Any Name’s Okay navigates the growing pains of adulthood in new EP, Leaving Home

Its focus track “Takbo” tackles themes of running away from burnout and hustle culture

Filipino alternative pop band Any Names Okay has finally dropped their much-awaited sophomore EP, Leaving Home via Sony Music Philippines. Taking a huge step forward in terms of musical and creative direction, the 6-track release digs deeper into the journey of navigating adulthood and embracing the uncertainty that comes with the process.

“As a band, we’re maturing in our songwriting and the way that we operate as creatives,” shares the five-piece outfit. “We want to grow old with our listeners—which can be scary, but very exciting. A lot of those fears and joys can be found in this collection of songs.”

Lyrically, the band’s new EP, Leaving Home expands on introspective and existential themes—sometimes rendered in emotionally blunt details, but most of the time, exhibiting some of the growing pains that one has to go through in their transitional period towards maturity. The promising newcomer explains, “We’ve all been through the wringer the last few years, and this was a much-needed emotional release for everyone. We believe that a thorough listen of the EP, however, still shows that same heart, energy, and sincerity that people have come to know of us.”

Its focus track “Takbo” is one of the standout cuts in the EP as it tackles breaking free from the socio-economic fatigue that is burnout and hustle culture. According to the band, the song is all about running for running’s sake: playing with the imagery of aching muscles and exhausting activities, with its destination and goal to no avail. “While the song is an ode to the tired and tireless self, the reprise that it ends with is dedicated to hope— the hope that this is all for something, that you grow stronger the more you run,” Any Name’s Okay points out.

The release of the song comes with a visual that encapsulates the feeling of weightlessness in all that running. Helmed by Miko Reyes, the music video depicts “a person floating in and out of their world.”

The Yugto band adds, “Familiar to a lot of us, we can feel lost even in the happiest of places. Similar to the track itself, the end shows that there is a point to all the running; it just takes a bit of time to recognize it.”

Leaving Home is written and produced by Any Name’s Okay themselves, but with the help of their long-time pal, Luigi Del Rosario for one of their singles, “Limbo.” Frequent collaborator Tim Recla and Nick Azurin also mixed and mastered all the songs in the EP, respectively, giving it a more gossamer-sounding vibe.

Leaving Home Track list:

1. Yugto

2. Snooze

3. Limbo

4. Takbo

5. Today I Want To Live

6. Discovery

The EP launch happening on August 20, 2022 at Dirty Kitchen (Gravity Art Space), Quezon City is already sold out. But for those who would be joining the band as they perform the tracks from the EP live, you’re in for a treat.

“We’ve prepared some secret performances that you’ll just have to wait and see,” says Any Name’s Okay. “Showgoers will be getting first dibs on our brand-newmerchandise, as well as get the chance to join our giveaways. We’re definitely doing our best to make the launch equally as exciting for everyone there!”

Any Name’s Okay’s second EP, Leaving Home is out now on all digital music platforms worldwide via Sony Music Philippines. Watch the music video of its focus track “Takbo” here.

 Source: Nyou

Market! Market! hosts I AM POSSIBLE - a PWD Entrepreneurs Fair

Support the PWD community, check out the fair from August 11-13

Show your support for persons with disabilities (PWDs) and their initiatives. From today until Saturday, Market! Market! is hosting I AM POSSIBLE - a PWD Entrepreneurs Fair where talents, skills and products proudly crafted by the PWD community will be showcased.

 

During the three-day selling fair, workshops and sign language classes will likewise be held at the Market! Market! Activity Center. On Aug. 12, Friday, at 6pm, Atty. Mack Hale D. Bunagan, J.D. will also hold a seminar.

 

The event is brought to you by Market! Market! in partnership with Precious Works of Differently-abled Enterprise  (PWDe), Alagang AyalaLand, and JCI Philippines and Paranaque Asinderas, Naturally, and P3PWD Partylist headed by Hon. Cong. Rowena Guanzon.

 

I AM POSSIBLE participants

 

The PWD Entrepreneurs Fair will have the following participants: ALKASAMOPI INC.; Ampie’s Café and Korean BBQ; Analie Leather Wallets; Arte Autismo Filipino; Bee Poe Lar; CLCruz Adventourista Travel;.​Dainty Love Shoppe; the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD); Five Star Cleaning Service; Hand and Heart; Handcrafted by Harl’s; HealthCare Depot;.​Herbs International; Herb’s Best International; Honey Made Boutique; Honeymade Enterprise; Humankind by La Mason B; ILLC; JNJ Personalized; Juliana Dela Cruz; Marlon Bautista; Numi Ph; R Bakery; Richard Noriega; Six Crew Café; SPACE: Crafting Beyond Limits; Special Hands by Nina; Tahanang Walang Hagdan; and Violet Starlight.

 

See you at the Activity Center!

 

For more information on mall activities, schedules, and promotions at #iLoveMarketMarket, like and follow Facebook.com/MarketMarket, @ilovemarketmarket on Instagram and TikTok, and @MarketMarketBGC on Twitter. You may also visit www.ayalamalls.com.

Source: Fifth Gear Ads and Activations, Inc.

Philippine Book Fair

Spotted: My first book, #speakbloglive 🤘🏼at the Philippine Book Fair! Swipe ➡️ for the schedule and location. ✨ NEVER GIVE UP ON YOUR DREAMS!✨ #authorlife Special thanks to @centralbooksph @publishondemand @rhegiedgzmn for these photos 🖤

Filipina singer-songwriter Bea Lorenzo and Singapore-based artist Benjamin Kheng team up one more time with new song “Panandalian”

The stripped-down track is a Tagalog rendition of “Good For A Time,” released in May 2022 as a collaborative effort between these two Asian acts

Filipina singer-songwriter Bea Lorenzo teams up withSingapore-based artist Benjamin Kheng for the second time with the release of “Panandalian,” a Tagalogrendition of their initial collab track “Good For A Time.” The folk-pop track is also accompanied by the original and an acoustic English version in this bundle.

“Good For A Time,” previously released in March 2022, has nearly 2 million streams to date and growing.

 

With lyrics translated by Jarlo Bâse, “Panandalian,”meaning ‘momentary’ in Tagalog, breathes new life to its English counterpart and comes with a lyric videofeaturing the same dreamy visuals that accentuate the bittersweet transience of a relationship.

Kheng adds, “being separated by miles due to the pandemic gave an added depth to the reality of the song. The song’s story felt like it could live in any world or language, and singing it in Tagalog gave it such a deeper sense of longing.”

Filipino singer-songwriter Bea Lorenzo, best known for her prowess with the kalimba, was brought on as a feature to turn the song into a duet, highlighting the shared experience of heartbreak. Lorenzo describes the song as the seconds of silence between two people facing the realization of no longer being good for each other.

“Panandalian takes that brief moment and stretches it into a bittersweet 2-and-a-half minutes, painting a picture of young love and the peace that can come with letting go,” Lorenzo reminisces. 

Benjamin Kheng will be visiting Manila in early August 2022. 

“Panandalian” is out now on all digital music platforms worldwide via Sony Music Philippines.

 


Stream ‘Panandalian' - https://lnk.to/benbeapanandalian

 

ABOUT BENJAMIN KHENG

Benjamin Kheng is a Singaporean musician, actor, writer, and lead singer of former pop outfit The Sam Willows, who landed a coveted spot on Forbes' annual 30 Under 30 Asia. 

In November 2019, he officially returned to music after a year-long break following the hiatus of The Sam Willows. His first solo single, ‘Wicked’, and subsequent singles ‘Find Me’ and ‘Lovers Forever’ were released to critical acclaim, showcasing Benjamin’s versatility as a singer and lending promise to the potential of his artistry and growing repertoire.

Benjamin released his highly anticipated debut EP ‘A Sea That Never Stops’ in June 2020. In this highly personal EP, Benjamin explored life and love under the lens of both sincerity and cynicism. With upbeat tempos and sparkling melodies, ‘A Sea That Never Stops’ is simultaneously a cry and a celebration for the experiences that make us human. To date, the EP has garnered over 3 million streams from over 800,000 listeners. Benjamin’s success earned him a nomination for Best Southeast Asia Act at the 2020 MTV Europe Music Awards.

In 2021, Benjamin returned with a new single, ‘Fresh Feelings’, featuring R&B artist J.Sheon. Building on his work in ‘A Sea That Never Stops’, the production for ‘Fresh Feelings’ is daring and wildly theatrical, drawing from Benjamin’s love for gospel choir and musical theatre with glossy piano chords and layered harmonies. Love is clearly the higher power that straddles charming and clumsy with delicate and devastating. Benjamin ended the year with the song, ‘Baby Mama’. His single with Gentle Bones, Better With You, was awarded Single Of The Year at the Youth Music Awards 2021.

Benjamin’s body of work extends beyond music and into acting. The breadth of his acting talent shows in the roles he has played — from the leading role of Romeo in Toy Factory’s staging of Romeo & Juliet to his nomination for best actor in The Breakup List at the Raindance Film Festival. He is also one half of the acclaimed comedy sketch series, The BenZi Project, which has garnered over 2.2 million views on YouTube in less than a year since its inception, and The Ann & Ben Show, a music comedy sketch series with Annette Lee.

An advocate for youth and social causes, Benjamin has also been invited to speak at TEDxYouth@Singapore to share his experience in overcoming depression and anxiety disorder with synesthesia.

 

ABOUT BEA LORENZO

 

Bea Lorenzo is a Manila-based Filipina performing artist whose love for storytelling, stage theatrics, and minimalist arrangements in recorded music inspires and fuels her songwriting. Her journey as a no-genre recording artist began with debut single ‘Ili (Hush)’ which earned her recognition as an award finalist at the 2019 Awit Awards. In the same year, her act was featured on the music television programme Coke Studio Philippines. Following her 2020 single releases ‘Imaginary Love’, ‘With A Smile’, and ‘Kapalaran’, ‘Good For A Time’ is Bea’s first international feature on a song with Singaporean artist Benjamin Kheng.

 

FOLLOW BENJAMIN KHENG

 

Instagram:​https://www.instagram.com/benjaminkheng/ 

Facebook:​https://www.facebook.com/benjamin.kheng/ 

Twitter:​https://twitter.com/benjaminkheng 

TikTok:​https://www.tiktok.com/@benjaminkheng 

YouTube:​https://www.youtube.com/user/breakinbenj 

 

FOLLOW BEA LORENZO

 

Instagram:​https://www.instagram.com/bealorenzomusic

Facebook:​https://www.facebook.com/bealorenzomusic

Twitter:​https://twitter.com/bealorenzomusic

 Source: Nyou

ASEAN Music Showcase Festival 2022 holds its first in-person showcase in Singapore this September 2022!

Southeast Asia’s first collaborative music showcase is set to feature more than 30+ performances from the region and beyond

After holding its first two editions purely online, ASEAN Music Showcase Festival (AMS) goes physical with its first in-person showcase happening on September 10-11, 2022 (Saturday and Sunday) in Haw Par Villa, an 8.5-hectare Asian cultural park located in the bustling city of Singapore.

 

Singapore, with its excellent infrastructure, government support and being a global air hub - is the perfect sandbox to host the two-day physical event. “Haw Par Villa was chosen for its culturally unique setting and significance within the region, and the events of the festival will take place throughout the park amidst its sculptures and dioramas, making this music showcase festival unabashedly ASEAN,” says AMS co-founder and Director of Singapore-based music consultancy Steady State Records, David Siow. The park also shares the values of AMS in bringing together diverse communities and celebrating their diversity through a common platform, adding another dimension to holding the inaugural physical edition at Haw Par Villa.

 

With loosening Covid-19 restrictions around the world to make way for economic activities such as music shows and concerts, AMS is committed to deliver collaborative, up-to-date insights about the global music industry and its impact in the region. The first physical edition of AMS will feature and attract networking opportunities with notable international talent buyers.

 

“Since its inception, the ASEAN Music Showcase Festival was initiated to help regional artists stay connected with their local fans, gain new international fans and connect with music professionals from all over the world via online platforms to prepare for touring and performing live again after the pandemic subsides,” AMS co-founder and Director of Educational, Governmental, and Overseas Partnership of Bangkok-based music company Fungjai, Piyapong ‘Py’ Muenprasertdee shares in a statement. “As the world is now moving towards opening up, the most logical next step is to organize a physical event as we believe that stronger connections both emotionally and professionally can be forged when people meet in the flesh.”

 

This year, AMS is expected to introduce 30+ regional and international artists on 3 stages of the two-day showcase. “For this year, we shall be broadcasting live video streams of the live performances in Singapore,” says Piyapong ‘Py’ Muenprasertdee. “So, wherever you are in the world, you’ll be able to enjoy the music performances online at the same time as someone attending the event.”

 

Southeast Asia’s premier collaborative showcase festival is also set to fly-in 40 international delegates to participate in the music networking and live event.

 

AMS is co-organized by Fungjai, NYLON Thailand, andBangkok Music City from Thailand; Steady State Recordsfrom Singapore; SRM from Indonesia; City Roars Festival from Malaysia; The Rest Is Noise PH from the Philippines; Baramey Production from Cambodia; andMonsoon Music Festival and Swan Zoo from Vietnam.

 

AMS is proudly supported by the National Arts Council, Taiwan ASEAN Music Action (TAMA) - supported by the Ministry of Culture, Taiwan, with Haw Par Villa - managed by Journeys Pte Ltd as venue sponsors, and TuneCore as general sponsor.

 

Blind Bird tickets are available for a limited time only. Purchase it here: https://www.sistic.com.sg/events/asean0922.

 

For more information about the third edition of ASEAN Music Showcase Festival, visit the official website.