press release – Page 38 – Jellybeans in the City

Dey Rose debunks conformity on new EP, Panting Heart

Vancouver-based Filipina singer-songwriter Dey Rose maintains a gripping sense of vulnerability on her debut EP, Panting Heart—released on all digital platforms worldwide via Lilystars Records.

Intricately written and produced to capture a sound of lasting resonance and warmth, the 6-track record blends jazz-infused pop with folk, country, blues, prog rock, ’70s soul, and R&B, while exploring fascinating new directions in terms of arrangements and lyrics. With an eclectic selection of songs grounded in evocative storytelling, the Baguio-born musician presents a snapshot of confessional intimacy in the time of restlessness and paranoia, freeing herself from the conformity of others and social expectations.

The EP’s focus single “Di Mo Lang Alam” is inspired by the stories of new friends Dey Rose met in the Philippines. Its smooth, jazzy runs and suave rhythms swoop and slide effortlessly in the background, while the Filipina-Canadian artist’s mesmerizing vocals take the center stage in a rejuvenating light. It’s easily one of the best songs in the record, a balm of sunshine that conceals its very brooding narrative with a tale of caution and hope.

Other must-hear gems include the throwback-sounding jam “Puzzle Piece,” the bluesy ballad “Paulit-ulit,” the vocally arresting tune “When I’m With You,” and the title track “Panting Heart.” The EP’s signature sound feels like a hodgepodge of influences that range from Lolita Carbon to Etta James, Amy Winehouse to Lorde, seamlessly rendered to capture a wide range of emotions strengthened by both experience and technique.

Musically diverse and engaging, Panting Heart serves as a testament to Dey Rose’s incredible maturity as an artist of characteristic composure. It delivers moments of earnest beauty and restraint in equal stride, inhabiting a sense of balance for good measure.

Dey Rose’s Panting Heart EP is now available on all digital and streaming platforms worldwide via Lilystars Records.

Image and details provided by Lilystars Records in a recent press release.

The Bernadettes stage a comeback with new song “Worthless Beautiful”

After more than a decade of absence in the local music scene, The Bernadettes return with a new single under Lilystars Records.

Their latest song “Worthless Beautiful” is another fuzzy, garage rock anthem in the similar vein as their breakout 2009 single “Let’s Make Babies,” but this time, the band documents life under the old normal, reminiscing about drinking the night away with like-minded individuals and enjoying freedom in the best way possible.

Music video for “Worthless Beautiful” by The Bernadettes

Lead vocalist Paolo Angeles shares, “Worthless Beautiful deals with freedom in doing the things you want, the way you want it; no matter how wrong it might feel. The result may be worthless, but there is beauty in its pursuit.”

With the uncertainty of the pandemic affecting the way people lead their lives, “Worthless Beautiful” may come off as a distillation of nostalgia, joy, and helplessness, all rolled into a party that never was. But things are different now, and the sentiments in the song only serve as a figment of a distant memory, a rallying cry in our self-imposed quarantine, a gut-deep wallowing in self-pity.

Taking into account the current social context, The Bernadettes’ latest track functions as both a pre-pandemic recollection and a bittersweet reminder of those years that held promises of eternal youth and fun—snotty punk rock and all.

“Worthless Beautiful” is the first of the four songs that the band has already finished recording with producer Dok Sergio at JNR Studios. According to Paolo, the alternative rock outfit is slated to release a full-length album next year. “The plan is to have the other 3 songs remastered and have them released intermittently,” The Bernadettes’ frontman reveals in a statement. “Of course, we would need to go back to the studio to record more songs. Maybe after the pandemic.”

“Worthless Beautiful” is now out on all digital platforms worldwide via Lilystars Records.

Image and details provided by Lilystars Records in a recent press release.

Ben&Ben to hold online benefit concert for ‘Balik Eskwela’ project

Ben&Ben continues to support vulnerable communities affected by COVID-19 through Balik Eskwela: PuhonPart 2. The nine-piece collective is slated to perform their massive hits for a one-hour live show on October 4, 2020, Sunday at 5pm onwards via simultaneous streams on their official Facebook Page and YouTube Channel.

Following the unprecedented success of Puhon: A Ben&Ben FB Live Event for the COVID-19 Efforts and YouTube Live “Doors” Single Launch + Fundraiser, BalikEskwela: Puhon Part 2 aims to support students and teachers who are “left with limited to no ability to adapt to the changes” implemented in the Philippine education system during the pandemic.

“Ever since the end of the first Puhon, we’ve been aching to help out even more in our own little way,” Ben&Ben lead vocalist and guitarist Miguel Benjamin said. ”And so, when we were figuring out where to help with the myriad of problems in today’s landscape, we eventually zeroed in on helping out a sector that is very close to our hearts: education.”

While the first Puhon gig focuses on COVID-19 response relief efforts, Puhon part 2 prioritizes assistance to the education sector. As Ben&Ben lead vocalist and guitarist Paolo Benjamin puts it, “We have concluded upon analysis that this is one of the areas wherein most help is needed in these times. School in the time of the pandemic is something that none of us expected, and so we will do our best to help out in this major challenge.”

As part of the growing community of artists with a platform of hope and love, Ben&Ben is committed to holding a free online concert to rally support for their fellow countrymen and come up with response efforts specifically for those who are in need.

According to Miguel, this is the first time that Ben&Ben will self-produce a full-length online show during the pandemic, live from the BBTV house. “Expect a very intimate, premium live concert experience straight from our home to yours,” the singer-songwriter said.

The Balik Eskwela: Puhon Part 2 project is the second fundraising initiative of Ben&Ben through their community-driven website, www.puhon.ph, which aims to inspire, uplift and boost the collective morale of all the key stakeholders of the COVID-19 response through uplifting stories, music, art, and more.

The goal of the Balik Eswela Project is to gather funds for:• E-learning and physical supplies that will be distributed to public schools.• Care packages (PPEs and vitamins) for teachers and personnel assigned for distribution of said supplies.• Distribution efforts with localized transport systems that will be coordinated with LGUs.

To know more on how you can be part of Ben&Ben’sfundraising campaign, visit www.puhon.ph or check out the band’s official social media pages.

This event is brought to you by Ben&Ben, Sony Music Philippines, Y4WU Philippines, Planet Drugstore, Limitless Lab, The Spark Project and Brand On Demand.

Image and details provided by Sony Music Philippines in a recent press release.

SKY treats new subscribers to GrabFood discount codes

SKY is giving new subscribers an irresistible treat as it partners with GrabFood—discount codes for their next food delivery when their application gets approved from October 1 to 31, 2020.

Perfect for their next binge-watch and snacking session, this sumptuous offer entitles subscribers to at least two discount codes or more depending on the plan that they have subscribed to.

For every P500 monthly fee of subscribed plan, new subscribers will receive two P69 worth of discounts. For instance, a SKY Fiber Unli Broadband 25Mbps + All in Box plan worth P1,499 will get six GrabFood discount codes with a total value of P414.

Each discount voucher is valid for single use and may be availed of upon checkout for a minimum food order amounting to Php690 on GrabFood. The discount codes will be emailed to new subscribers within three to five days of successful installation of their SKY service.

To avail of this latest SKY promo, subscribe to a SKYcable or SKY Fiber plan via mysky.com.ph within the promo period. For more details about the promo mechanics, visit mysky.com.ph/grabfood.

Image and promo details provided by SKY in a recent press release.

SM Supermalls dedicates “#AweSMLearning Week” for SuperKid-learners nationwide

The school year 2020-2021 is truly extraordinary as families across the country will transform their homes into fun learning spaces for students who will be on homeschool, blending learning, or distance education programs.

With this, SM Supermalls kicks off its annual Kids’ Month celebration via a special “#AweSMLearning Week” dedicated to all SM kiddie shoppers nationwide. From September 28 to October 4, SM Supermalls’ digital pages will feature various homeschooling tips for students of all ages plus smart shopping hacks for parents.

Also, all SM malls will be happy to assist moms and dads who are set to complete their school essentials list – from traditional school supplies like notebooks, pen, and coloring materials; to educational toys and #AweSMLearning gadgets from SM Cyberzone. So never miss all school supply deals and promos at your favorite SM malls!

For more gadget updates, join the #SMTechAndGadgets Viber Community and access SM Cyberzone’s online gadget reservation portal.

Indeed, everything’s here at SM for your SuperKid-learner’s back-to-school needs!

For more details about #AweSMLearning Week and #SMKidsMonth2020, visit smsupermalls.com.

Header photo created by torwaiphoto – www.freepik.com

The Geeks return with new single “The First Time”

After two years of not dropping any new material, indie pop quartet The Geeks are finally making a comeback with the release of their new single “The First Time”—out today via Lilystars Records.

Strumming its way comfortably into slacker and honeyed guitar pop territory, The Geek’s latest song rejects the notion of predictability by going vintage in aesthetic and function, while connecting on an emotional level with newfound grace.

“Our new single in two years is an homage to local Filipino kundiman music – a tribute to a time when we still wrote letters and the internet was non-existent,” vocalist and guitarist Jam Lorenzo shares the inspiration behind their new song. “Partly inspired by the portrayal of young romance in Filipino period films, ‘The First Time’ discusses in vague detail the enduring cliché of being stood up on the eve of a planned elopement.”

With its subtly heartbreaking observations on a kind of love that’s a product of a different time and milieu, “The First Time” shines through more than ever with a sharper, more deeply layered turn in The Geeks’ songwriting style: its sense of defeat is more palpable, and the verses wreck when you’re least prepared.

The Geeks’ “The First Time” is now available on all streaming and digital platforms worldwide.

New food delivery app DeliRush launched in San Juan and Mandaluyong

With a persistent drive in widening its food partner and customer touchpoints while adapting to the new normal and changing customer habits, DeliRush is determined to showcase the flavors of home kitchens and restaurants and to offer local food choices to customers.

Actively operating in the cities of Muntinlupa, Parañaque, Las Piñas, and Baguio, DeliRush, a new food delivery service app, achieves yet another milestone as it expands a branch in the prime areas of San Juan and Mandaluyong. Launched this September 2020, DeliRush San Juan-Mandaluyong is set to acquire and empower local and small foodpreneurs and offer a wide range of food selections to its residents.

As an innovative online platform, DeliRush offers an opportunity for food partners to share their menus and for customers to conveniently order food from an array of neighborhood-favorites and have it delivered at the comfort of their homes.

The DeliRush App

The DeliRush App is a food delivery platform that allows customers to discover an array of food choices and order them conveniently from the app found in Google Play for Android users and App Store for iOS users. Catering to the customers’ cravings, users can order meals or food products and have it delivered at their homes within San Juan and Mandaluyong areas.

Upon downloading the DeliRush App, with a user-friendly interface, the customers can register and activate their app accounts. The ordering process starts with the customer entering the delivery address, selecting meals or food products from preferred home kitchen or restaurant, and placing the order. The order will then be assigned to a rusher partner, the delivery riders of DeliRush. The food partner will be notified and will prepare the order to be picked up by the rusher.

DeliRush App Download Links

For Android: www.bit.ly/DeliRushPHonGooglePlay

For Apple: www.bit.ly/DeliRushPHonAppStore

The DeliRush San Juan-Mandaluyong Difference

DeliRush San Juan-Mandaluyong believes in the potential of every deli – from home kitchens to restaurants. In a tech-driven generation especially during the current pandemic wherein people are encouraged to stay at home, food delivery has been considered as essential. “Offering services in the spirit of empowering local foodpreneurs and supporting them amidst the pandemic, DeliRush is an enabler and supporter for small food businesses and riders in the localities of SJM,” Mr. Noel Lucas, General Manager of the San Juan-Mandaluyong Operations Hub, says.

With a number of huge competitors in the food delivery app services industry, DeliRush San Juan-Mandaluyong is focused on bringing local food choices to its customers. In this way, small food businesses are highlighted and customers have the opportunity to discover new eats and support local foodpreneurs.

Partnership with Jackie Lou Blanco

DeliRush San Juan-Mandaluyong has partnered with Ms. Jackie Lou Blanco, a veteran actress, fitness and wellness advocate, columnist and women’s health supporter. With DeliRush San Juan-Mandaluyong’s official launch last September 10, 2020, Ms. Blanco also launched her new peanut butter line, Jackielou’s Gourmet Nut Butter Artisan.

Like many Filipino professionals, Ms. Blanco, as an actress, has been affected by the pandemic. Given the current situation and with Ms. Blanco’s love for peanut butter, Jackielou’s Gourmet Nut Butter Artisan has been created with the help of her daughter-in-law. Handmade at home, Ms. Blanco sports four peanut butter variants – Sugar Free, Choco Nut, Cinnamon, and Cashew peanut butter.

DeliRush is the exclusive delivery partner of Jackielou’s Gourmet Nut Butter Artisan for San Juan and Mandaluyong. Residents from San Juan-Mandaluyong can now order Ms. Blanco’s peanut butter products through the DeliRush app. For orders from other areas in Metro Manila, customers may visit Jackielou’s Gourmet Nut Butter Artisan’s official Facebook page.

Maris Racal shows her introspective side on new single “Not For Me”

Aside from making a name for herself as one of the breakout young actresses of her generation, Maris Racal has successfully dabbled in writing her own songs and challenging industry expectations with her intimate and refreshing take on pop music. From penning the chart-topping confessional “Ikaw Lang Sapat Na” to collaborating with Rico Blanco on the city pop-influenced ditty “Abot Langit,” Racal is surprisingly an effective chronicler of love anthems for the modern age—a guitar-toting songstress known for balancing commercial appeal with artistic integrity.

Bursting with youthful fervor and charismatic edge, Maris Racal’s latest single “Not For Me” stretches her introspective side of music-making to interesting places, while retaining the accessibility of her recent crossover hits. Her resounding confidence translates perfectly into the musical output, but it’s her conversational and matter-of-fact songwriting style that earns the stripes, revealing a degree of self-assuredness that comes with experience.

Inspired by Britpop acts such as Aqualung and folk-pop chanteuses like Lily Allen and Regina Spektor, Racal wrote “Not For Me” not so much for intriguing unconventionality, but as an outlet to express herself in a way that feels truthful and inherently raw. The driving piano chords and the soaring arrangements give her storytelling a more authentic spin, lending it an effortless breeziness while making sure it doesn’t lessen the emotional impact of the song.

With “Not For Me” putting a spotlight on her songwriting strengths, Maris Racal explores the complexities of romantic uncertainty with a surprisingly nuanced approach—unfiltered, no longer afraid of possibilities, and ready to own the moment.

“Not For Me” is out now on all digital platforms worldwide via Sony Music Philippines.

It’s Hero Time with the new Ben 10 movie on Cartoon Network on 10.10.2020

8.8? 9.9? How about 10.10? The entire galaxy will come to a grinding halt as Cartoon Network’s Ben 10 takes over your screen right on the dot of 10am with the worldwide premiere of “Ben 10 vs. The Universe: The Movie”. Pinoy fans of the much beloved series are expected to experience the most exciting interstellar adventure as they prepare to join Team Tennyson once again!

On Saturday, October 10, fans of the Emmy Award-winning show from across the globe can catch the highly anticipated movie on Cartoon Network, as well as on WarnerMedia channels HBO, HBO Family, Boomerang and Warner TV, and via the streaming service HBO GO.

The action-packed TV movie will focus around a blast from Ben’s past returning to do double the damage on Team Tennyson and planet Earth itself, forcing Ben to go interstellar to save the day. Meanwhile, Gwen and Grandpa Max team up to help protect the world in Ben’s absence. But when our boy hero is confused for the villain in space, Ben must figure out a way to get back to Earth to help save it!

Leading up the movie’s premiere, loyal fans can also enjoy the Ben 10 “Power of 10” stunt airing every Saturday on Cartoon Network. These special episodes feature riveting moments with several of Ben 10’s most forceful adversaries such as Kevin 11, Steam Smythe and Vilgax, the insufferable intergalactic alien warlord. For more fun intergalactic activities, check out the https://ben10.cartoonnetworkasia.com

The series is produced by Cartoon Network Studios and created, and executive produced by Man of Action Entertainment (Big Hero 6, Generator Rex), with John Fang (Mixels, Generator Rex) as executive producer.

Tune in to “Ben 10 vs. The Universe: The Movie” on Saturday, October 10 simulcast on Cartoon Network (SKYcable ch 43SD), HBO (SKYcable ch 54SD), HBO Family (SKYcable ch 102SD), Boomerang (SKYcable ch 42SD), Warner TV (SKYcable ch 34SD) and HBO GO. Just remember – it’s hero time at exactly 10am on 10.10.2020!

Not yet on SKYcable? To subscribe or for more information, fill up this form.

Show details and image provided by Warner Media in a recent press release.

Bryan Estepa deals with life’s curveballs on new song “Admit Now, Pay Later”

Filipino-Australian singer-songwriter Bryan Estepa navigates the process of understanding and coming to terms with life’s curveballs on his brand new single, “Admit Now, Pay Later”—released on September 18, Friday under Lilystars Records / Rock Indiana.

Stripping everything down to essentials while exploring a more sonically adventurous approach to musicality, Estepa deflates any kind of conceit for a song that touches on hindsight and self-reflection. He strives to keep his narrative distinctly more intimate and closer to home without sounding contrived at all.

“Lyrically this song touches on how quickly life can change both for the good and the bad,” the folk rock artist explains. “But just as importantly is how we react to it. There’s never gonna be a perfect response to life’s curve balls but we just deal with it the best we can.”

Having been inspired by phrases and passages that he encountered or read on a daily basis, Bryan Estepa remembers being instantly drawn seeing the sign “Admit Now, Pay Later.” He particularly likes the incongruity in its meaning: the idea of diving into the deep end, of being courageous and dealing with what may come from it later on. He shares, “It was also one of the few songs that was born during the heaviest period of the COVID lockdowns here in Sydney and I had a really unexpected creative burst. When that happens, I try to ride the wave as long as I can.”

Driven by intricately playful instrumentation and wistful alt-country melodies, “Admit Now, Pay Later” feels more like an extension of Bryan Estepa’s remarkable consistency as a songwriter and musician. With guidance from multiple ARIA and APRA-award winning producer, Josh Pyke, Estepa’s new track blends tenderness with immaculate precision, revealing its charm even the first time you listen to it. He reveals, “The final version is a lot more layered than my original idea but that’s the beauty of music and the way it can evolve in beautiful and unexpected ways.”

“Admit Now, Pay Later” is out now on all digital and streaming platforms worldwide via Lilystars Records.