Benjamin Kheng and Ben&Ben to grill each other on Instagram Live Show, B.B.Q.

After their much buzzed TikTok collaboration which attracted an audience of more than 3 million, Singapore-based alt pop artist Benjamin Kheng and award-winning Filipino band Ben&Ben will be blessing the regional social media feeds once again with their follow-up collaboration on Instagram Live next week, June 23 at 10 pm. 

The nine-piece collective behind hits such as “Lifetime,” “Pagtingin” and “Doors” will be joining Benjamin Kheng’s IG Live show, B.B.Q.—short for Ben’s Burning Questions. 

Known for its hilarious banters and challenges, B.B.Q. encourages celebrity guests to pass 10 challenges with varying levels of difficulty.

If the participants surmount the test, they will be given a chance to “grill” Benjamin through a burning question or a flaming dare. The online show airs live on Benjamin Kheng’s Instagram every week. 

Benjamin Kheng releases solo debut EP

Following his previous singles “Wicked,” “Find Me,” and “Lovers Forever,” the Singaporean multimedia star has just released his highly anticipated EP, A Sea That Never Stops.

The 6-track EP features three new tracks ‘Shiny’, ‘Already Home’, and ‘Make Do’ in addition to his previous singles. 

A Sea That Never Stops focuses on fresh music – with each song embracing nuanced stories paired with novel production, yet heavily drawing upon Benjamin’s musical influences of gospel, rock, and musical theater. It fully encompasses Benjamin’s creative range and lends promise to his future musical endeavors.

Reflecting wholeheartedly on the significance of the EP title, Benjamin says, “Time has a way of teaching us how to say goodbye to things and people we're not ready to – it just happens. Things simply end, people simply die, and we're dragged on with time. We're saying hello to new chapters before we've closed old ones. I guess I started writing these songs at the biting point of saying goodbye to the old and hello to the new, and I slowly began accepting the fact that I was part of a sea of waves that would eventually crash, disappear and go back into the ocean.”

Ben&Ben’s “Lifetime” amasses more than 5 million hits in a week

The critically acclaimed group is breaking records once again with the release of their new single, “Lifetime.” The folk-pop ballad has amassed more than 5 million streams on Spotify and YouTube combined, giving listeners a taste of their introspective songwriting in a time that needs comforting words and hope.

Ben&Ben premiered the hit song on TikTok Live! last June 13. It’s their first live performance together in one place after the lockdown period. 

Benjamin Kheng’s solo debut EP, A Sea That Never Stops! and Ben&Ben’s latest single, “Lifetime” are both available on all digital and streaming platforms worldwide via Sony Music.

Source: Nyou

Ramen and Coffee for 2

Here’s what I learned about the Covid-19 pandemic: it won’t go away soon. This is why I am not stopping myself from living (with caution, of course).

I went on a date with my boyfriend this weekend. I had my first serving of Arakawa Abura Soba from Hanamaruken in months. It is one of my favorite Japanese dishes of all time, and I really savored it.

And since i was my late dad’s birthday recently (and it’s actually Father’s Day today), I went to Starbucks to have his favorite caramel macchiato. It was also my first Starbucks since the lockdown. It felt so good to have barista-made coffee again.

Simple joys like a favorite dish and a warm cup of coffee can make a world of difference at a time of uncertainty. I feel grateful to have my loved ones with me, and good food to keep me going. Life isn’t so bad at all.

Listen to Twenty-Nine Eleven’s take on 6cyclemind’s “I”

Filipino pop-rock outfit Twenty-Nine Eleven has finally released their remake of 6cyclemind’s “I,” off the upcoming Sige I-Cover Mo Lang Project.

The song serves as the second single of the online compilation, produced by 6cyclemind and their management Soupstar Music, and released by Sony Music Philippines. 

The aforementioned tribute record aims to introduce the band’s legacy as reliable hitmakers that continue to define an entire generation’s collective consciousness.

A captivating take

Twenty-Nine Eleven’s version of the alt-rock classic was handpicked as one of the three winners of the Sige I-Cover Mo Lang Project—an initiative that encouraged fans to submit covers of their favorite songs from 6cyclemind’s catalog. 

Their captivating take stands out with its earnest simplicity and delicate arrangements, giving the song a refreshing spin while maintaining the original’s timelessness and emotional appeal.

According to Fony Alfonso, the lead vocalist of the five-piece band, the song is already great on its own. “However, in order to make it sound like us, we wanted to rearrange the song and add more of our personality to it. As with all of the songs that we've done before, we experimented with it until we got the right ‘feel’ that we wanted to express as a band.”

An inspiration to young musicians

The independent band considers 6cyclemind as one of their inspirations. “After spending time with the members of 6cyclemind, we were able to understand that it wasn't only their music style that made them successful, but also their perseverance in pursuing their career and passion,” guitarist Alexandre Abesamis shares. “As they've told us back then, there were a lot of other better and more skilled bands than them, but what made them stand out is that they never stopped playing.”

Currently, Twenty-Nine Eleven is working on new material and experimenting with various sounds and techniques culled from their individual music influences. Drummer Jerell Co adds, “Ever since high school, we were subjected to various styles and genres of music from the most dramatic love songs to the heaviest rock songs. That alone has developed the kind of music we could make now.” 

Twenty-Nine Eleven’s rendition of “I” is now available on various music streaming and download platforms worldwide.

Source: Nyou

50 For MBP General Hospital

I dispatched 50 earsavers to the frontliners of MBP Blessed Trinity General Hospital. It is located at Umangan, Mangatarem, Pangasinan. It is a huge honor to share my earsavers to a hospital in the north, and I am blessed to have found a doctor who took care of the delivery for me.

I am still volunteering for Earsavers for Lifesavers PH. We hope that you can also volunteer as a crafter, delivery angel, or materials sponsor. For more details, please join our Facebook group.

God bless you!

John Legend’s new album, Bigger Love celebrates Black Culture and Pride

Multi-platinum artist John Legend is slated to drop his sixth studio album, Bigger Love on June 19 (Friday) via Columbia Records.

On a lengthy Instagram post, the Emmy, Golden Globe, Oscar, and Tony (EGOT) winner reveals that Bigger Love was written and produced prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and the #BlackLivesMatter protests happening around the world. According to him, the upcoming album is a “celebration of love, joy, sensuality, hope, and resilience” and an important showcase of what makes black culture so influential and empowering.

“It’s important for us to continue to show the world the fullness of what it is to be black and human,” John Legend takes pride. “Through our art, we are able to do that. I’m under no illusion that music can save the world or solve the world’s problems, but I’ve always turned to music to help me through tough times and I know many of you have done the same.”

His new album, Bigger Love features 16 soulful, R&B-laden, and pop-influenced tracks, and includes guest spots and collaborations with Gary Clark Jr., Jhene Aiko, Koffee, Rapsody, and Camper. It is executive produced by Raphael Saadiq—the award-winning neo-soul artist who co-produced two of the most critically acclaimed albums of the last two decades: Solange’s A Seat At The Table and D’Angelo’s Voodoo. 

The All Of Me singer-songwriter dedicates his upcoming record to his wife, his family, and “the rich tradition of black music that has made me the artist I am.”

The album’s focus single is “U Move, I Move,” a duet featuring Jhene Aiko. With its velvety harmonies, lush arrangements, and an inescapable chorus, the R&B slow jam embraces the emotional range and vulnerability of both artists, taking listeners to a place of romantic high with just the right amount of warmth. Upon hearing the track, Legend’s wife, multimedia star Chrissy Teigen tweeted, “One of my favorite ones is one with @JheneAiko. Why don’t u guys just get fuckin married.” The tweet has racked up more than 40,000 likes and a thousand retweets. 

For more information about the album, please visit: www.johnlegend.com.

About John Legend

Critically acclaimed and best-selling artist John Legend has garnered eleven Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Tony Award, and an Emmy Award, making Legend the first African-American man to earn an EGOT. 

He has released six celebrated albums including, Get Lifted (2004), Once Again (2006), Evolver (2008), Love in the Future (2013), Darkness and Light (2016), and A Legendary Christmas (2018). Legend starred in NBC's "Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert" in 2018, winning an Emmy for Outstanding Variety Special and nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor (Limited Series). Legend joined "The Voice" for Season 16 (2019), winning with his mentee Maelyn Jarmon and is currently a judge on Season 18. 

John is a partner in Get Lifted Film Co., serving as an Executive Producer for "Southern Rites," "United Skates," WGN America's "Underground," and films "Southside with You" and "La La Land." As a philanthropist, Legend initiated the #FREEAMERICA campaign in 2015 to change the national conversation surrounding the misguided criminal justice policies in the US and to end mass incarceration.

Source: Nyou

Local Love

I enjoyed the third day of the Asia Clean Energy Forum (ACEF) 2020 right in the comfort of my own home. I learned that managing resilience is the key to surviving and thriving in the new normal. Both the private and public sectors must collaborate to bring forth beneficial change to society as a whole.

Personally, I am doing my part by engaging in low-energy activities such as brewing my own local coffee using a coffee press, enjoying cookies baked by a marginalized community in Manila, and crocheting earsavers for frontliners under Earsavers for Lifesavers PH.

I may be uncertain with what the future may bring, that is why I choose to thrive with what I have in the present. Choosing to support local is important because it enables me to help my city and community thrive.

I hope that you will also find ways to support local brands while educating yourself using online resources at home.

Let us all stay safe!

90 for Mary Johnston

I dispatched 90 earsavers to the frontliners of Mary Johnston Hospital, Tondo, Manila. Crocheting earsavers has been the defining project of my quarantine. It has given me a sense of purpose while staying at home.

Volunteering for Earsavers for Lifesavers has been one of the best decisions I have ever made. Seeing the frontliners who receive my earsavers smile gives me hope that the future will be bright. I hope that as I continue crocheting for our frontliners, a cure will be found to finally eradicate Covid-19.

I also attended the second day of the Virtual ACEF 2020, which tackled gender, innovation, and climate change in ADB projects. I enjoyed the sessions, and I was inspired by the role of women in the ADB’s projects to provide renewable energy across the ASEAN region.

I am positive that tomorrow will be a better day. Stay safe, everyone!

ACEF 2020 Day 1

I spent the first day of the Asia Clean Energy Forum 2020 listening to the esteemed speakers discuss clean energy amidst the global pandemic. I did so while crocheting earsavers for frontliners.

Here were my key takeaways from day one:

• The economic downturn brought about by the pandemic could serve as a catalyst for finding alternative renewable energy sources.

• Cross-industry collaboration is crucial in enforcing changes for renewable energy.

• The Covid-19 crisis should be used as an opportunity to learn more about climate change and renewable energy

• We can foster job growth in this new normal by using sustainable development and renewable energy

• We must build our resilience and reimagine tomorrow

The conference will run until Friday. I cannot wait to learn more as I help our frontliners.

Stay safe, everyone!

Virtual ACEF Deep Dive

Today was the pre-event day of the Asia Clean Energy Forum 2020 (ACEF). This year, the event will be done virtually via their online platform. While the conference may be streamed via the interwebs for now, it does not diminish the value of the event. It is still an honor to be a part of this conference.

This year, I am crocheting earsavers while tuned in to the ACEF.

I attended the deep dive session on Green Finance Policies in Asia. Here’s what I learned:

• The pandemic is the perfect opportunity to explore innovative ways for green energy in the region.

• It’s all a matter of enforcement as we already have the technology for green finance, such as green bonds.

• While we are under quarantine, we must not leave anyone behind.

I look forward to learning more from this event until its run this Friday. Multitasking by crocheting and watching a conference is making my quarantine a lot of fun at the moment. This will definitely be worth telling my kids or nieces and nephews someday.

75 for The Medical City Southern Luzon

I dispatched 75 earsavers to The Medical City Southern Luzon. This batch is special to me because I was crocheting these earsavers while it was Independence Day. This particular holiday is close to my heart because it coincides with my anniversary date with my current boyfriend. I just feel so happy and loved.

I am still volunteering for Earsavers for Lifesavers PH. We are still accepting volunteer crocheters, delivery angels, and materials sponsors. Please join our Facebook group for more details.

Stay safe everyone!

60 For Philippine Heart Center

I recently dispatched 60 earsavers to the Radiology Department of the Philippine Heart Center. Special thanks to Ms. Lyzl Quinio for the photos of the frontliners wearing my earsavers.

I enjoy volunteering for Earsavers for Lifesavers PH because it has given me a sense of purpose during the quarantine. I am thankful for the opportunity to serve from home. Please visit of Facebook group to help us reach more frontliners by becoming a crafter, materials donor, or delivery angel.

God bless us all!

Pop-jazz sensation Ardhito Pramono invites Ben&Ben as special guests for digital concert

As part of the initiative to forge regional ties with likeminded artists in Asia, Indonesia’s very own Ardhito Pramono will be joining forces with acclaimed Filipino band, Ben&Ben and Singaporean alt-pop artist, Benjamin Kheng for a star-studded virtual show.

Aptly titled, From His Backyard, Online #HappyConcert with Ardhito Pramono and Friends, the first online concert in Indonesia to feature local and international artists, will happen on June 8, 2020 (Monday) at 9 PM (Philippine time) via Loket. Tickets are available here.

The digital show will highlight special collaborative performances and live sessions from his latest EP, Craziest Thing Happened In My Backyard. Released this year, Ardhito’s fourth mini-album pertains to the “backyard” as a metaphorical place to keep good and bad memories, secrets, opinions and ramblings; hence, coming up with songs that “talk about darkness with a twist of cheerful music.” His new single “Here We Go Again / Fanboi” was released on YouTube last June 3, 2020 via a lyric video that sees the Indonesian star performing amidst beige curtains.

Prior to the upcoming digital show which will be streamed live next week, Ardhito Pramono and Ben&Ben have recently collaborated on video-sharing platform, TikTok. Their paper towel challenge, which featured a snippet of Ardhito’s new song, “Here We Go Again,” broke records as one of the most viewed team-ups that featured Asian artists on the app, amassing 47.8 million views in less than 2 months. 

About Ardhito Pramono 

Born on May 22nd 1995, Ardhito Pramono garnered instant success with the release of his self-titled debut album. In 2019, he won Best Vocal Jazz Artist on Anugerah Music Indonesia, and bagged endorsement deals with big brands such as Biore, Teh Javana, Bintang Marina. This year, the “wonder boy” crooner starred in the box office hit, Nanti Kita Cerita Tentang Hari Ini. He also dropped his critically acclaimed EP, Craziest Thing Happened In My Backyard last February 2020 via Sony Music.

Source: Nyou

50 For Aborlan

I have fulfilled the request for 50 earsavers for the brave frontliners of the Aborlan Medicare Hospital at Aborlan, Palawan. The request was made by a doctor who is from the area, and was also in charge of delivering the earsaver requests. I am very excited to have a piece of my heart at Palawan, as I’ve had memorable holidays in that province.

I am still volunteering for Earsavers for Lifesavers PH. The buttons for this batch have been donated by Ami Eri, whose pattern I have also used all throughout making these earsavers.

Please join the Earsavers for Lifesavers PH Facebook group to volunteer as a crafter, materials donor, or delivery angel.

Hope to see you there! Stay safe, everyone!

60 More For VMMC

I dispatched 60 earsavers for the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) Pharmacy Department frontliners. This was my third donation to VMMC. My last earsaver batch for the said hospital was for its Outpatient Department.

Every dispatch makes me happy because I work on these earsavers with love. I am fulfilling frontliner requests with joy in my heart and a spirit of gratitude for those who bravely heal the sick. I am driven by the comfort that these earsavers will give, and I can’t wait to make more in the coming weeks.

Please also consider volunteering for Earsavers for Lifesavers PH by joining our Facebook group! We are still in need of crafters, delivery angels and materials sponsors.

I hope to see you there! Stay safe everybody!

800 Buttons from BSC

I received 800 buttons from Bon Seng Commercial Inc. for my upcoming earsavers. I am thankful that this company has generously shared their resources for the second time. Their first donation to me were put to good use, so I will definitely ensure that these will be utilized to help our frontliners.

To help us crochet more earsavers, please consider donating materials or sponsoring deliveries to hospitals. Your help will go a long way, so join the Earsavers for Lifesavers PH Facebook group today to learn more.

Hope to see you there!

Ben&Ben to release a song inspired by a fan’s heartbreaking story

Award-winning Filipino band, Ben&Ben will drop their new single, “Lifetime” on June 4 (Thursday) via Sony Music. 

The intricately produced, folk-pop ballad was written as a response to a fan’s YouTube comment on their hit song “Pagtingin,” which to date, has amassed more than a hundred million streams on YouTube and Spotify combined. 

The fan, who goes by the alias of “Anne Jou,” shared her story of regretting not being able to express her feelings because she was afraid to lose the friendship.

“…instead of telling him what I actually felt, I hid and buried my feelings. And you know what happens to feelings that are buried? They grow. The like I felt for him became love. I wrote poems, songs. After 8 years, I attended his wedding [last] January. And guess what? The world is really overly-cruel. Before his wedding, he thanked me for being his best friend and told me that before he met the girl he got married to, he loved me first. For 5 years. But he was also scared of losing me so he just decided to keep it. I was shocked and I slightly had anger towards the world. We didn't know that if only one of us dared to make a move, a lifetime was waiting for us. So people, while you can, please express how you really feel so that in the end you won't regret anything.”

The nine-piece collective decided to make song inspired by a fan’s online confession—a proof of how powerful and moving words can be, when shared from a place of earnestness and raw honesty. 

Notwithstanding the technical limitations and struggles in recording brought about by the pandemic, Ben&Ben pulled through in a few days and finished the song in their respective homes with just their instruments and a studio software. 

The intimate recording session led to what is “Lifetime” now: an emotionally affecting song that leaves us wondering, what could have happened if we only mustered the courage to admit our feelings to the person we’re pining for, regardless of the outcome? 

“Lifetime” was mixed by veteran sound engineer JP Verona, and mastered by Grammy Award-winning Leon Zervos (Pink, Rihanna, Maroon 5, Beastie Boys, and Willie Nelson). It was written by Miguel Benjamin and Paolo Benjamin, and recorded and produced by Ben&Ben.

Ben&Ben’s “Lifetime” will be released on all digital platforms worldwide on June 4 (12 midnight, Thursday).

Source: Nyou

50 for Lung Center

Yesterday, I dispatched 50 earsavers to the Outpatient Department frontliners of the Lung Center of the Philippines. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve this hospital in my neighborhood. I am proud of how this institution is at the forefront of fighting Covid-19, given its specialization.

I am still volunteering for Earsavers for Lifesavers PH, and we are still accepting volunteer crafters, materials donors, and delivery angels. For more details, kindly join our Facebook group. Hope to see you there!

90 for Batangas

I dispatched 90 earsavers to the Batangas Healthcare Specialists Medical Center yesterday. I was lucky to connect with a frontliner who had a house in Quezon City, so shipping these babies was feasible. As always, each earsaver was made with love and care. I am hoping that all frontliners who use these earsavers will be safe and healthy.

I am still volunteering as a crocheter for Earsavers for Lifesavers PH. Please consider volunteering as well by joining our Facebook group. You may help by being a crafter, materials sponsor, or delivery angel. And yes, even if there are already a lot of earsavers being sold in the market today, we still continue to make these earsavers for frontliners who request them. All our earsavers which are made through the group are donated for free.

Thank you and God bless us all!

Frontline Encouragement

I recently finished my 1,000th earsaver, and I am still on a high! I would like to make more earsavers to donate to frontliners. I am inspired by their resilience and commitment to their duty. Lately, I have also been appreciating the photos sent by the frontliners who have received my earsavers in the past.

Special thanks to Ms. Janna for sending the first two pictures from San Lazaro Hospital, and Sir Yves of Adventist Medical Center Manila for the last photo. I am so happy to help from home, and there is no better time to step up for frontliners than today.

To help us donate more earsavers, please join our group Earsavers for Lifesavers PH. Thank you and God bless!

GENTLE BONES & JOIE TAN CAPTURES HEARTS WITH DREAMY DUET, ‘SHOULDN’T HAVE TO RUN’

Listen to ‘Shouldn’t Have To Run’ here 

Riding the wave of two notable collaborations this year, Gentle Bones is back with another captivating duet, Shouldn’t Have To Run, sung alongside Singapore’s melodic sweetheart, Joie Tan. Written by Gentle Bones and Fulses, one-third of R&B band, brb., Shouldn’t Have To Run explores the wistful relationship of two lovers whose stars are struggling to align.

“When Joie came on board to finish the song up with us, it became this beautiful duet that we knew we had to get out to the world.,” says Gentle Bones. “Joel and Fulses are both amazing artists I was thrilled to work with and I'm so happy with how the song turned out,” Joie adds.

Having discovered each other in the YouTube stratosphere almost a decade ago, this collaboration makes perfect sense when listening to the track. Gentle Bones and Joie Tan’s dulcet tones combined with the beat’s futuristic vibes transports listeners into a fantastic and curious dimension; whilst detailing the efforts of someone trying to reach out to his lover, but to no avail.

Enveloped in a mellow but brilliant harpsichord, Shouldn’t Have To Run imbues a vision of lilac skies and space-age aesthetic. Each chorus is preceded by the signature rising ‘boop’ of a message sent, drawing parallels with the current situation in the world right now, where many people are unable to physically meet their loved ones and have to rely even more now on virtual platforms. The song’s electronic influences intersperse nicely with a lush, vintage sound, which Bones elaborates further saying, “We intended for it to be a jazz-pop piece that was reminiscent of and influenced by a time in pop music where Corrine Bailey Rae and Norah Jones were favourites of the audiences.”

“It's definitely one of my favourite collaborations to date,” says Joie. Shouldn’t Have To Run encapsulates a polarity of foreboding and longing captured in an intimate but all too familiar distant setting (the expressing of emotions through the phone) with its hopeful dream-pop synths.

More About Gentle Bones

Instagram |Facebook |Youtube

Born and raised in sunny Singapore, Joel Tan, who goes by his stage name Gentle Bones, is one of the city-state’s top English artists who has made waves across the globe. Since his #1 self-titled debut EP “Gentle Bones” in 2014, the 25-year-old now has three albums under his belt and has taken his music to fans across Asia with live performances, selling out solo concerts and playing festivals across South Korea, London, Hong Kong, Indonesia and Malaysia.

Gentle Bones was the first Singaporean music act to be signed by Universal Music Group and was also the first youngest English music recording artist to achieve two sold-out concerts. In 2016, he earned himself a spot in the inaugural Forbes ‘30 under 30’ list for entertainment personalities.

Gentle Bones also boasts a range of notable songs that topped the charts, including Until We Die, Settle Down and Geniuses & Thieves. His latest EP Michelle, released in October of 2018, is his most streamed EP to date featuring its title track, I Wouldn't Know Any Better Than You, which has amassed more than 20 million streams on Spotify alone a year after its release. 

I Wouldn’t Know Any Better Than You earned him a spot in Spotify’s Top 5 Most Streamed Singapore artists in 2019, amongst his peers, namely JJ Lin, Jasmine Sokko, Tanya Chua & Stephanie Sun. Now, fully independent from 2019 and managed by The Linch Agency, the plan for 2020 is to tour his releases to the Asia Pacific region!

More About Joie Tan

Instagram |Facebook |Youtube

Joie’s foray into the scene started in 2008 with her covers on YouTube. Her vocal-heavy takes on popular songs were met with tremendously positive reception, and her audience started to swell.

From bedroom to live shows in Singapore, New York, London and Australia, the songstress dreams of sharing her stories through songs all over the World. She has crafted an iconic signature style and honeyed coo that uniquely intertwines with her personality, one that has been endorsed by chart-topping producers Avicii in his podcast and Kygo in billboard playlists & his Tomorrowland set in 2014.

Her debut album (released 2018), Joie features 10 self-written tracks and is available for streaming on all major platforms.

Source: Nyou