AXEAN Festival 2026 drops second batch of artists from Asia and beyond

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This year's festival deepens its commitment to artistic exchange through KEXP, KOREA SPOTLIGHT, and new cross-cultural initiatives

AXEAN Festival has released the second wave of artists joining this year’s edition. The latest announcement brings together a diverse and eclectic mix of acclaimed, established, and emerging acts from Asia and beyond.

Staying true to the festival’s vision of showcasing the breadth and depth of today’s global music landscape, the latest batch of artists represents an expansive spectrum of genres: from indie rock to alternative pop, electronic jazz to soul, hip-hop to progressive rock, experimental to modern MOR, dream pop to contemporary Asian sounds.

Wave two lineup

Joining the roster are Aelea (Indonesia), Arivu (India/TuneCore India Showcase), Basboi (Indonesia), Bishnu Paneru (Philippines), brkfstblend (Japan), Cactus Cactus (Singapore), can't be Blue (South Korea), Ciggarats (Vietnam), Clever Moose (Indonesia), Crystal Murray (France/United States), D’MASIV (Indonesia), Drizzly (Indonesia), El Karmoya (Indonesia), Emptyyy (Indonesia), Feral Stripes (Indonesia), GEE EXCLSV (Philippines), Gavendri (Indonesia), GENIUS Flow (Laos), Given (Indonesia), hailinhtasm (Vietnam), Laze and Mardial (Indonesia), Littlefingers (Indonesia), Litty (Japan), Mayu (Japan), MRCH (South Korea), Nerd Connection (South Korea), Olsam (Indonesia), Silly Silky (South Korea), and YuuHai (Cambodia).

Collectively, this year’s roster reinforces AXEAN Festival’s longstanding commitment to championing musical discovery while creating valuable opportunities for cultural exchange, regional connectivity, and international collaboration. Beyond its showcase performances, AXEAN Festival continues to develop programs, conversations, and initiatives that address the most pressing issues that affect or shape the region’s music ecosystem.

AXEAN Festival co-founder David Siow adds, “Every year there are new developments in each Southeast Asian music scene—be it new artists, new movements, new companies, or even new geopolitics. We strive to address and serve as a bridge, connecting the relevant artists and delegates to each other and allowing for them to meet each other and form organic relationships, all in the hopes that we can build a better future together. If you come to AXEAN Festival, you are tapping into a community that grows and builds with you.”

Live on KEXP makes its Asian debut at AXEAN Festival

Among this year’s key milestones is the landmark partnership with KEXP, the internationally renowned Seattle-based public radio station and music platform celebrated for championing independent artists worldwide.

For the first time ever, Live on KEXP will record in Asia, with select artists performing exclusive live sessions during the AXEAN Festival. The collaboration represents an important step forward in increasing the global visibility of Southeast Asian independent music.

“KEXP exists to help artists reach a global audience,” shares Chris Sanley, Executive Producer of Live on KEXP. “While we live in a world that makes it easy for us to connect online, we know there are significant barriers keeping artists from coming to our studio in Seattle to record a Live on KEXP session. For nearly two decades we’ve been sending our team to international music-centered events to record live performances with artists from outside the US, anchored by the idea of going to the music rather than waiting for it to come to us. Diana’s work on our radio show, Eastern Echoes, and her commitment to showcasing and highlighting independent artists from Asia, inspired us to bring Live on KEXP to the Asian continent for the first time.”

For Diana Ratsamee, host of KEXP’s Eastern Echoes, the partnership offers an opportunity to reshape how the world experiences Asian music. “In American and international media, our stories have long been underrepresented and our music boxed into narrow definitions and expectations. KEXP’s show, Eastern Echoes exists to reflect the incredible breadth of sounds that make up our Asian communities, and this partnership with AXEAN Festival will expand on that work in amazing ways.”

KOREA SPOTLIGHT partnership

AXEAN Festival also welcomes KOREA SPOTLIGHT, the flagship K-Music showcase presented by South Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism (MCST), and the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA).

Since its launch in 2017, KOREA SPOTLIGHT has introduced outstanding Korean artists to audiences around the world. This year’s delegation is particularly significant, as it features four artists who all emerged from MUSE ON, KOCCA’s artist discovery and development program for promising new musicians.

Making their Indonesian debut, can’t be blue, MRCH. Nerd Connection, and Silly Silky will perform not only as part of AXEAN Festival’s showcase program but also at a dedicated KOREA SPOTLIGHT showcase in Jakarta.

SEA URBAN: Putting a spotlight on Southeast Asia’s thriving hip-hop/R&B movement

Further expanding its programming, AXEAN Festival 2026 introduces SEA URBAN—a new platform dedicated to Southeast Asian hip-hop, rap, R&B, and contemporary urban music.

The initiative combines a curated showcase featuring some of the region’s most exciting urban artists with an accompanying industry panel examining the genre’s rapid growth, evolving identity, and increasing global impact.

“Hip-hop sits in an interesting place: it's mainstream, trendy, and fashionable, but it also carries real weight because it resonates with the struggles of urban youth,” AXEAN Festival co-founder Piyapong Muenprasertdee reveals. “What sets Southeast Asian hip-hop apart is that each scene is shaped by where it came from, with artists weaving traditional sounds into their beats—which makes every country's scene distinct and worth the world discovering. That's why the showcase and panel matter: these scenes have mostly grown on their own, and putting them on a shared regional stage is how we help these voices travel further and collaborate across borders.”

Tickets to AXEAN Festival 2026 are now available via www.loket.com/o/axeanfestival.

AXEAN Festival 2026 is co-presented by Jimbaran Hub (venue partner) and TuneCore (main stage sponsor), in partnership with EMPIRE (stage sponsor); Embassy of France in Indonesia & Institut Francais Indonesia, Embassy of France in Singapour, Centre National de la Musique, Institut Français, KEXP, KOREA SPOTLIGHT, Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA), Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) of the Republic of Korea (festival partners); The Orchard (VIP partner); MADVERSE (songwriting camp primary sponsor); KSR (songwriting camp secondary sponsor); Musicway (songwriting camp secondary sponsor); Sounds Australia (music exchange partner); Symphonic Distribution (panel partner); PERMATA BANK (supporting partner), DEBEAT Sunset Road; and Millers Records (equipment partners).

About AXEAN Festival

AXEAN Festival is a prominent Southeast Asian music export platform, combining a music conference and showcase festival.

Launched in 2020 during the pandemic by music professionals across Southeast Asia, AXEAN Festival has successfully hosted both virtual (2020-2021) and in-person (2022-2025) events. Over six editions, it has featured 200 artists from 20 countries and secured close to 200 opportunities for them, attracted 420 delegates from 32 countries, and reached over 46,000 virtual viewers, along with close to 18,000 live attendees.

With its growing international reputation, AXEAN has firmly established itself as Southeast Asia’s leading music export platform. Its first venture into a new market beyond its original home base in Singapore and Bali garnered widespread acclaim among attendees, music industry professionals, and participating artists.

Get Up to PHP4,000 OFF This 8.8 with Anker eufy’s Smart Parenting Ecosystem

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Celebrate Breastfeeding Awareness Month with exclusive savings on Anker eufy’s wearable breast pump, bottle washer and baby monitor

As the world celebrates Breastfeeding Awareness Month this August, Anker eufy continues its commitment to empowering mothers with smart parenting innovations that make breastfeeding and infant care easier. From pumping and cleaning bottles to monitoring every moment, today’s parents are constantly balancing multiple tasks while ensuring their little one receives the very best care.

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HONOR Robot Phone launched globally is coming to PH

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The world’s first robotic smartphone with a fully integrated 4DoF mechanical gimbal, AI-powered motion control, and ARRI Image Science officially launches

Global leading AI device ecosystem company HONOR today announced the launch of the highly anticipated HONOR Robot Phone. A revolutionary, category-creating device, the Robot Phone shatters the physical boundaries of traditional mobile technology by integrating a fully motorized 3-axis mechanical gimbal directly into its premium smartphone design. It combines selected elements of ARRI Image Science and professional cinema workflows, going beyond a traditional smartphone to serve as an active physical companion and a formidable mobile production studio.

The Industry's First Smartphone with a 4DoF Titanium Agile Gimbal

The HONOR Robot Phone integrates an ultra-compact 4DoF mechanical system featuring the HONOR Titanium Agile Gimbal. Developed through 60 manufacturing processes, the system integrates more than 100 precision components and is supported by more than 100 patents. Compared with mainstream gimbals, HONOR has reduced the overall system size by 65% while increasing structural strength by 200%.

Its 2.6g Titanium Gimbal Motor enables control speeds of up to 360° per second, while the HONOR Super steel Flip Motor delivers a torque density of 120 N·m/L. Together, these technologies enable fast, precise movement and stable positioning within a pocketable flagship design.

Intelligent Imaging Through the HONOR–ARRI Cinematic Imaging Partnership

The HONOR Robot Phone marks the first product milestone under the Cinematic Imaging Partnership between HONOR and ARRI, the world-renowned designer of professional cinema cameras. Moving beyond simple filters, the device adapts selected elements of ARRI Image Science and professional cinema workflow for use in a smartphone.

The rear camera setup is anchored by a Dual 200MP Camera system, featuring a 200MP Agile Gimbal Main Camera with a 1/1.28-inch sensor and f/1.6 aperture, paired with a 200MP Periscope Telephoto Camera with a 1/1.4-inch sensor and 2.7x optical zoom. The 200MP Agile Gimbal Main Camera supports 10-bit ARRI LogC3 recording in ARRI CINEMA mode, while a 50MP Ultra-Wide Camera with a 122° field of view completes the versatile imaging system.

Through the HONOR–ARRI Cinematic Imaging Partnership, the Robot Phone combines ARRI LogC3, ARRI Wide Gamut 3 and ARRI Looks with the HONOR H1 Image Chip. AI noise reduction improves video SNR by 8 dB, while AI dynamic range optimization supports up to 14 stops of dynamic range.

The video pipeline performs noise reduction earlier in the RAW domain, processes data in 14-bit 4:4:4, and outputs 10-bit LogC3 and 4:2:2 video, preserving more usable image information for post-production. ARRI Looks can also be previewed in real time, helping creators achieve a controlled cinematic look more easily.

For creators, ARRI LogC3 preserves more highlight and shadow information for post-production, while ARRI Wide Gamut 3 provides a broader color space and ARRI Looks offer controlled cinematic color styles. Footage can also be taken into professional editing tools such as DaVinci Resolve, where creators can directly apply ARRI LUTs as part of a complete mobile capture-to-post-production workflow.

“For more than a century, ARRI has helped filmmakers translate technology into compelling visual stories. Our cooperation with HONOR brings selected elements of ARRI Image Science and professional workflow thinking into a new mobile context, giving creators greater consistency, control, and creative flexibility from capture through post-production. With the HONOR Robot Phone, we are taking an important first step in exploring how established cinematic principles can support a new generation of visual storytellers,” said Harald Brendel, Director of Image Science at ARRI.

As part of this ongoing work, the companies will continue to refine and advance the integrated imaging technologies and workflows based on technical validation and real-world use.

Embodied AI and Hands-Free Creation Powered by MagicOS

Pioneering a new era of multimodal embodied interaction, the Robot Phone introduces AI-powered, robot-grade motion control that transforms the device into an autonomous personal camera crew. The camera arm supports a range of cinematic movement modes, including Tilt Lock, First Person View (FPV), FPV Vertical and AI SpinShot, helping creators capture smoother and more dynamic footage with greater ease.

Running on MagicOS, the HONOR Robot Phone introduces YOYO Robot Mode, combining multimodal perception, contextual understanding, gesture recognition and physical movement. Voice Source Localization and AI Live-Tracking allow the camera to automatically pan and tilt, keeping users in frame while recording a vlog, live-streaming or moving during a video call. Hands-free gesture controls also allow users to deploy the camera arm and capture shots without touching the device. Beyond imaging, YOYO Auto Execution enables the system-level AI agent to understand user intent and execute complex, multi-step tasks across supported applications and system settings. Through its open Agent Skills interface, the Robot Phone enables third-party developers to create new experiences using its gimbal, perception and embodied-interaction capabilities.

Elite Flagship Performance and Premium Craftsmanship

Powered by the Snapdragon® 8 Elite Gen 5 Mobile Platform, the Robot Phone delivers flagship performance for AI processing, imaging and multitasking. An advanced, custom-built cooling system seamlessly dissipates heat, ensuring the device maintains peak performance even during extended recording sessions. Meanwhile, the 7,060mAh Next Gen HONOR Silicon-carbon Battery supports all-day endurance, together with 120W Wired and 50W Wireless HONOR SuperCharge.

The HONOR Robot Phone features an Android-first all-metal integrated molding unibody. It features a stunning 6.31-inch LTPO OLED HONOR AI Eye Comfort Display protected by the HONOR NanoCrystal Shield. The screen supports adaptive 1–120Hz refresh rates and reaches an astonishing peak brightness of 6,800 nits. Advanced eye-comfort technologies, including 4320Hz PWM dimming, provide a comfortable viewing experience during extended use.

A Global Journey to Launch

The official HONOR Robot Phone launch event represents the culmination of a spectacular global journey. First showcased at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2026 in March to critical acclaim, the device went on to captivate the film industry with stunning stabilized tracking shots at the Cannes Film Festival’s China Night and the 28th Shanghai International Film Festival. Now beginning its commercial rollout, the Robot Phone is ready to democratize professional filmmaking for consumers worldwide.

Get updated on everything HONOR by visiting www.honor.com/ph and follow HONOR Philippines on Facebook (Facebook.com/HonorPhilippines), Instagram (Instagram.com/honorph/) and TikTok: (Tiktok.com/@honorphilippines) for exclusive teasers, launch updates, and big reveal.

Manulife Investments Philippines Launches Global Equity Diversified Income Feeder Fund to Help Investors Pursue Income and Long-Term Growth

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Manulife Investment Management and Trust Corporation (Manulife Investments Philippines), the local asset management arm of leading international financial services provider Manulife, today announced the launch of the Manulife Global Equity Diversified Income Feeder Fund, a globally diversified equity unit investment trust fund (UITF) designed to provide investors with income potential while capturing long-term growth opportunities across global markets.

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New UITF gives investors access to an income-paying, globally managed equity strategy.

Manulife Global Equity Diversified Income Feeder Fund uses a diversified approach across growth, income, and options-based strategies.

Fund expands Manulife Investments Philippines’ suite of global solutions for investors seeking income potential, portfolio resilience, and long-term wealth creation.

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The launch comes at a time when investors are prioritizing building resilient portfolios that can generate income, navigate market volatility, and participate in long-term growth opportunities. Manulife’s Asia Care Survey 2026 found that among Filipinos who have started saving and investing to ensure their financial well-being, 49% plan to shift toward income-generating investments.

Built on a diversified equity income strategy the Fund seeks to generate income and long-term growth from a broad mix of return drivers, rather than relying on a single source of performance. Its diversified equity strategy combines growth-oriented companies, income-generating equities, preferred stocks, and options-based strategies to help the portfolio adapt across market cycles and manage volatility. Through active management, the Fund gives investors access to global opportunities while supporting more resilient outcomes amid evolving market conditions.

“As investors navigate greater market uncertainty and an increasingly complex investment landscape, many are looking for investment solutions that can help them access global opportunities while managing risk in a more diversified way. The Manulife Global Equity Diversified Income Feeder Fund is designed to draw from multiple potential return drivers, combining global growth opportunities with diversified sources of returns and options-based strategies that can help transform market volatility into an additional source of income,” said Aira Gaspar, President and Chief Executive Officer, Manulife Investments Philippines.

Gaspar added, “Through this new UITF, we are giving investors access to a globally managed solution that seeks to generate income, enhance portfolio resilience, and support long-term wealth creation through a single, diversified investment.”

The Manulife Global Equity Diversified Income Feeder Fund is the newest addition to Manulife Investments Philippines’ suite of UITFs. Investors seeking long-term capital appreciation, income potential, and global diversification may access the Fund for as low as US$1,000 or PHP1,000, offering a convenient gateway to global equity income opportunities.

Investors may open a UITF account online through Manulife iFUNDS, a secure digital investment platform that makes it easy and convenient for investors to manage their UITF investments. For more information on fund options that best suit different investment goals, contact a Manulife Wealth Specialist or visit manulife.com/ph.

Something extraordinary is unfolding - HONOR PH Is Set to Redefine What a Foldable Phone Can Be

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Global AI devices provider HONOR Philippines has officially begun teasing what could be its most ambitious flagship device yet, signaling the arrival of a breakthrough that promises to challenge expectations in the premium foldable smartphone category.

Designed for those who demand both style and substance, HONOR's upcoming foldable phone was set to combine sophisticated craftsmanship, exceptional durability, and next-generation AI experiences into an ultra-premium device. More than just another foldable, it represents HONOR's continued commitment to delivering cutting-edge innovation without compromise.

"This is more than the launch of a new device—it marks another milestone in our journey to bring meaningful innovation to consumers," said Stephen Cheng, Vice President of HONOR Philippines. "We're excited to share what we've been working on and show everyone why this upcoming flagship deserves the spotlight."

Stay updated on everything HONOR by visiting www.honor.com/ph and follow HONOR Philippines on Facebook (Facebook.com/HonorPhilippines), Instagram (Instagram.com/honorph/) and TikTok: (Tiktok.com/@honorphilippines) for exclusive teasers, launch updates, and big reveal.