Several independent Filipino artists will compete against their Southeast Asian counterparts in a music festival this September.
The ASEAN Music Showcase Festival, which was founded by concert and festival promoters, will debut via a digital stage on September 19 and 20 amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.
The Filipino artists who are slated to perform are:
- Pikoy
Pikoy, also known as the “DIY Pop star,” who released her debut solo album “Acquired Taste” in 2016.
- Cheats band
Cheats is a rock band that comprises Saab Magalona-Bacarro and her husband Jim Bacarro, Candy Gamos, Manny Tanglao, Enzo Hermosa, Mau Torralba, Ernest Aguila and Jason Caballa. They were formed in 2013, releasing their self-titled debut album in July 2015.
- August Wahh
Sabrina Augustine Haw or August Wahh is an up-and-coming R&B neo-soul singer who released her first EP called Labyrinth in 2019.
She opened for international acts Daniel Caesar and Portuguese-American DJ and producer RAC on that same year.
- Artists from Uprising Records
Uprising is an independent hip hop label in the Philippines that had released 17 albums from underground Filipino hip hop and rap artists in the past six years.
BLKD, Kartel and Tatz Maven are among the popular names who release songs under this label.
These artists will be competing against a diverse lineup from Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.
These are:
Singapore – Linying, Marian Carmel, Coming Up Roses, and J.M3
Thailand – TONTRAKUL, Valentina Ploy, STOIC, and H 3 F
Malaysia – Bayangan, Buddha Beat, Golden Mammoth, and mutesite
Indonesia – Tanayu, bangkutaman, Rangkai, and Oslo Ibrahim
The ASEAN Music Festival was launched with the goal to elevate Southeast Asia’s music scene onto the world stage.
According to its website, this initiative was organized by a group of “gig/concert promoters, music festival/conference owners and music community leaders from all over Southeast Asia.”
In a statement, they stated that they hoped that the festival would pave the way for more opportunities to the participants, who were emerging musicians from their respective countries.
“AMS takes on the challenge of providing networking opportunities for emerging musicians in Asia and global music industry leaders while hurdling the unprecedented challenges of the pandemic through a virtual music gathering that celebrates the region’s finest,” the organizers said.
The platforms of Facebook Live and YouTube Live will be utilized to conduct the first virtual event.