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| (Image Source: manila concert scene/Sony Philippines) |
Sony Philippines is turning up the energy with Beyond The Beat: The Next-Level ULT POWER SOUND Experience, the biggest and grandest ULT POWER SOUND launch in the Philippines, happening on September 19, 2026 at COVE Manila in Okada Manila. With General Admission passes already fully claimed, ULT fans who want to experience the event can still upgrade their MySony membership to Elite or Platinum for access to exclusive event areas and premium benefits. Bringing together powerful sound, live performances, style, and self-expression, Beyond The Beat invites music lovers to experience Sony ULT in an immersive environment designed to be experienced – not simply watched.
The highly anticipated event will showcase the latest offerings from the ULT POWER SOUND series alongside powerful performances from Jacqueline Jala, Angelique Manto, David Gusion, Carlos Serrano III, A-Team, Jeremy G., KAIA, Maki, and the newest member of the Sony ULT Squad, SB19. Access to Beyond The Beat starts with an existing MySony account. MySony Member, Club, Elite, and Platinum account holders are eligible to register for the event, with access and benefits corresponding to their membership tier. Platinum members can receive three passes to the Platinum area plus exclusive Sony merchandise, while Elite members can receive two passes to the Elite area. MySony Members and Club members can register for one General Admission pass. With General Admission passes seeing strong demand following the event announcement, fans are encouraged to upgrade their MySony membership to Elite or Platinum for access to dedicated event areas and additional membership benefits. For those looking to move up their membership tiers, registering eligible ULT POWER SOUND products during the qualifying period of August 1-September 12, 2026 allows members to earn points toward a membership upgrade. For the complete event mechanics, membership benefits, and registration details, visit https://experience.sony-asia.com.
Beyond The Beat is designed to bring the energy of ULT POWERS SOUND to life through music, performance and immersive experiences. Guests can look forward to seeing the Sony ULT Squad, a curated lineup of artists and performers taking the stage, with SB19 making their first appearance as the newest addition to this powerful lineup. The experience will also bring together music and elevated street style, encouraging attendees to express their individuality through the event’s Elevated Street Style dress code. From powerful performances to the latest ULT POWER SOUND offerings, Beyond The Beat is set to bring fans closer to the sound, artists, and experiences they love. Fans are encouraged to check their MySony membership status, register their eligible ULT POWER SOUND products and upgrade to Elite or Platinum to unlock a more elevated Beyond The Beat experience. They can also check out Sony Philippines’ official social media channels for more updates.
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Ace Banzuelo Releases Debut Album Supernatural
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| (Image Source: Manila Standard/Sony Music Entertainment Philippines) |
Filipino singer-songwriter and producer Ace Banzuelo steps into his own artistic universe with his debut full-length album Supernatural, now available worldwide on digital music streaming platforms under Sony Music Entertainment. Across nine tracks, the hitmaker delivers an intimate, cinematic body of work that traces stories of love, betrayal, longing, healing, and transcendence through a dreamy, otherworldly sonic palette.
True to its core, Supernatural explores love and life at the edge of fleeting innocence. Its title draws from the uncanny familiarity of meeting someone who feels entirely new yet somehow instantly recognizable: an experience Ace likens to a supernatural encounter. The album’s concept took years to develop, beginning eight years ago before its broader creative vision crystallized in 2024. Banzuelo explains, “I was going through a lot during that phase of my life. I dealt with fame and personal things at the same time, which inspired the album’s emotional arc.” Moving fluidly between dance, R&B, and dream pop, Supernatural reflects Ace’s instinct to experiment while remaining grounded in the sonic sensibilities that have defined his work. Rather than confining itself to a single genre, the album treats sound as a space for discovery. He says, “As a music producer, I get to explore, experiment, and play with anything I want. I approached the album with what I know and what I am keen to explore sonically. I want my listeners to enter a high-definition, dreamlike state. I placed my personality, experiences, and taste throughout Supernatural, from the music to its visuals.” The nine-track album opens with the title track and unfolds through “Girl, You’re On My Mind”, “Bighani”, “minsan”, “Kilala”, “hindi mo alam”, “hagkan”, “Mawala”, and the focus track “Sakin”.
An R&B-leaning slow jam, “Sakin” reveals a more vulnerable side of Ace, framing itself as a confession to someone he never got the chance to see again. The Muli act reveals, “Sakin remains one of my few love songs. Honestly, I want to put out more stuff like this in the future. I love R&B, and I have been experimenting with my sound ever since, and ‘Sakin’ became a raw entry point for this new sound I have developed.“ Beyond being a highly anticipated debut, Supernatural offers a compelling look at Ace Banzuelo’s artistic journey by bringing together his past, present, and future self. As a songwriter, producer, and performer, he embraces complete creative authorship, from building sounds from scratch to helming the album’s arrangements, performances, and visual language. In an era defined by short-form consumption, Supernatural makes a case for the concept record as an experience worth entering from beginning to end. More than an introduction, it is a glimpse into Ace Banzuelo’s inner world: deeply personal, deliberately constructed, and suggestive of a larger story still waiting to unfold.
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Iman Fandi Turns Confidence Into A Statement With “IT IS”
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| (Image Source: Starmometer/Iman Fandi) |
Singaporean singer Iman Fandi steps forward with a renewed vision on “IT IS”, out now worldwide on all digital music streaming platforms. Bold, playful, and self-assured, “IT IS” distills a clear, unapologetic message of feminine confidence and self-worth. The song rests on the belief that real value is demonstrated rather than promised and on the certainty that comes with knowing your worth, refusing to justify it, and insisting on action instead of words. It embodies a woman fully grounded in her own strength, who will not make herself smaller, explain away her value, or wait quietly to be picked.
Iman shares, “This is something I have personally learned throughout my life. While the song’s message is rooted in confidence and self-possession, it also carries a playful nod to the people who always ask, ‘Is this song about me?’ The answer is part mystery, part mischief: if you think it is about you, maybe it is.” That spirited edge gives the track its sting. It says exactly what it needs to say and nothing more, standing as both a declaration and an early glimpse of the fearless artist Iman is becoming. The single caps a year of pivotal milestones. After parting ways with Universal Music, Iman opened 2026 as an independent artist, winning over crowds at Light To Night and the Kallang Countdown, before a historic half-time show debut at the AFC Asian Cup between Singapore and Bangladesh — a stadium performance carrying deep personal meaning as the daughter of Singapore football icon Fandi Ahmad, honoring her family’s sporting and cultural legacy on the national pitch. Ahead of the release, Iman linked up with P-Pop group KAIA and RAMONA — the musical alter ego of screen star Andrea Brillantes who turned singer-songwriter this year — after meeting in Singapore at the NBA Rising Stars Invitational. The collaborations roll out across TikTok through August following the same route the single has taken at home where it has been building through content with fellow National Day Parade performers Jasmine Sokko and Gareth Fernandez.
She first teased “IT IS” at the reopening of Singapore’s landmark nightclub Zouk last July ahead of her performance of “Giants” at this year’s National Day Parade, the country’s largest annual celebration before a 42,000-strong crowd at the National Stadium and a nationwide live broadcast. That momentum carries into the release window with her first Singapore Indoor Stadium performance at the end of August and a school tour bringing “IT IS” to students islandwide. Now fully independent, Iman is shaping the next chapter on her own terms. “IT IS” follows her 2026 singles “Tip Toes” and “Out Of My Mind” and marks the next step toward her debut independent EP Afterglow.
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Gloc-9 Teams Up With FEU For UAAP Season 89 Anthem ‘Dito Sa Amin’
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| (Image Source: manila concert scene/Universal Records Philippines) |
The spirit of the UAAP just found its newest heartbeat as Season 89 host school Far Eastern University (FEU) has teamed up with Filipino rap icon and proud FEU alum Gloc-9 to release “Dito Sa Amin”, the season's official soundtrack. Rooted in this season’s powerful rallying cry, #ForEveryoneUAAP, “Dito Sa Amin” is a narrative-driven anthem that champions unity, resilience, and the grit of the student-athlete. Moving away from traditional, purely competitive fight songs, the collaboration uses Gloc-9’s signature storytelling to remind fans that beyond the rivalries, the UAAP is a shared home for everyone.
With lyrics like “saan man nanggaling, ay laging kasali ka” and “lahat abot mo na”, the track aims to bring hope and excitement across all universities. Speaking on the massive collaboration, FEU Vice President for Corporate Affairs Rowena Capulong Reyes, Ph.D., said, “Partnering with a true music icon and FEU honorary alumnus like Gloc-9 is a significant moment for us. He has a distinct ability to articulate the Filipino spirit and the energy we want to bring to #ForEveryoneUAAP. ‘Dito Sa Amin’ captures the inclusive, fighting spirit of the UAAP. As we build excitement and count down to the Season 89 opening on September 12, this anthem is our call to the entire community to stand united and always Be Brave.”.For the “Makata Sa Pinas”, the project was an opportunity to write something that resonates far beyond the field and the hardcourt. Known for his grounded, socially conscious, and authentic voice, Gloc-9 crafted a track that speaks directly to the perseverance of the youth.
Gloc-9 shares, “Sabi nga natin sa kanta, ‘mas magara kung magkasama.’ Napakalaking karangalan para sa akin na makipagtulungan sa FEU para sa awiting ito. Yung kanta, isinulat natin para sa bawat atleta at bawat tao na patuloy na lumalaban, hirap at pawis ang puhunan. The theme #ForEveryoneUAAP is a beautiful reminder na kahit ano pang kulay ng suot mo, pare-pareho tayong may pangarap, at dito sa bayan natin, walang iwanan. Excited na akong magsimula ang Season 89 at makita ang tapang ng bawat isa.”
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“It’s Showtime” Reaches 10 Billion Social Media Views As “Showtime Online U” Celebrates 10 Years
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| Showtime Online U Squad (Image Source: ABS-CBN Corporation) |
More madlang people continue to enjoy and connect with “It’s Showtime” online as ABS-CBN's flagship daily noontime variety program’s expanding digital presence since 2016 has garnered 10 billion social media views across Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and TikTok. The achievement comes as its online show “Showtime Online U” (SOU) marks its 10th year, giving madlang people, including those watching from abroad, another way to be part of the “It’s Showtime” experience.
The anniversary celebration opened with a performance from SOU hosts Wize Estabillo, AC Soriano, Nicki Morena, Lorraine Galvez, JM Dela Cerna, Marielle Montellano, Anthony Castillo, Anne Tenorio, Jannah Alanise, Mackie Empuerto, Eris Gonzaga, and Zeah Pala. The hosts, together with the madlang onliners, then gathered at the Dolphy Theater for a celebration filled with music, games, and performances. For SOU host Nicki Morena, the program’s 10th anniversary is a meaningful occasion as she has experienced “Showtime” from different perspectives — as a contestant, a host, and now as an OFW-turned-viewer who flew back to the Philippines to join the celebration. She said, “Na-experience ko yung ‘Showtime’ from different sides — bilang contestant, host, at OFW — kaya mas na-realize ko kung gaano ka-importante ang SOU para sa mga OFW na malayo sa Pilipinas.” AC Soriano also shared how SOU has helped make “It’s Showtime” more accessible to viewers wherever they may be, stating, “Para siyang bridge of happiness. Dati, sa TV mo lang aabangan ng alas-dose, pero ngayon kahit nasa MRT ka o nasa abroad bilang OFW, pwede mo nang mapanood ang ‘It’s Showtime’.”
Since 2016, “Showtime Online U” has been part of the daily “It’s Showtime” experience, giving madlang people and madlang onliners a place to interact, participate, and share in the fun beyond the television screen. As “It’s Showtime” continues toward its 17th year anniversary, viewers can look forward to more moments with their favorite hosts and segments including the much-awaited “Magpasikat”. Catch “It’s Showtime” every Monday to Saturday at 12:00 pm on Kapamilya Online Live via the ABS-CBN Entertainment YouTube channel and Facebook page, Kapamilya Channel, ABS-CBN sa ALLTV2, GMA, A2Z, iWant, and TFC. Viewers can also catch “Showtime Online U” on the ABS-CBN Entertainment and “It’s Showtime’s ” YouTube channels and Facebook pages starting at 11:45 am.
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Jennylyn Mercado Expands Musical Storytelling With Deluxe Album, Short Film
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| (Image Source: ABS-CBN Corporation) |
Ultimate Star Jennylyn Mercado has unveiled her multi-genre album, “JEN” Deluxe, under Star Music, accompanied by a short film that explores the essence of love and reflects her personal journey. Jennylyn shared, “This is a story of love. Iba’t ibang klaseng pagmamahal — pagmamahal sa sarili, pagmamahal sa craft, pagmamahal sa ibang tao, sa partner mo. Meron kaming medyo dance pang mga Gen Z. Meron kaming love songs, dun ako nanggaling sa hugot love songs so hindi namin inalis yun. Merong masasakit, merong masasaya. Sinigurado namin lahat ng genre meron para ma-enjoy ng lahat.”
“JEN” Deluxe, named after the Kapuso singer-actress’ nickname, features eight songs in total with two new tracks “Tutuloy Pa Ba?” and “Hindi Man Masabi”. It also carries previously released tracks “Paulit Ulit Kang Pipiliin”, “Sa Gitna”, “Hihintayin Kita”, “Kung Nandito Ka Pa”, “Ayaw Pang Umuwi”, and “Hindi Pa Rin Sapat”. These six songs were part of the original “JEN” EP released in May 2025 and served as Jennylyn’s comeback music project after nine years.
The short film translates the album’s music through an immersive cinematic narrative about her personal experiences. Jennylyn revealed, “Buhay ko ito, kung paano ako nagsimula, ang mga pinagdaan kong struggles at emosyon.” The short film also stars the Kapuso Drama King and Jennylyn’s husband, Dennis Trillo. It was directed by Irene Villamor and produced by You Me Us.
