Ace Banzuelo kicks off International Women’s Month with captivating serenade “Babae”

Tweet

The Filipino singer-songwriter/producer releases a music video helmed by budding female director Katrina Arciaga

Filipino singer-songwriter/producer Ace Banzuelo continues to carve out a new lane in pop music with the release of “Babae,” an ‘80s inspired track steeped in warm, analog-sounding synths and romantic lyrics.

The retro-infused jam serves as the official anthem for #BabaeAko, an International Women’s Month campaign by Sony Music Philippines which aims to put a spotlight on women and female artists under the label’s roster through several online and promotional activities this March 2022.

According to the Alive hitmaker, it’s an honor to lend his platform to an important cause that empowers women in creatives who have long been deprived of equal opportunities.

“Babae was already finished months ahead and it was set to be released earlier than the target date,” says the 21-year-old artist. “When the team approached me about the possibility of using my song as part of a women-focused campaign, I immediately said yes. I’ve worked with many talented women all my life, and it’s about time that we recognize their legacy and how they have contributed significantly in pushing the culture forward. They are as great or even as better than their counterparts if truth be told.”

The music video of “Babae” is in fact, helmed by Katrina Arciaga, a budding female director who has worked with Ace on several projects before. “We’ve worked on small projects as independent creatives before, but this time without a doubt I knew we could pull off my vision and bring it to life.”

The visuals tell a story of a person earning someone’s trust. In Ace’s words, it’s a “sweet, magical and mysterious” metaphor on the various stages of liking someone, including the challenges that come with it.

“I came up with the playful concept last minute actually,” the eclectic pop phenom shares in a statement.

Aside from its interesting music video concept, Ace also takes pride of writing a multilingual song that highlights the poetic beauty of Tagalog and Cebuano, with a generous sprinkling of English, Japanese and Spanish.

To make this possible, the talented newcomer asked help from friends and family in taking into account preciseness and proper word usage when it comes to writing the lyrics of the song. “I always felt that adding those little language twists would add an interesting layer to the track.”

“Babae” is Ace Banzuelo’s follow-up to the sparkly bop “Alive,” which kicks of his new era with genres that range from K-Pop to city pop, ‘70s disco to dance music. To date, Ace has racked up more than 12 million streams on Spotify alone and is slated to release his full-length debut album this year.

“Babae” is out now on all digital music platforms worldwide. Watch the music video here.

The song is part of Sony Music Philippines’ multiple activities planned out for International Women’s Month, which kicks off with a curated playlist that highlights Sony Music’s local and international female artists, and a series of videos/online performances from the label’s roster of acts from March 17-29. Check out the Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter of Sony Music Philippines for details.

UNIQLO to Launch Second Pokémon Meets Artists UT Collection on March 21, Featuring Distinctive Scrap Collages of Artist Duo Magma

Tweet

Global apparel retailer UNIQLO will release the second Pokémon Meets Artists UT (UNIQLO T-shirt) collection on Monday, March 21. The first collection debuted in August 2021. UTs (UNIQLO T-shirts), offer an array of authentic pop culture and art graphics from around the world that allow wearers to express their individuality. The collection will feature unique takes on Pokémon by Magma, an artist duo that has earned accolades for their distinctive scrap collages.

For this collection, the duo has used helmets, balls, binoculars, and stationary, and other scrap materials with different textures to depict Pokémon, adding new appeal to beloved Pokémon as Pikachu and Magikarp. KIDS’items take inspiration from the game screen for designs depicting Turtwig, Chimchar, Piplup, and other Pokémon, creating a charming collection that will delight people of all ages.

Collaboration overview

Release date: Monday, March 21, 2022

Items: ADULT’S T-shirts: 4 designs at Php 790 each

KIDS’ T-shirts: 4 designs at Php 590 each

Availability: Available in ALL UNIQLO stores nationwide

and uniqlo.com/ph

UT Special Site: https://www.uniqlo.com/ph/en/spl/ut-collection

©2022 Pokémon.

©1995-2022 Nintendo/Creatures Inc./GAME FREAK inc.

About Magma

This artist duo of Jun Sugiyama and Kenichi Miyazawa uses a unique outlook to create works with waste materials, resin, and motor appliances. The duo expanded into furniture, products, and space direction. The duo is garnering considerable attention in Japan and abroad for nostalgic works that fuse analogue elements and zany colors.

Website：http://magma-web.jp/

Instagram：@magma.jp

About UNIQLO LifeWear

Apparel that comes from the Japanese values of simplicity, quality and longevity. Designed to be of the time and for the time, LifeWear is made with such modern elegance that it becomes the building blocks of each individual’s style. A perfect shirt that is always being made more perfect. The simplest design hiding the most thoughtful and modern details. The best in fit and fabric made to be affordable and accessible to all. LifeWear is clothing that is constantly being innovated, bringing more warmth, more lightness, better design, and better comfort to people’s lives.

UNFPA Philippines launched Here for Her flagship campaign

Tweet

To celebrate this year’s International Women’s Day, UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund in the Philippines, launched the “Here for Her” campaign. The Here for Her Campaign is a call to action engaging all stakeholders to accelerate the pace in empowering women and girls to realize their rights and full potential. This flagship campaign is launched to promote commitment to end preventable maternal deaths, end unintended pregnancies, and prevent gender-based violence and other harmful practices.

The launch of Here for Her Campaign is on the day of the United Nations’ International Women’s Day with the theme of “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow.” Achieving gender equality is further challenged by climate change.

“Women and girls are effective and powerful leaders and change-makers for climate adaptation and mitigation. ” shared Dr. Leila Sajii Joudane, UNFPA Country Representative to the Philippines. “Climate change is not gender-neutral. It is a multiplier of existing inequalities and vulnerabilities.

During humanitarian crises, UNFPA leads in upholding the health and dignity of women and girls by preventing and responding to gender-based violence, addressing the delivery of emergency reproductive health kits and ensuring safe childbirth. These efforts are seen in previous calamities, including Super Typhoon Odette (Rai).

For more information on UNFPA Philippines, visit philippines.unfpa.org , and follow us at facebook.com/UNFPAph/, instagram.com/unfpaph/, and twitter.com/UNFPAph

For queries, please contact: Angeli Regala, Communications Analyst regala@unfpa.org.

For donations, see link below.

LINKS FOR REFERENCE:

UNFPA Philippines Donation Page

https://www.unfpa.org/donate/TyphoonOdette

UNFPA-Giving Hero Donation Page

https://givinghero.app/OdettePH-Fundraising

UNFPA-PayMaya Typhoon #OdettePH Response

https://bit.ly/UNFPAPayMayaOdetteResponse

UNFPA-Lazada Charity Store

https://bit.ly/UNFPALazadaOdetteResponse

The global sensation returns Bridgerton Season 2 official trailer + new images

Tweet

The Series Returns March 25

Netflix and Shondaland released the official trailer and new images for Bridgerton Season 2. The new photos take a look at a fan favorite Pall Mall game from the book which appears this season on screen. Bridgerton returns for a second season on March 25, 2022. In keeping with the tradition of the novels, season two tells the romance story of Lord Anthony Bridgerton’s quest for love. Bridgerton comes to Netflix from Shondaland and is executive produced by Shonda Rhimes, Betsy Beers, Tom Verica and Chris Van Dusen. Van Dusen also serves as creator and showrunner.

About Bridgerton

From Shondaland and Creator Chris Van Dusen, the second season of Bridgerton follows Lord Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey), the eldest Bridgerton sibling and Viscount, as he sets out to find a suitable wife. Driven by his duty to uphold the family name, Anthony’s search for a debutante who meets his impossible standards seems ill-fated until Kate (Simone Ashley) and her younger sister Edwina (Charithra Chandran) Sharma arrive from India. When Anthony begins to court Edwina, Kate discovers the true nature of his intentions — a true love match is not high on his priority list — and decides to do everything in her power to stop the union. But in doing so, Kate and Anthony’s verbal sparring matches only bring them closer together, complicating matters on both sides. Across Grosvenor Square, the Featheringtons must welcome the newest heir to their estate while Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) continues to navigate the ton whilst keeping her deepest secret from the people closest to her.

Bridgerton is a romantic, scandalous, and clever series that celebrates the timelessness of enduring friendships, families finding their way, and the search for a love that conquers all. The series also stars Adjoa Andoh (Lady Danbury), Lorraine Ashbourne (Mrs. Varley), Harriet Cains (Philipa Featherington), Bessie Carter (Prudence Featherington), Shelley Conn (Mary Sharma), Nicola Coughlan (Penelope Featherington), Phoebe Dynevor (Daphne Basset), Ruth Gemmell (Violet Bridgerton), Florence Hunt (Hyacinth Bridgerton), Martins Imhangbe (Will Mondrich), Claudia Jessie (Eloise Bridgerton), Calam Lynch (Theo Sharpe), Luke Newton (Colin Bridgerton), Golda Rosheuvel (Queen Charlotte), Luke Thompson (Benedict Bridgerton), Will Tilston (Gregory Bridgerton), Polly Walker (Portia Featherington), Rupert Young (Jack), and Julie Andrews as the voice of Lady Whistledown. The series is inspired by Julia Quinn’s novels.

Love blooms in Jollibee Studios’ My Crush is a Cactus Killer

Tweet

Sometimes, it’s the unexpected change and uncertainties in our lives that bring us to a deep realization that our fate, indeed, has a funny way of making things fall into place. The same is true for the characters of Mandy and Mikey — the main characters in Jollibee Studios’ first-ever three-episode mini series, My Crush is a Cactus Killer.

Mandy and Mikey, played by Gigi de Lana and Raphael Balaccua, respectively, are plant-lovers who faced setbacks in their professional and personal lives due to the pandemic. Struggling to put their lives back together, they discover how their shared love for plants may just bring them a deeper connection.

“What I love about my character is how accepting she is,” said singer-actress Gigi De Lana. “She doesn’t judge and gives up. This story is about believing that there is still hope for when you make a decision and set your goals, even if there are a lot of things that hinder you,” she continued.

See how love blooms with Mandy (Gigi de Lana) and Mikey (Raphael Balaccua) in Jollibee Studios’ My Crush is a Cactus Killer mini-series

Known for her vocal prowess, Gigi has been put under the showbiz spotlight with her new venture as a leading lady in My Crush is a Cactus Killer. This transition into an acting career has become a journey of growth for Gigi, one that she pursues with joy, love, and passion.

“First love ko ‘yung singing but acting is also a big accomplishment for me and something that I’d love to continue to explore.” According to her, both crafts have allowed her to embrace her vulnerability.

Life’s challenges and love for plants bring Mandy and Mikey together in this heartwarming Jollibee Studios’ mini-series

Directed by Sigrid Andrea Bernardo, Jollibee Studios’ My Crush is a Cactus Killer is a quirky romance story that shows how to find joy in love despite the struggles that come along the way. And when it comes to narrating stories like this, no brand does it quite like Jollibee.

With over 700,000 subscribers on the Jollibee Studios YouTube channel and millions of views on each of their viral videos, Jollibee continues to share short films that tug at the heartstrings of its viewers.

When asked about her initial reaction to the opportunity, Gigi was quick to say that it was an automatic “Yes” for her. “I’ve been such a huge fan of Jollibee’s short films. I think what makes it popular is it makes people laugh, fall in love, cry, and most importantly, binibigyan kami ng lesson sa bawat kwento,” said Gigi.

Her co-star Raphael Balaccua also has this to say, “Working with the creative minds behind the new Jollibee series has been such a joy. With Direk Sigrid guiding me and Gigi, I feel confident that we gave justice to the characters of Mandy and Mikee because I know the right emotions were pulled from us.”

Catch the three-part Jollibee Studios series, My Crush is Cactus Killer, now out on Jollibee Studios’ YouTube page. Share your kilig online through Jollibee’s official social media pages.