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Vol. 1
M AY, 2021 LION CITY ISSUE
Come to light. The answers always lie within.
THE SECRET IS OUT
IN THIS ISSUE
Universal brotherhood. This is what Singapore stands for, and our editorial team was undoubtedly in consensus to feature the flourishing country as our theme in celebration of cultural diversity this May. At the same time, our support goes to projects achieving sustainable development goals. It is a permanent content feature as we tap architectural concepts that impact the world. This time, we selected the most recent CTBUH awardee for the 2020 Lynn S. Beedle Lifetime Achievement Award, architect and global citizen Moshe Safdie. His genius in creating Singapore's Marina Bay Sands became the perfect benchmark for the current and future global builders and leaders in his field. We have entertainment frontrunners who have contributed and now shape the way we communicate through music. The world may have 6,500 languages, but nothing is more poignant than music that transcends and profoundly communicates beyond our inherent language. Going further, we have a filmmaker who shared his experiences as a Filipino Australian whose work made it among the entries at the Moscow International Film Festival (MIFF); it is one of the oldest world film forums (the second after the Venice Film Festival). You can't get a story as diverse as his every day. A special feature on Filipino celebrity vinyl collectors shared by Boyet J. Sison is a worthwhile read. Our tech entertainment features ACE, a Singapore-based celebrity shoutout platform that shared its big news to the world in helping people stay connected in more ways than one. Our gratitude goes to our friends in Singapore for entrusting their stories to us and our friends who continue to support Premier Magazine Ph since day one. Let's keep going!
Cover : MARINA BAY SANDS, Singapore Marina Bay Sands at night by Ronald Langeveld
Dorcas Grace Lectura Publisher Premier Magazine PH
ABOUT THE COVER The Council on Tall Buildings & Urban Habitat has announced the 10 Year Award of Excellence Winners. Culminating in a keynote presentation at the 2020 Tall + Urban Innovation Conference in Chicago, IL, Marina Bay Sands is named an award recipient. According to CTBUH, ?The 10 Year Award recognizes proven value and performance over a period of time. This award allows reflecting on buildings that have been completed and operational for a decade, and acknowledge those projects that have performed successfully long after the ribbon-cutting ceremonies have passed.?
Photo by Fred Rivett
"Rather than appear as an intrusion onto nature, architecture will be as a continuous extension of nature?s green." - Moshe Safdie
Photo by Timothy Hursely
2020 Lynn S. Beedle Lifetime Achievement Award
This award recognizes an individual who has made extraordinary contributions to the advancement of tall buildings and the urban environment during his or her professional career. These contributions and leadership are recognized by the professional community and have significant effects, which extend beyond the professional community, enhance cities and their inhabitants' lives. The individual?s contributions may be well-known or little-known by the public and may take any form, such as completed buildings, research, technology, methods, ideas, or industry leadership. https://awards.ctbuh.org/
2020 Lynn S. Beedle Lifetime Achievement Award W inner
MOSHE SAFDIE Moshe Safdie is an architect, urban planner, educator, theorist, and author. Over a celebrated 50-year career, he has explored the essential principles of socially responsible design with a distinct visual language. A citizen of Israel, Canada, and the United States, Safdie graduated from McGill University. After apprenticing with Louis I. Kahn in Philadelphia, Safdie returned to Montréal to oversee the master plan for the 1967 World Exhibition. In 1964, he established his own firm to undertake Habitat ?67, an adaptation of his undergraduate thesis and a turning point in modern architecture. Author of four books and a frequent essayist and lecturer, Safdie?s global practice includes projects in North and South America, the Middle East, the developing world, and throughout Asia and Australia. Projects span a wide range of typologies, including airports, museums, performing arts, libraries, housing, mixed-use, and entire cities.
Photo coutesy of Luxuo
Puncturing through the doughnut-shaped structure, slightly off-center, is the 131-foot-tall (40-meter-tall) Rain Vortex, the world's tallest indoor waterfall that falls seven stories from the roof 's oculus. The feature recirculates rain water to cool the indoor environment and for reuse? in addition to providing the visual drama of seven stories of water dropping in a cylindrical shape from the sky.
Architect Moshe Safdie has encouraged others in the profession to become more reactive to the world'schanging climate, by incorporating adaptable spaces into their projects. As some environments become more extreme, architects need to create convertible spaces that can be used during both very hot and very cold weather, Safdie told Dezeen.
"Beauty as we conceive it in observing nature is an outcome, not a quality that is consciously sought out; our own consciousness recognizes its presence." - Moshe Safdie The Marina Bay Sands Hotel, based in Singapore, warranted aconstruction cost of $5.66bn, according to Express. Known for its 1.4mn litre pool on the roof, the world's largest infinity pool according to BASF, opened its doors in 2010.
SECRET SIGNALS
Photo Credit to Djulian Chng of The Primary Studio for all the Secret Signals corporate images used.
SO W HAT EXACTLY IS THE SECRET SIGNALS? PM: W hat is t he st ory behind t he name Secret Signals? Sameer Sadhu: The name came from the idea of the nuances. Often, the music industry in the west blends Asia as one -- but we all know the key to that is exactly the opposite of that. Additionally, a portion (and that is certainly declining more and more) of individuals in Asia do not see the intricacies of the music industry. Part of our mission is educating --and that?s a two way street -- from educating clients and partners about certain parameters in South East Asia, to educating partners in Asia on how a more developed music industry works. Hence, the name. Cheesy when I think about it now, but we were young -- and for the record, I detest the name. Esmond Wee: Yeah ditto to Sameer above, I took a more simple approach when it came to the company name. I used to dabble in sound and since we?re a music marketing company the word ?Signals? really stuck with me when we were thinking of a company name. As a consumer, not many see or hear of the work that goes behind the scenes when a brand or artist gets big or famous. The work in communications and marketing is not usually ?seen? or ?heard?, and sometimes perceived as ?Secret?. So we just put the 2 words together as ?Secret Signals?. I thought it sounded great and still love the name, unlike my partner Sameer.
Edwin started his journey into the music industry as the bassist of pop/rock band The Summer State, performing at various music festivals across Asia and opening for international rock bands, Simple Plan, Yellowcard and more. Edwin?s curiosity for the business aspect of the music industry led him to join Secret Signals in 2013 and eventually became a full-fledged partner in 2017. Edwin oversees all day-to-day operations of the business, leading PR & marketing campaigns for clients as well as developing new opportunities in the region with partners.
Edwin is also the co-creator for the cultural phenomenon EMONIGHTSG under the collective Look Ma, No Hands!, making waves in the nightlife scene and providing a platform for the alternative-rock community and subculture in Singapore. EMONIGHTSG has performed at major festivals (Singapore F1 Grand Prix, Singapore Rugby Sevens, Baybeats Festival & more) and hosted scene legends Ryan Key (Yellowcard), Shane Told (Silverstein) & Kyle Patrick (The Click Five).
EDW IN WALIMAN PARTNER & GENERAL MANAGER
AUDREY ONG MANAGER, CLIENT RELATIONS & BUSINESS DEVELOPMEN T
Audrey has over 8 years of experience in the fashion and arts industries. Her position as a creative strategist and project manager has led her to work on the conceptualization and curation of a plethora of lifestyle and entertainment projects in Southeast Asia as well as Japan and Italy. Prior to joining the team, Audrey?s focus was on developing programmes that harness the capabilities of young local creatives, as well as planning and programming major arts festivals in Singapore, placing artists in a position to win new audiences and develop their talents. Here at Secret Signals, Audrey?s responsibilities include pursuing opportunities for long-term growth for the company as well as maintaining relationships with clients and partners. She is constantly on the lookout for opportunities to smash gender stereotypes, except for driving. She?s really bad at driving.
MIXED SIGNALS PM : SS w as f or m ed in 2012; you 'r e t u r n in g 10 n ext year . Kin dly sh ar e w it h u s h ow it all st ar t ed f or you . Sam eer Sadh u : I had graduated from University and had interned at a few record labels. I remember I was in Austin at SXSW in 2011, and I bumped into Eric Tobin -SVP at Hopeless Records, at the Pure Volume House. A band called The Limousines were playing. I remember telling Tobin I was moving back to Singapore, and he mentioned they were looking for a label manager to help build out Hopeless Records in South East Asia. We went on to spend the next 3 months doing due diligence of how something like that would work, and I built out a business plan for it. Little did I know, this was an early blueprint of what Secret Signals went on to become. A year later, Esmond and I were at McDonalds late at night after Music Matters - it was maybe 1AM or so -and I remember him telling me how he never wanted to work in music again. I knew Esmond?s strengths, and I knew he just didn?t have the opportunity to work with the right artists. From that conversation, Secret Signals was born. It?s been a journey -- but we wanted to build this the right way. Esm on d Wee: Context wise - Sameer was my intern at Wake Me Up Music, the label/shop/rehearsal studio we ran in the early 2000?s. At that point in time I think I was feeling a little jaded and tired with music - the scene was changing, new players were entering the market. Maybe having been brought up in a very DIY culture, doing many things yourself.. I was starting to feel a burnout..but it was hard to say no to a very excited Sameer. But hey, fast forward 9 years later what I put into Secret Signals I believe are my strengths as what Sameer mentioned earlier. I?m really big picture, sometimes a dreamer, sometimes a visionary.. and pretty passionate about people development and mentoring. I?m glad I get to practice that in the business.
OPEN SECRET PM : How h as t h e en t er t ain m en t bu sin ess t r an sf or m ed n ow w h ile it seem s w e'r e at t h e apex of an ot h er t r an sit ion ? Par t icu lar ly t h e m u sic scen e. Esm on d Wee: Everything that was once a separate device for you for Information, communication & entertainment (TV/Boombox/Community Space/Telephone/Encyclopedia) can now fit in your pocket. Hahaha. Au dr ey On g: When streaming services went mainstream, this meant that people all over the world had access to music that they previously could not afford, or simply were not exposed to due to geography. This is great for consumers, but many small to medium artists are unable to make a proper living off just streams alone. Pre-pandemic, artists made the most money via playing live shows and touring. In 2020, countless artists were left without any significant income due to COVID-19 restrictions. NFTs have now ?entered the chat? and are set to disrupt our current distribution system. This phenomenon has already swept the art world. Recently, a visual artist Beeple sold an NFT for $69 million (fun fact - the buyer is based in Singapore), before this, the most he?s sold a print for was $100. NFTs are a great way for artists to prevent large corporations from cutting enormous profits off their art, and we?re likely to see more artists of all levels of success jump on the bandwagon.
Esmond has collectively 20 years of experience in the music and arts sub-culture as performer, advocate, manager and business owner. He was one of the key figures in Wake Me Up Music (WMUM), an events, promotions, music retail and management label that was best known for creating and developing some of Singapore?s best-known music events and artists. WMUM was known for the impact it made on the youth and local music culture in Singapore and Southeast Asia through the iconic Baybeats Festival. He started his entrepreneurial journey in 2010 by representing streetwear and action sports brands like Obey Clothing and Macbeth Footwear as a distributor in parts of Southeast Asia, thus developing a keen understanding of the region for business and the creative sub-culture through marketing and support of different communities through the brands he represents. In 2012, he started Secret Signals with Sameer with the goal of helping musicians and labels develop their audience in South East Asia. He is passionate about people and youth development and is happily married with three children. He's not a huge fan of his kids' Spotify playlists but understands it an important part in understanding the youth of today.
ESMOND W EE PARTNER
KEVIN W IYARNANDA COUNTRY ASSOCIATE, INDONESIA
Kevin has always found solace in music both behind the microphone under the moniker VVYND, and behind the scenes as a public relations executive. In the past six years, Kevin has worked with multiple international-scale music festivals in Indonesia that gathered some of the world?s biggest acts. His experience has allowed him to acquire a solid grasp of the art of connecting artists across various genres with relevant media outlets that are capable to further amplify the artists? storytelling. With years of experience under his belt within the music, arts, culture, and media landscape of Indonesia, Kevin is responsible for bridging the acts in Secret Signals?vibrant roster to the ever-growing entertainment scene of the largest archipelago country in the world. It is only recently that Kevin has found the perfect confluence of the duality of his musical aspirations as he is also currently working on releasing more music in the near future.
IF YOU'RE WAITING FOR A SIGN ... PM : Th e m u sic en t er t ain m en t in du st r y h as n ever been as diver se as w h er e w e ar e cu r r en t ly. Wh en w e ask m u sician s abou t w h at t h ey t h in k abou t Sin gapor e, t h ey say it 's t h e h u b of t h e m u sic bu sin ess in Asia. An y com m en t s on t h is? Esm on d Wee: I think our government has done a very successful job at courting international music businesses to set up their regional offices here through good governance, low taxes, attractive government grants, ease of business and market stability. We may not have the critical mass to move the needle in terms of sales, but I like how the government has taken the foundations of our country being a major worldwide shipping port, a major trading hub and pivoted into a hub for many other things for business. PM : So w h at 's t h e secr et t o m ak in g it big in t h e m u sic w or ld? Is t h er e a f or m u la? Wh at sells? Edw in Walim an: I think part of the appeal of being in the music industry is the fact that there is no secret formula to success! No artist is the same and therefore, you have to adjust and customise the strategies for each artist and their vision of success. But one thing is for certain, there is no dearth of artists and everyone wants to be heard. In order to stand out and cut through the noise, one has to differentiate themselves from the pack.
GREEN LIGHT PM : Can you ju dge an ar t ist 's f u t u r e ju st by list en in g t o t h eir m u sic? Edw in Walim an : The artist?s vision is what will really determine their own future. You can draw out the many different possibilities of what can be achieved with the piece of music, but ultimately it?s still the artist who is on the driving seat deciding which paths they would like to take. Esm on d Wee: You might be able to tell potential - but future success has many other things beyond sound and talent. PM : So f ar , is t h er e a pot en t ial place w h er e t h e in du st r y can st ill gr ow ? Au dr ey On g:To be very honest, Singapore has a long way to go in terms of developing our local music industry. In other parts of Asia, people mostly use their local language to communicate, make music and other forms of entertainment such as movies/TV dramas. However, English is the main language in Singapore, which means most young people here consume English content from the West. Most artists here struggle to get their music heard due to the low demand, as most of their peers are more interested in music coming from other parts of the world. Unlike the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and other countries in Asia, Singapore still does not have a solid music industry revolving around local music. PM : You h ave a r ost er of in t er n at ion al an d local clien t s. An d t h ey say, in t h e en t er t ain m en t in du st r y, t h er e's a car eer sh elf lif e. I gu ess, abou t t h e st ayin g pow er of a celebr it y, w h at 's you r t ake on t h is? Au dr ey On g: This really depends on the artist and the team surrounding them. Aging out of the entertainment industry is very common, but we?ve worked with older artists and bands who haven?t stopped. Artists who choose to continue in this industry who remain just as successful as before all have one thing in common ? they find ways to stay relevant to their target demographic without succumbing to trends.
Rene first entered the music industry with her solo career as a pop-rock singer-songwriter, performing at multiple festivals and events across the country. An independent artist herself, she has a keen interest in both the creative and business sides of the industry. Prior to joining Secret Signals, Rene was a project manager for a music charity based in Singapore. She has collaborated on a myriad of programmes and events with organisations across Southeast Asia. Aside from her interest in music, Rene?s passions lie in creating an equal and sustainable environment around her. She is particularly invested in issues related to social equality and climate justice. Respect, growth, and integrity are the most important values to her.
RENE ANN WONG ASSOCIATE
SAMEER SADHU PARTNER
SIGNED, SEALED Sadhu is based in Los Angeles having joined Nettwerk Management in 2015, managing Grammy-nominated artist Mike Posner, Christina Perri, Mansionz, MILCK, SHAED, Good Old War and Wes Period. In 2018, he was promoted to Director of A&R, Developing Markets within Nettwerk Music Group. Prior to joining Nettwerk, Sadhu was with Hong Kong-based Love Da Records as Head of Digital and Marketing (Singapore and Malaysia), working with Mumford and Sons, Two Door Cinema Club, Metric and more.
Edw in Walim an : Going viral on TikTok is this generation?s definition of a ?one hit wonder ?. With the listener ?s attention-span getting shorter, our job is to prolong the artist?s ?shelf life? and help make it a sustainable career for them. Music listeners?habits change with the constant advancement of technology and so artists too, have to adopt new tools and adapt to new platforms. PM : Do you evalu at e a clien t bef or e accept in g t h em ? Like a list of cr it er ia? Edw in Walim an : Of course there are practical factors such as the artists?release schedules and the deliverables, but with something so personal and subjective like music, the criteria can sometimes be intangible. We?ve taken on artists that we feel personal attachment to or are massive fans of although they may not be the most lucrative projects. It could even just be a gut feeling from listening to our clients?music that convinces us to take on the project . At the end of the day, we have to show that we are able to deliver results and add value to the projects we are involved with regardless of who our clients are. PM : Last ly, w h at do you t h in k of Filipin o m u sician s? Asian s in gen er al? Do you h ave per son al f avor it es, or h ave w e (Filipin os) n ot got t en in t o t h e Sin gapor e m ar k et yet ? An y pr oject s com in g soon ? Esm on d Wee: In my foundational years of music, I had the privilege of being involved with Baybeats Festival, a regional festival in Singapore that focussed on building our alternative local music scene, and connecting with the regional alternative music scenes in South East Asia. I remember the crowd being huuuuge for Urbandub?s set! In comparison to the music scenes in Singapore and Malaysia, I?ve always been very envious at how music is such a major cultural thing in the Philippines and how it?s local scene has been thriving for decades. Every genre you can think of has a household name. I personally liked bands like Up Dharma Down, Chicosci, Slapshock and Sandwich to name a few and had the privilege to call the late Jamir Garcia a friend of mine. I never knew how much of an icon he was walking around a mall in Singapore and got stopped by Filipino fans for an autograph or picture. Au dr ey On g: Some of the biggest artists in the world right now are of Filipino descent! We?ve also recently worked with Filipino artists such as James Reid and Yeek, and it?s been proven that there is definitely a demand for Filipino artists across Asia. At the end of the day, good music transcends borders.
Curiosity killed the cat but satisfaction brought it back. Iggy Pop / Scott Thurston
Th e f ollow in g pages con t ain Secr et Sign als' clien t r ost er .
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Alaina C astillo In early 2020, Houston-raised Los Angeles-based pop/r&b singer Alaina Castillo unveiled her debut EP, 'the voicenotes,' introducing the world to a rising new musical talent set to captivate listeners with her genre-bending sound and razor-sharp honesty. Her single ?just a boy? even caught the attention of V from BTS. Secret Signals were tasked to raise Alaina?s profile in Southeast Asia and promote her debut EP ?the voicenotes?and new singles throughout 2020 & 2021. Cam paign High ligh t s Selected as E-Sports ambassador by Prambors ? Indonesia?s #1 Youth Radio Station Single selected as the theme song for E-Sports competition Music video peaked at #1 on Dance Top 5 Chart Picked up by 4 TV stations across Asia, including MTV Asia, Channel [V] Asia, VERY TV (Thailand), and VH1 India Singles picked up by 17 radio stations across SEA Coverage on 60+ media outlets across Asia, including Antara News (Indonesia), Cewek Banget (Indonesia), Kumparan (Indonesia), PhilStar (Philippines) & more.
Photo credit: Chris Shelley
Alex P orat Alex Porat, a Chinese-Polish Toronto-based singer, songwriter discussed her dual identity alongside the release of her new single, ?happy for you.? The 22-year-old singer celebrates diversity encouraged by her Malaysian-born Chinese mother and her Polish father. From a young age, Alex was encouraged to be creative. She told NextShark that she would spend her childhood singing karaoke, in a choir, or lining up for TV show auditions. She has spent almost half her life uploading music to her YouTube channel. Over the years, the 22-year-old's emotive covers of big pop songs have amassed over 95 million views, but her breakout moment came in 2018 w hen Canadian star Shaw n Mendes watched her cover of his song, "In my Blood."He called the clip "awesome" and her performance of his hit single "perfect." Around that same time, her version of Calum Scott's "You are the Reason" earned her an additional 25 million views. Photo credit: Pat Ryder Ch eck ou t Alex Por at an d h er m u sic on you r f avor it e plat f or m s. Follow . Su bscr ibe. Lik e . En joy!
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B L XST Labeled as the next West Coast artist on the rise, hip-hop multi-hyphenate Blxst released his highly-anticipated EP via Red Bull Records. With over 150 million streams to date, the project hit #3 on Billboard?s Heatseekers Album Chart, while its hit single ?Overrated? has reached #32 on the Mediabase Rhythmic charts and #11 on Rolling Stone?s Trending 25 Chart. ? ? Campaign Highlights ? Cover artist on KKBOX ? ? ? R&B? ? ? [Latest R&B] playlist Singles added to 55+ playlists across Asia on Spotify, Apple Music, and KKBOX Music videos picked up by Channel V Asia, MYX (Philippines), and VERY TV (Thailand) Coverage on Hypebeast (Hong Kong), Long Hu Men (Taiwan), InqPop (Philippines) & more
Photo Credit: Brandon Hicks
F inneas 6 x Grammy-winning songwriter, producer, and artist, FINNEAS, is responsible for penning international smash hits ?ocean eyes? and ?when the party?s over ? and producing the No. 1 debut album ?WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO??for Billie Eilish. Secret Signals worked on elevating FINNEAS?profile in Southeast Asia and promoting his debut solo album ?Blood Harmony?and new singles throughout 2020 & 2021. Campaign Highlights Appearance on a primetime talk show on Indonesia free-to-air TV Music video picked up by 5 TV stations across Asia, including MTV Asia, Channel [V] Asia, and VH1 India Singles picked up by 22 radio stations across SEA Coverage on 80+ media outlets across Asia, including Kompas Indonesia, Esquire Singapore, The Straits Times (Singapore), Rolling Stone India & more
Photo Credit: Matty Vogel
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Multiplatinum Sony recording artist MAX has been labeled a ?Young Pop God? by GQ, named a ?top popstar to watch? by Billboard, and was nominated for ?Best New Pop Artist? at the iHeartRadio Music Awards. On the back of winning the Asia Artist Awards, 2020 - Best Pop Artist, Secret Signals were tasked with elevating his profile across Southeast Asia and promoting his 'Colour Vision' Deluxe album. Cam paign High ligh t s Appearance on a primetime talk show on Indonesia free-to-air TV & Indonesian Idol as a guest performer The music video was picked up by 3 TV stations across Asia, including MTV Asia, Myx (Philippines), and VH1 India. Singles picked up by 13 radio stations across SEA Coverage on 45+ media outlets across Asia, including Kompas (Indonesia), Wowkeren (Indonesia), GMA News (Philippines) Says (Malaysia), Kpopmap (South Korea) & more
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Th e r isin g In die pop sin ger h as alr eady r ack ed in an im pr essive f ive m illion st r eam s an d lan ded h er self on 14 dif f er en t Spot if y Vir al 50 Ch ar t s.
?After living in LA for a few years, I?ve experienced my fair share of judgment, whether in the music industry or my day-to-day friendships,?the singer revealed to Wonderland mag. ?As I grow, I recognize who is loving and supporting me unconditionally. ?Water Me Down?is about realizing who those people are and embracing them while also being brave enough to let go of those I want to fix or change; I?ve learned the hard way that I am not responsible for their choices. This song is a note to self about remembering your worth and that you are already enough. You are already ?flowing over?with worth, and no one is allowed to take that away from you.?
R osie D arling
San H olo San Holo has established a sizeable and loyal fanbase in Asia with tours and festival performances at Good Vibes Festival (Malaysia) & We The Fest (Indonesia). Secret Signals came on board to help with the promotion and marketing for his new album 'bb u ok' to introduce his music to new fans and reconnect with his fans until the next Asia tour. Campaign Highlights Added to 25+ playlists across Asia on Spotify, Apple Music, and KKBOX Music video picked up by VH1 India & VERY TV (Thailand) On-air interviews and liners on Hitz FM (Malaysia) & Hard Rock FM (Indonesia) Singles picked up by 20+ radio stations across SEA, including Prambors FM (Indonesia), Hard Rock FM (Indonesia) & Hitz FM (Malaysia) 30+ media features across Asia, including Esquire Singapore, JPNN (Indonesia), USS Feed(Indonesia) & Popbela(Indonesia) Photo Credit: Haley Lan
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In mid-2019, legendary rock icons Sum 41 released their seventh full-length album via our retainer client, Hopeless Records. Looking back at the band's storied 23+ year career, this album was undoubtedly Sum 41's heaviest and most aggressive album to date.
Cam paign High ligh t s
#1 on Channel [V] Asia's Rock Top 5 Chart Music videos picked up by MTV Asia, Channel [V] Asia, and JACK TV Added to 16 playlists across Asia on Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer and KKBOX 24 media features across Asia, including Rolling Stones (India) and Pulp Magazine (Philippines)
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Sum 41 is a Canadian rock band from Ajax, Ontario. Originally called Kaspir, the band was formed in 1996 and currently consists of Deryck Whibley, Dave Baksh, Tom Thacker, Jason "Cone" McCaslin, and Frank Zummo. Photo Credit : Ashley Osborne
Charge It To The Game ? and, pandemic or not, the gloves are coming off. - GW A guitar player, singer, songwriter based in Harlem, Tash Neal has recently been working on a solo project and playing live shows with brothers Matt, Dave, and JoJo Godfrey. With gigs at Brooklyn Bowl and Radio City Music Hall, they looked forward to touring the country this summer before the pandemic hit.
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Charge It To The Game is the hard-hitting and even harder-grooving debut solo release from Tash Neal. The album is all power and propulsion, grit and grime. It's eleven high-energy, high-stakes rock-blues-funk-psych-r&b-pop workouts that slam and slide and swagger and strut with relentless passion and unshakeable soul.
Tash Neal A founding member of the rock duo The London Souls. Tash Neal has toured extensively in the US and internationally supporting some of the biggest names in rock from The Who, Gary Clark Jr., The Black Crowes, Tedeschi Trucks, and Lenny Kravitz to name a few. Photo Credit: Thomas Falcone
Th e Aces ar e an Am er ican alt er n at ive pop ban d f r om Pr ovo, Ut ah . Th e ban d h as f ou r m em ber s: gu it ar ist Kat ie Hen der son , bassist M cKen n a Pet t y, an d sist er s Alisa Ram ir ez an d Cr ist al Ram ir ez.
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The Aces Having opened for 5 Seconds of Summer and a headline tour across the US and Europe, The Aces released their highly-anticipated sophomore album 'Under My Influence' in 2020. Secret Signals continued the next phase of their development in Asia by garnering traditional media, radio & DSP support and getting the band involved in various online promotional activities during the global lockdown.
Campaign Highlights
Singles added to 100+ playlists across Asia on Spotify, Apple Music, and KKBOX #1 on Channel [V] Asia's Indie Top 5 Chart VH1 India Instagram Live Takeover Music videos picked up by Channel [V] Asia, MTV Asia, and VH1 India Singles picked up by 12 radio stations across SEA Coverage on 40+ media features across Asia, including Antara (Indonesia), Outlook India, Mr. Life Day (Taiwan), STATUS Magazine (Philippines) & more
Photo Credit: Red Bull Records
Yeek L.A.-based multi-creative Yeek released his album 'Valencia' on March 19. Produced by his cousin, Kevin Halasan, and mixed by Jeff Ellis (Frank Ocean, Snoh Aalegra, Omar Apollo), the album is both confident and vulnerable, shaded heavily by the R&B records he heard growing up during family karaoke. Apart from promoting the record, he's particularly interested in reconnecting with his heritage, a second-generation Filipino-American. So our focus was to get his name out to the Filipino media and different communities while also promoting his music to the rest of SEA.
Cam paign High ligh t s
Singles picked up by 19 radio stations, peaking at #33 on the Hard Rock FM (Indonesia) Top 41 Chart Music videos picked up by MTV Asia, VH1 India & VERY TV (Thailand) Coverage on 15+ media outlets across Asia, including Hypebeast (Hong Kong), ABS-CBN (Philippines), Clavel (Philippines), SAYS (Malaysia) & more
Photo Credit: Julian Bergueno
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The SG Local Music Scene
Standing at 165m ? the height of a 42-story building ? the Singapore Flyer is Asia's largest giant observation wheel. It's 28 fully air-conditioned capsules can accommodate up to 28 passengers each. On a clear day, the Flyer offers passengers a 45km panoramic view stretching from Singapore's Marina Bay waterfront to Malaysia and Indonesia. A complete 'flight' lasts around 30 minutes. - Photo by Bady Abbas
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K eyana ?The initial inspiration for the song Save It came from a place of heartache, rooted from lost love. However, as I elaborated on the personal meaning of that pain, I came to realize that it had a more positive message ? that when it comes to the end of any relationship, while it is normal to dwell on the pain, we actually tend to focus on self-improvement.? Half-Chinese, half-Ghanaian Keyana, is a model, dancer, and R&B artist who is on her way to becoming a breakout star in Singapore. At only 17 years old she released her debut song and music video, Save It, earlier this year. She also spearheaded a social media campaign called ?Our Voices?featuring some of her friends from the African community to rally Singaporeans to be an ally in supporting the numerous online petitions condemning racial bias. Photo Credit: Lenne Chai
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L ewloh ?I wrote ?Summer Boy?thinking about the finite time you had with someone, and wishing you were easy-going whilst you were in that relationship.?
Lewloh is a twenty-four-year-old Singaporean singer-songwriter who translates something intangible, emotional, into a rough but real embrace. His voice is a melodic silky sound that hugs you like a friend and takes you home. In 2017, Lewloh released his debut album Lullacry at his sold-out album launch. His latest release to date is an EP called Red Flags, featuring Joie Tan, Julia Gartha, Marian Carmel, and Ariyel. Photo Credit: Rachel Rodger
M 1L D L 1F E M1LDL1FE (pronounced "mild life") cuts across the indie-pop grain, weaving together lush electronic textures and eclectic dance grooves into the pop sensibilities of guitar-driven indie music of the early 2000s. Formed in 2012 by bassist David Siow, drummer Jeryl Yeo, guitarist Tan Peng Sing, and Johnathan Lim, the band later recruited Paddy Ong (formerly of Run Neon Tiger) to take over on lead vocals. First conceived as a university hall cover band, they wrote their first originals in college dorm basements, garnering attention with their brazen indie-rock pop sound and energetic live shows. They debuted their first EP, ?PAIRS,? in 2015, receiving critical acclaim from the local press and were slated to be ?one of the most exhilarating new acts to emerge from Singapore's burgeoning indie-pop scene.? Fast forward a couple of years; the quintet found themselves opening for venerable acts like Last Dinosaurs, Walk the Moon, Travis, and Death Cab for Cutie back in their native Singapore and even went on a few touring stints in Southeast Asia, China, South Korea, and Spain. With their latest releases, Small Lanes and Can?t Seem to Get Anything, the band embarks on the next chapter of their sonic journey, heralding more new material to be released in the coming year. Photo Credit : Christopher Sim Zalindrome
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Shye Singapore?s latest indie-pop sensation Shye released her debut album ?days to morning glory?in late 2020 to critical acclaim, notably an inclusion on NME?s 25 best Asian albums of 2020. Since her debut at 16, the singer, songwriter, and producer have been likened to Billie Eilish and Clairo. Now 18 years old, Shye has built a cult following and has become a media darling in the region. Campaign Highlights Performed on MTV Asia Jammin' & Bangkok Music City Music video picked up by MTV Asia Single picked up by 6 radio stations across SEA, including Asia Pop 40 & 98.7FM (Singapore) 25+ media features including NME Asia, Esquire Singapore, White Nosie (Taiwan), and Indie Accent (Indonesia) Photo Credit: Christopher Sim Zalindrome
SPINNING THE W H
Photo by Przemyslaw Marczynski, Konski, Poland
HEEL W ITH VINYL By Boyet J. Sison
Photo by KOBU Agency
Music has been part and parcel of our lives for centuries. As human beings, it was a way for us to express so many emotions, a way to inspire, and to convey our feelings. In good times and bad, it has provided the soundtrack of our mood and helped us create the one we want to be in. Many decades earlier, one can only enjoy listening to music by means of a live performance. As man?s intelligence and creativity progressed, this would change with Thomas Edison?s invention of the phonograph in 1877. Alexander Graham Bell, improved on Edison?s technology, using wax in the place of tinfoil and a floating stylus instead of a rigid needle which would incise, rather than indent the cylinder. Both improvements delivered superior sound quality and improved durability, and the machine was exhibited to the public as the graphophone. As the technology kept improving, Columbia Records introduced the first 12-inch 33-1/3 rpm micro-groove LP vinylite record in 1948. The following year RCA Victor introduced 7-inch 45 rpm micro-groove ?Extended Play? vinylite record and player. Eventually, the 33-1/3 and 45 rpm records were the only ones produced. Vinyl records remained the primary medium throughout the 1950s, 60s, 70s, and into the 80s. They were not supplanted by the compact disc until 1988.
In the 21st Century, the consumption of music has grown, mainly due to the advancements in technology, that allows people to listen on their device wherever they are. In the age of the internet and mobile tech, ways by which one can find, listen, and even archive music has evolved. My love affair with vinyl and the turntable began as a young boy surrounded by a family that loved music. My father would play classical music at 5 in the morning, the sign for us to wake up and get ready for school. During vacations in the province, my grandparents constantly had music in the background. By the time I was in my early teens, I bought my first 45rpm record at Unimart in Greenhills (back when supermarkets had record bars), inspired by a girl who lived on the street where I lived, and months later, a long playing album. This led to me to buy a lot more wax as years passed, in Raon, Cubao, Makati, Angeles in Pampanga, and I eventually became a professional DJ by 1977, playing in venues like the Where Else Disco at the Intercontinental Hotel in Makati, Stargazer at the Silahis Hotel, and Euphoria, also at the Intercon, just to name a few. Up until the 1990s, vinyl records were the primary tools of the trade. But why has the popularity of vinyl records played on turntables consistently increased recently? I had to find out, so I posted a call out to my friends on social media. In a span of about 2 to 3 hours, I had at least 150 responses from a good cross section of my FB list. There were audiophiles, musicians, DJs, first time waxheads (the term for those that love vinyl records), and the like. I gathered a few of them, Manila Times journalist and Radyo5 brodcaster Jing Garcia, lead vocalist of The Dawn / theater actor Jett Pangan, Artist Manager/ cook & baker Dr. Day Cabuhat, PAL cabin crew / DJ Mikee Faisan, and multi-awarded singer / composer, actor, and current President of the Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Magaawit Ogie Alcasid, and asked them questions and here are their responses.
Wh er e did you get you r t u r n t able? Was it a h an d-m e dow n or a r ecen t pu r ch ase ?
Lead vocalist of The Dawn / theater actor Jett Pangan Jet t : It's a gift from my wife more than 5 years ago. She bought it brand-new. Ogie : I bought it in Listening Room (Shangrila Mall) in 2013. It reminded me of my Technics turntable in the 80?s. Second hand sya.
Wit h t h e advan cem en t s in t ech n ology, w h y go t u r n t ables/ vin yl ?
Manila Times journalist and Radyo5 brodcaster Jing Garcia Jin g : Vinyl records for me never really went away. I?m for any audio format that fits my fancy. In fact, I still have Minidisc and DAT in my system along with CD and analog cassette. Day: Technology has made music more accessible, portable (and quite economical) than ever. But in my opinion, nothing can replicate the joy of the vinyl experience. From digging in the crates, to the thrill of the find, it?s quite a journey.
M ik ee: Vinyl is something you can touch and feel unlike digital music. With vinyl you have a certain sense of ownership because of its physical presence. I am not limited to vinyl as I still use Mini Disc and CD?s but Vinyl will always be my preferred choice. How m an y r ecor ds do you h ave in you r collect ion at t h e m om en t ? Wh at gen r es? Jin g:I guess I only have less than 200 albums left in my rack. My collection stopped growing by the early 90s as CDs became the norm and kept only my favorite ones or the ones I don?t have a digital copy. Once ina while I get one or two if I find something I really like on vinyl from thrift shops. I keep mostly the genre I'm into like those from Killing Joke, Skinny Puppy, Ministry, Psychic TV, etc. Post-punk Techno-Industrial albums sound so good on vinyl. The precious ones are the Classical box sets and Japanese pressings.
PAL cabin crew / DJMikee Faisan M ik ee: I have a well curated collection of about 2,500 to 3,000 records purchased from record shops in countries I frequent. Genres I collect are from the Disco era. Faces, Euphoria and Mars music essentially. I also collect Jazz, Old School Hip Hop RnB, New Wave and House Music. 90% of my collection are extended versions and singles. DJmaterials basically.
current President of the Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Magaawit OPM Ogie Alcasid Ogie: Yikes, I don't really know how many. Maybe 2000? Is it pr act ical f or you t o h ave t h is set u p ? Does it m ak es on e t o be view ed as "cool" ? Or do you t h in k t h is is ju st a t r en d? Jin g: I digitized all of my fave music for my Sony Walkman digital player for easy listening on-the-go. Listening now from a stereo setup needs a ritual. You need to condition yourself, like giving enough time and effort for the hobby. If you're really into it, it?s worth it. Jet t : No matter how "cool" something is, if it's a pain to keep, then it's not worth the trouble. The thing with vinyl is, it won't be a bother to maintain/collect records so long as you have a safe space for them. Budget-wise, inexpensive players and records are still out there. This may be old-school thinking but the physical packaging of albums is truly precious. Tangible works of art (most of them, anyway). So, yeah, I think it's not a bad trend at all.
Artist Manager/ cook & baker Dr. Day Cabuhat Day: Cost-wise, not practical. Cool, no, old-school is more like it. I don?t think it?s just a trend. The resurgence of vinyl is here to stay. Wh at w ou ld you say t o ot h er s t o con vin ce t h em t o get a t u r n t able an d play vin yl? Jin g: I don?t recommend it. It has become an expensive hobby nowadays. And that?s always a thing about fads. They push prices up. Even vintage audio equipment prices are affected, turntables included. The brand news ones are expensive too, along with the reissued vinyl recordings. But that?s just me, being an audiophile wannabe for decades. Also, the older the gear, the higher the maintenance cost. Yes, like vintage cars. Jet t : All things considered, nothing beats the clarity of digital music. But the fuzziness of vinyl still has that charm. I also tend to listen to the ENTIRE album spinning on my turntable, which is something already lost in me in this digital playlist age.
M ik ee: If you are passionate about music and you are eager to have a physical copy/copies of the songs you cherish, Vinyl is the ultimate personal satisfaction. Listening to vinyl is almost similar to hearing the actual Band or Artist performing in front of you. The Mic and the Needle are both analog sans the human ear is analog as well.
Ogie: I would suggest to would be collectors to buy records that they really want to listen to again and again. Turntables will never be outdated. My system is over 35 years old and it?s still good.
According to the Business Insider.com, US record sales in the first half of 2020 totalled $232.1 million, nearly double the $129.9 million raked in from CD sales, according to estimates from the Recording Industry Association of America. It is the first time vinyl records have outperformed CDs since the 1980s. Digital subscription and streaming services such as Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube made up 85% of all recorded music revenue. Only 7% was from physical music , such as records and CDs. In the Philippines, there are of late a surge of persons selling pre-loved records as well as brand new releases and re-issues on Facebook, Instagram and other on-line platforms. Look for @Jay Jay James of Big Bucks Records, @Jesse Gonzales Cambosa of DMC Philippines, and @Marlon Tagalicud of Righteous Records. There are physical stores that do the same like Satchmi at 4F SM Megamall Fashion Hall, Treskul Records, that has branches at 641 Cifra Building, Boni Avenue, Mandaluyong and at ALI X, UG/F Ali Mall, Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City, For me, then and now, music continues to be part of my world, our world. Be it digital or analog, I hope you can all enjoy it too, and spread the love, the love we all need much of in these trying times.
Photo by Lena Kudryavtseva
Light snowfall at night in Moscow ; Photo by Ivan Lapyrin Red Square, 5, Moskva ,Russia
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Matthew Victor Pastor is a Filipino Australian film director. An alumnus of the prestigious Victorian College of the Arts, in 2018 his feature film «Melodrama / Random / Mellbourne!»won Best Original Score at the Sinag Maynila Film Festival.
M at t h ew Vict or Past or is back w it h "A Pen cil To Th e Ju gu lar ," Par t 2 in t h e 2020 Tr ilogy an d t o st at e t h at w e ar e "r ed" w it h excit em en t is an u n der st at em en t .
PM : M at t h ew , you 've com e a lon g w ay sin ce t h e last t im e w e act u ally m et . How m an y f ilm s h ave you don e sin ce FAM AS 2019? Since FAMAS 2019, I've managed to make 3 feature films as part of our 2020 trilogy! The Neon Across the Ocean (91 mins), A Pencil to the Jugular (121 mins), and the unreleased Plans That They've Made, which was co-directed with Evangeline Lee. We are also trying to finish another feature this year, picking up the themes in 2021! PM : Even w it h t h e pan dem ic, you ar e st ill ou t t h er e m ak in g all t h ese gr eat pr oject s. Wh at dr ives you ? My drive is that I count my blessings every day. I can't buy more time, but I can maximize my time. I happen to have a talent that can be used to create a historical context for diasporic Filipino stories in Australia. I wake up every day thinking this. I feel guilty if I'm not working hard because you can't get time back. I may have made a few films, but if I took this positive outlook earlier in life, who knows how many films could have made by now. How much new ground could have been covered? How many miles of oceans could have been crossed? Pandemic or not, I am now more focused, ready, and nimble. Let's go!
PM : Tell u s abou t you r n ew f ilm . March 2020, a worldwide catastrophic event unfolds as an ensemble of young migrants' lives falls apart. Libra stares down the drop of a tall building, Razor deals drugs for flights back to the Philippines, Amanda is the survivor of an assault, Ying arrives from China, and Lit Phil is on the run. Meanwhile, a young man with dark desires roams the streets. These lives will cross paths through the chaos, and a pencil will be taken to the jugular. PM : We'r e so excit ed abou t you r en t r y at t h e M oscow In t er n at ion al Film Fest ival. Tell u s abou t t h e det ails on h ow you r f ilm becam e on e of t h e ch osen f ilm s f or M IFF... You 'r e t h e on ly Filipin o f ilm m ak er on t h e list ? I'm not the only one; in fact, Lav Diaz and Brillante Mendoza have films playing this year! Also, Brillante Mendoza is the head of the jury. There is a strong Filipino presence at the festival this year, and as a diasporic filmmaker can only be grateful to be in the presence of the greats. My film is in the out-of-competition Lockdown program, which showcases the world's most interesting international films made about the pandemic. PM : Wh at 's t h e in spir at ion beh in d t h is f ilm ? How did you ar r ive at t h e t it le? I've been saying "take a Pencil to the Jugular " for years! In fact, I've said the quote a few times in previous interviews, so I decided this project was the right one to take the title. For me, it's about art and how being brave and telling stories no matter how uncomfortable or painful they might be. I'm from humble beginnings in the Australian context, born and raised in Noble Park, Melbourne. I've spent over a decade honing the skills to get to this project. My tool or 'pencil' happens to be cinema, and I'm working on writing our stories into history. People will look back at pandemic times and see the kind of cinema which was made. What did we fight for? What were our struggles? I also think it's interesting that Mexican international student Lorena Zarate co-wrote it. It might be one of the only films in Australian history to be genuinely be told from that point of view. PM : Is t h is you r f ir st f ilm en t r y f or t h e M IFF? Yes! I'm so excited to play at MIFF! PM : Wh ich plat f or m s can t h e f ilm be view ed? They held two cinema sessions on the 25th and 26th of April, 2021. I feel this film should be experienced in a cinema. PM : Wh at 's n ext af t er "A Pen cil t o t h e Ju gu lar " ? Plans That They Have Made needs a release! It's the third part of the trilogy and was co-directed/starring Evangeline Lee (from Malaysia), who has been my long-time collaborator and producer and to who I owe my life.
PM : You 've don e f ilm s bef or e an d du r in g t h e pan dem ic. Will t h in gs ch an ge per m an en t ly in t er m s of m ovie-m ak in g, or do you see t h e "old w ay " com in g back ? Has you r t eam adju st ed t o t h e n ew n or m ?
I've adjusted by using the time to learn every skill needed at a level at which a film can look and sound professional. I practiced camera, sound, editing in my apartment during the lockdown to come out a more well-rounded machine. If you think of the mechanics that a film needs to exist, the machine needs to run well, and all the areas need to be well oiled so the task can be completed. It's a sum of all these moving bits, but what happens when we also have a social responsibility to keep people safe? For me, I've made my own covid dogme21, which focuses on minimal footprint filmmaking. My new feature film 4 days sober (which we are currently in production on), was made with me in all major crew roles and director. With only one extra crew member to keep our COVID-19 safe protocol, I've made this feature film to prove that it's possible to still make a wonderful film despite resources. This special way of working can be utilized when numbers go up, and we need to keep people safe. There is an opportunity here to create in an ethical way and with freedom too. Through this, maybe a new set of stories will emerge, and inspiration will be found in the places we used to fear.
PM : I've w an t ed t o ask you t h is bef or e, w h o's you r per son al f ilm m ak in g icon / s?
Lav Diaz, Paul Thomas Anderson, Sion Sono. Locally in Australia, Allison Chhorn, who did the recent film The Plastic House, is an Australian filmmaker I admire who makes real cinema, which I admire. PM : Last ly, w h at 's you r per son al m an t r a?
Ju st m ak e f ilm s.
We requested Matthew Victor Pastor to send a photo of him with his mom Carol to celebrate Mother's Day.
A song to match everyone's heart beat . A soaring melody, a pulse-pounding beat , a touching lyric: Music t akes a moment and makes it a memory. It 's a universal language t hat can capt ure love, heart break, loss, soul searching, and w ing spreading-all in t he span of a few notes. In Behind t he Song, fourteen acclaimed young adult aut hors and musicians share short stories and personal essays inspired by t he songs, t he albums, t he musicians w ho move t hem. So cue up t he playlist and crank t he volume. This is an ant hology you'll w ant to experience on repeat . The full list of stories (and their musical inspirations) are below:
"When I?m writing a novel music doesn?t come into my process until I?m done with a first draft. I need complete silence to write. But, once that first draft is behind me, I listen closely to every song I hear, trying to decide if it goes with my characters, my story, the emotions in the book. That?s when I start building my playlist. For my YA anthology,BEHIND THE SONG, music and lyrics are 100% connected to every piece. I gave my contributors a choice, they could interpret the lyrics to one of their favorite songs and use it as inspiration for a short story,ortake that same song and write a personal essay sharing how that song changed their life. My short story was inspired by one of my all-time-favorite songs,?All the Lights Went Out?by Marcy Playground. Each contributor brought something unique and powerful to this anthology, and it was a joy working with such a talented group of writers and musicians."
Forward ?by Ameriie
"I was in my car, blaring Radiohead's "Fake Plastic Trees" singing along with the lyrics, and like I've always done, I was also fabricating an entire story in my head of what was really going on in the song. Creating the story behind the song. I hit a red light, grabbed my pack of Post-its and pen and quickly scribbled: YA anthology. Take fav songs and interpret them by writing a short story. Could be cool!! I pitched the idea to my agent and he loved it. Then the hard work began of creating the proposal and securing the contributors. Took me close to a year! Every difficult twist and turn was worth it because BEHIND THE SONG is one amazing anthology. I can't thank my contributors enough for their hard work and dedication. "
You Know Something?s Happening Here (But You Don?t Know What it is) ?Jonathan Maberry A personal essay inspired Bob Dylan?s song ?Ballad of a Thin Man?
Suburbiana (or, The Return of Super Frog) ?David Arnold A short story inspired by Arcade Fire?s song ?The Suburbs? Miss Atomic Bomb ?Anthony Breznican A short story inspired by The Killers?song ?Miss Atomic Bomb? Cold Beverage: the song I wrote that changed my life ?By G. Love A personal essay Tiffany Twisted ?Ellen Hopkins A short story inspired by the Eagles?song ?Hotel California? How Miracles Begin ?James Howe A personal essay inspired by James Howe?s & Mark Davis?song ?Planting Trees? The Opposite of Ordinary ?Beth Kephart A personal essay inspired the song ?Somewhere (A Place for Us)? Music by Leonard Bernstein; lyrics by Stephen Sondheim About You Now ?Elisa Ludwig A short story inspired by Oasis?song ?Wonderwall?
Time to Soar ?Donn Thompson Morelli aka ?DONN T? A short story inspired by Amy Winehouse?s song ?October Song? City Girl ?E.C. Myers A short story inspired by Keane?s song ?Somewhere Only We Know? Second Chances ?Ellen Oh A short story inspired by Inspired by 2NE1?s song ?It Hurts? Anyone Other Than Me ?Tiffany Schmidt A short story inspired by DMB?s song ?Dancing Nancies? The Ride ?Suzanne Young A short story inspired by Jimmy Eat World?s song ?The Middle? Doomed? ?K.M. Walton A short story inspired by Marcy Playground?s song ?All the Lights Went Out?
To all of h u m an it y, becau se m u sic is ou r u n iver sal lan gu age.
K.M. Walton is a graduate of West Chester University, with a degree in elementary education. As a former middle-school language-arts teacher she's passionate about education and ending peer bullying. Since her novels shine the light onto the hideous effects of bullying, she gives school presentations on the topic "The Power of Human Kindness." She is represented by Jim McCarthy from Dystel & Goderich Literary Management. She lives in PA with her husband, two sons, cat, and turtle. And don't forget to use the Spotify playlist to follow along and hear the songs that inspired us:https://open.spotify.com/user/kmwaltonauthor/playlist/15BBMyS8Lr6a2P5857PiqY
Lionel Messi for EXPO 2020 Dubai ...
because the world deserves the best.
PAVILION THEME & OBJECTIVES The Singapore Pavilion, with the theme of ?Nature, Nurture, Future?, encapsulates Singapore?s story of overcoming its physical limitations as a small island city-state and adapting itself to become a highly liveable and sustainable city. With the world becoming more fast-paced, diverse and unpredictable, it is essential that Singapore adapts to remain resilient.
The Singapore Pavilion aims to encourage visitors to contemplate their roles in fostering stronger relationships between nature and the built environment, as we continue to nurture our land and people to create even more possibilities for our future. Through a creative and experiential journey of individual and collective discoveries, visitors will get to experience and understand Singapore?s evolution into a city in a garden, where there is a synergistic and collaborative relationship between the community, nature, and the built environment. The pavilion also aims to celebrate Singapore?s spirit of ingenuity and creativity by profiling Singaporean design, capabilities and businesses through various programmes and activities.
A com pan y dedicat ed t o pow er in
Sin ce 2015 Voblin g h as been pr ovidin g bleedin g-edge XR ser vices t o som e of t h e m ost pr est igiou s com pan ies in t h e w or ld. Fr om t h eir in cept ion , t h ey h ave m ain t ain ed a f ocu s on applyin g t h ese t ech n ologies t o of f er solu t ion s t o r eal-w or ld pr oblem s an d gen er at e qu an t if iable bu sin ess valu e. Th e dedicat ion t o h igh -im pact solu t ion s h as lead t o a specializat ion in developin g vir t u al r ealit y t r ain in g plat f or m s alon gside t h eir on -dem an d, in -h ou se, f u ll-st ack XR agen cy of f er in g. Wit h of f ices in St ock h olm , M an ila, an d Sin gapor e, t h ey cat er t o clien t s w or ldw ide.
n g t h e adopt ion of XR in bu sin ess
Voblin g is a Vir t u al an d Au gm en t ed pr odu ct ion agen cy devot ed t o cr eat in g n ew Vir t u al an d Au gm en t ed r ealit y exper ien ces af t er t h e cu st om er 's n eeds an d specif icat ion s. Th ey ar e a you n g bu t exper ien ced Vir t u al Realit y developm en t com pan y f ou n ded in Sw eden?s t ech capit al St ock h olm . Wit h a st r on g legacy of t h e t ech an d gam in g in du st r y, Voblin g is poised t o cr eat e t h e vir t u al exper ien ces t o clien t s n eed, h an dcr af t ed t o t h e desir ed specif icat ion s. Wit h an aw ar d-w in n in g t eam an d an exper ien ced en t r epr en eu r at t h e h elm , Voblin g w ill deliver beyon d you r dr eam s. Th at ?s w h at t h ey do, m ak e a r ealit y of you r dr eam s.
Video calls have been the primary form of communication due to social distancing protocols and travel restrictions. Although video conferencing services have been an essential component in working remotely, they are often poor facilitators of training, socialization, and other scenarios that require a deeper level of immersion and interaction. Luckily, virtual and augmented reality solutions overcome many of these challenges, contributing to its accelerated adoption during the pandemic.
The tangible benefits of immersive technologies are many; Carefully implemented solutions may substantially reduce costs associated with training, enhance learning efficiency, and increase safety and immersion. Virtual training platforms allow companies to reap the benefits of immersive technologies by facilitating many aspects of remote work and training.
One of the applications developed by Vobling is Vobling Insight, a web platform and a framework for connecting and managing XR applications that run either locally on XR headsets or in a Cloud environment. This software contains a suite of applications that employees can access, regardless of their time and location.
Listed below are ways you can utilize their platform for your remote team and trainees. 1. Conduct meetings in VR Connect, interact, and collaborate with your co-workers from your living room through the web, mobile, and VR devices. Using VR collaboration tools such as Vobling Connect, your team can control avatars and allow you to gesticulate, from hand movements to fist bumps. VR can simulate any location, from office spaces to enticing environments that can make your meetings more engaging. Furthermore, collaborative virtual environments like this let you manipulate data, assets, and workstations through action-based triggers, making brainstorming, presentations, data analysis, and product development more seamless and speedy. 2. Digitize ?learning by doing.? Virtual and augmented reality allows companies to facilitate hands-on and interactive training for employees, wherever they are. According to the Cone of Experience by Professor Edgar Dale, we remember 10% of what we read, 20% of what we hear, 90% of what we do. VR lets trainees practice and harness their skills in a virtual environment, increasing knowledge retention, performance, safety, and efficiency.
Wit h Voblin g In sigh t , you can vir t u ally deliver XR-based t r ain in g scen ar ios in a cen t r alized syst em t o em ployees w or ldw ide. Th e applicat ion allow s you t o m an age m u lt iple u ser s an d view r eal-t im e dat a an d act ion able in sigh t s in t o t r ain in g pr ocedu r es t o h elp you im plem en t an d opt im ize t h e lear n in g exper ien ce.
3. Create environments and scenarios with VR
?VR t r an spor t s lear n er s t o a dif f er en t w or ld, an d it allow s people t o do som et h in g t h at m igh t be t oo dan ger ou s, t oo expen sive, or t oo dif f icu lt t o r epeat in r eal lif e,? says Ju st in M it ch ell, a Cr eat ive En gin eer at Sw eet Ru sh . Training often requires dedicated facilities, bulky equipment, trainer fees, and travel expenses. VR lets you recreate virtual training scenarios tailored to your requirements without tedious set-ups and real-world constraints. Additionally, it is possible to integrate physical objects into VR, enabling users to interact with specific objects in the same way they would in the real world. Instead of developing a scenario from scratch, companies can select from a broad range of environments that they can customize based on their preferences using Vobling Insight. Some of these environments are showcased in Vobling?s virtual training platforms, the VR Fire Trainer.
4. Design and present products with XR Complex products and services can be difficult to demonstrate with traditional forms of media such as PDFs and illustrations. Specialized XR applications can let you showcase objects to your co-workers and clients with a high level of precision from form to functionalities. Users can even visualize true-to-life models of these products using the camera on a mobile device. In addition, immersive technologies streamline product design and optimization by letting remote teams design and evaluate digital prototypes in real-time. This capacity can shorten development cycles, reduce errors and eliminate production and shipping costs.
Want to train, work and collaborate better with XR? Download their VR and AR guide to remote work or contact them at https://vobling.com/contact/.
A PARTNERSHIP OF STRENGTH AND ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES
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ACE and Octagon, a leading global brand and talent management agency specializing in sports and entertainment, have announced last April a strategic partnership to fuel ACE?s Asian talent, business and consumer growth. The recent announcement builds on the successful Make-A-Wish campaign that ACE ran in the past holiday season featuring ten internationally recognised celebrities that were available for video greetings on ACE in support of raising funds for the Make-A-Wish Charity Foundation. ?We?re excited about working with a partner like Octagon as they bring immense value in the areas of advisory services, talent introductions, and brand partnerships. We saw this in action in December last year when we worked together on an incredible Make-A-Wish campaign using our platform to drive funds to such an important charity,? said ACE Founder & CEO, Dene Schonknecht The partnership will focus on bringing top talent from the sports categories like basketball (NBA), cricket (IPL) and football (English Premier League), and well as entertainment categories like K-pop and Bollywood to ACE for fan engagements across Asian markets. ?The relationship between talent and fans has changed. Both expect a more direct and personalized interaction. Platforms like ACE facilitate this new way of engaging ? and we are enthusiastic about the potential across the massive Asian consumer audience?, added Octagon EVP David Schwab. As part of the partnership terms, David Schwab from Octagon will be joining the ACE Advisory Board and working with the team at ACE to plan and execute their talent and geographical expansion plans.
ACE Fou n der & CEO, Den e Sch on k n ech t
2020's TEN celebr it y par t icipan t s on ACE f or t h e M ake-A-Wish Cam paign
Make-A-Wish Foundation (Singapore) Make-A-Wish Singapore is part of the world?s largest wish granting organisation and the only wish granting organisation of its kind in Singapore. The Singapore affiliate started in March 2002 and to date, has since granted over 1,590 life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. For more info, visit www.makeawish.org.sg.
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ACE f or B After seeing 33% of all requests on their consumer platform come from brands seeking celebrity driven video endorsements, ACE has launched a new commercial offering allowing businesses unprecedented ease of access to their talent for creating marketing content. Brands such as Pizza Hut and HR Business Awards Asia, Agencies including Havas Media, and numerous start-up consumer brands, have already utilised ACE to book short celebrity videos for use in social media campaigns, virtual events, and sales prospecting activities.
Bu sin ess ACE experienced strong growth of 72% in Q4 of 2020, and currently features over 400 well-known regional and international celebrities such as local Singapore actors Kumar, Gurmit Singh, and Patricia Mok, Malaysian talents Joanne Kam and Steve Yap, Filipino entertainment Pia Wurtzbach and Ruffa Gutierrez, and more recently, American stars such as the main cast of Netflix?s reality TV hit ?Selling Sunset?including Christine Quinn and Mary Fitzgerald.
Fou n ded in Novem ber 2019 by Den e Sch on k n ech t , ACE is sh or t f or Au t h en t ic Celebr it y Exper ien ces an d is a collabor at ive plat f or m design ed f or f an s t o con n ect dir ect ly w it h t h eir h er oes or f avou r it e celebr it ies f or exclu sive con t en t . Th is can be don e via sh or t , per son alised video m essages - be it bir t h day son gs, w or ds of en cou r agem en t or an sw er s t o bu r n in g qu est ion s - f or a sm all f ee, set by each ACE t alen t .
Investors in Southeast Asia?s largest celebrity video platform ACE?s pre-seed round include Manila Angel Investors Network (MAIN), celebrity host Max Loong and angel investors hailing from Grab, Carousell, Ayden Payments, and Google.
?ACE h as en or m ou s pot en t ial t o be a gam e-ch an ger in t h e Sou t h east Asian an d soon , t h e global en t er t ain m en t in du st r y,? en t h u sed celebr it y h ost an d ACE in vest or M ax Leon g. ?Ever yon e can f in d t h eir h er o on ACE, an d obt ain a u n iqu ely per son al con n ect ion w it h pr eviou sly dist an t celebr it ies. Th is con cept is m in d-blow in g t o m an y of ACE?s cu st om er s ? an d t h e h appin ess deliver ed w it h each video m essage is im m easu r able.?
Manila Angel Investors Network (MAIN) also expressed positive sentiments regarding ACE?s potential to grow globally, as it continues to secure a stronghold in Southeast Asia. Said James Lette, executive director of MAIN, ?ACE?s unique strength of featuring both local fan-favourites and the global stars, while maintaining a diverse roster of celebrities - ranging from actors, comedians, influencers, content creators and artists of all kinds - is key to an industry revolution. They have successfully garnered the entertainment industry?s buy-in and have educated the masses ? now, only the sky?s the limit.?
50 OFFICES 22 COUNTRIES W here others see complexity, we see possibility. W ith instincts founded on smarts and grounded in experience, we?ve got the right blend of brains and creativity to predict, produce and perform for some of the world?s best brands and talent. We?re a mix of savvy veterans and bold upstarts, at it for three decades. A passionate team of 800+ around the world, relentlessly committed to helping you force fate and push forward to make your next right move. So when your campaign or career is on the line, we hope you?ll turn to us. - OCTAGON SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT AGENCY
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ASCAP is a membership association of more than 800,000 songwriters, composers and music publishers. They uphold the value of their members? music, and help them thrive alongside the businesses that use their music every day.
Jon Bat ist e & Tr en t Rezn or Win Oscar f or ?Sou l? By Et an Rosen bloom , ASCAP Sen ior Dir ect or & Depu t y Edit or , M ar k et in g & Com m u n icat ion s - Apr il 26, 2021 A big Hollywood ?huzzah? to ASCAP Board member Jon Batiste and Trent Reznor for their Oscars victory! On Sunday, April 26, the two ASCAP composers and collaborator Atticus Ross picked up the Academy Award for Original Score, for their music to the thought-provoking Disney/Pixar film Soul. Soul was widely viewed as the frontrunner for this year ?s Oscars, having earned trophies at the Annie Awards, BAFTAs, Critics?Choice Awards, Golden Globes, NAACP Image Awards, SCL Awards and many more.
?You know what?s deep is God gave us 12 notes,? Batiste said in his acceptance speech. ?It?s the same 12 notes that Duke Ellington had, that Bach had, Nina Simone, it?s the same 12! Every gift is special. Every contribution with music that comes from the divine into the instruments into the film, into the minds and hearts and souls of every person who hears it, the stories that happen when you listen to it and watch it and the stories you share, the moments you create, the memories you make? man, it?s just so incredibly special? I?m just thankful to God for those 12 notes. That?s so dope.?
This has been a phenomenal time for Batiste, a newly-minted ASCAP Board member. In addition to the continuous stream of Soul accolades, Batiste?s new album WE ARE, released in March, has received nigh-universal praise.
Reznor also had an incredible awards season. He was competing against himself in the Oscars?Original Score category, with another nomination for his acclaimed jazz-inflected music for Mank.
This was Batiste?s first ever Oscar. Reznor already has one decorating his mantle, for his score to The Social Network.
Congrats, Messrs. Batiste and Reznor ? we can?t wait to hear what?s next for the both of you. ascap.com https://www.facebook.com/JonBatisteMusic
At the end of the day, good music transcendsborders. AUDREY ONG, SECRET SIGNALS Premier Magazine, Philippines