming on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, and Deezer under Universal Records

Following the success of their debut single “Lihim Na Pagtingin,” eight-piece collective We Got returns with a follow-up that takes their reggae-infused sound to exciting new places.Their second single “Ligaya,” a cover of The Eraserheads’ inescapable hit, captures the essence of the original while redressing its vibe with fuller, brighter elements and a tropical makeover.Made more captivating with syncopated rhythms, groovy horns, and animated percussions, We Got’s version crests a euphoric wave of summer and nostalgia effortlessly without the need to go on an actual trip.“At first, we were just jamming it for fun but then, it turned out pretty good,” says vocalist and guitarist Mack de la Cruz. “So, we decided to be serious about covering the song—putting our signature We Got flavor. And there it is, a unique ‘Ligaya’ rendition. We’re very happy about how it turned out!”After deciding to include the revamped version into their set list, the band decided to record their official version at Sunny Side Sound in Cubao, Quezon City, enlisting The Eraserheads drummer and Sandwich vocalist/guitarist Raymund Marasigan as the producer.Marasigan has only positive words to describe his working relationship with We Got. “Working with them is like going to a family excursion at the beach especially when they bring delicious home-cooked meals to pre-production and recording. And we worked on capturing that vibe.”We Got’s “Ligaya” is now available on digital platforms worldwide via Sony Music Philippines.