Virtual YouTube FanFest Philippines returns
THE VIRTUAL edition of YouTube FanFest (YTFF) returns for its second year in the Philippines, presented by Globe and All Things Hair PH by Unilever. The online event will be divided into three episodes streaming live from Aug. 27 to 29 at 6 p.m. on the YouTube FanFest channel (www.youtube.com/fanfest). YTFF went virtual last year because of the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. YTFF is putting a spotlight on creators from Cebu this year. The first episode, dubbed “Island Life,” features Cebuano creators Medyo Maldito, Raphiel Shannon, and Snake Princess who will take fans on an adventure in the island of Cebu. Indai Allyn, G-FORCE and The Juans will join them, while Mikey Bustos will be present across the three episodes. On the second episode, called “Everyone is Beautiful,” lifestyle and beauty creators About RAF, Andree Bonifacio, Hazel Quing, itsclaudineco, Lesha, Madam Ely, Raiza Contawi, ThatsBella, and Tita Krissy Achino will take viewers on a series of challenges and collaborations. For “The Finale,” some creators from the first and second days will come together with Benedict Cua, chef RV Manabat, Natalia Guerrero, Niana Guerrero, Ranz Kyle, Reneé Dominique, Simpol, SB19, Team Lyqa, and Zack Tabudlo to celebrate diversity, togetherness, and a special entertainment experience. Some creators will have virtual meet and greet moments in September after the FanFest event. These will be announced on their social media accounts. For more information, visit http://www.youtubefanfest.com.
Rock band Polymerase releases 1st music video
THE ROCK band Polymerase, started by brothers Vincent and VN Jose in 2014, has released its first music video for the single, “A Night with a Succubus.” The song is the second track on the group’s demo release called Unostentatious. The EP was released on March 20 has received positive reviews by different independent rock web-based pages within the genre’s community. The video can be viewed on the group’s page: https://www.facebook.com/polymerasepilipinas. The group — composed of VN Jose, vocals; Vincent Jose, guitars and bass; and new drummer Ziggy Cerda — is expecting its next album to be released under an independent international label by the end of the year.
Julie Anne San Jose releases cover of Hale song
ACTRESS-singer Julie Anne San Jose released her version of Hale’s hit single “Kung Wala Ka.” The melodramatic song talks about the aftermath of being left by someone with whom you have built a life and the hardship of moving forward. Since its release on Aug. 20, the song has entered iTunes Philippine Chart at Top 3, and has been featured by music digital stores such as Spotify New Music Friday, Apple Music Absolute OPM, Apple Music OPM Slider, and YouTube Music New Release Mix. “Kung Wala Ka” is available on Spotify and Apple Music.
LOIR releases debut single
FILIPINA R&B artist LOIR has released her debut solo single “Sakay.” Brimming with beats and deep, laid-back grooves, the exciting newcomer’s latest song touches on the playful, romantic side of getting to know someone during a road trip in the countryside. “Most of my songs are confessional in nature, so I make sure to sing from the heart and interpret the message clearly, but without sacrificing my own music style,” said the singer in a press release. Before signing up with Sony Music Philippines, the R&B singer-songwriter had collaborated with some of the biggest names in the local hip-hop/R&B scene, including Gloc-9 and Guddhist Gunatita. “Sakay” is out on all digital music platforms.
New Space Jam on HBO GO in Sept.
BASKETBALL champion and global icon LeBron James is joined by Bugs Bunny and the Looney Tunes in the stand-alone sequel to the original Space Jam, Space Jam: A New Legacy, which will start streaming on HBO GO from Sept. 3. The film is a manic mashup of the real world and animation that reveals just how far some parents will go to connect with their kids. When LeBron James and his young son Dom are trapped in a digital space by a rogue A.I. (artificial intelligence), LeBron must get them home safe by leading Bugs, Lola Bunny, and the gang of undisciplined Looney Tunes to victory over the A.I.’s digitized roster of professional basketball superstars. Space Jam: A New Legacy also features Don Cheadle, Khris Davis, Sonequa Martin-Green, and Zendaya.
Free BTS poster, paper bags in Smart promo
SMART and K-pop group BTS have come up with a limited Special Edition Prepaid Kit. The Smart + BTS Special Edition Prepaid Kit comes with an exclusive free poster, P400 worth of prepaid load, and a SIM pack with up to 9 GB free data. Smart Prepaid subscribers can also collect seven glossy paper bag designs featuring all seven members of BTS. The promo will be available starting Aug. 24 via the Smart Online Store and Smart Official Stores in Lazada, Shopee, and GrabMart. The Smart + BTS Special Edition Prepaid Kit will also be made available at Smart Stores depending on the quarantine status by Aug. 31. For more information, visit https://smart.com.ph/prepaid.
GMA’s Entertainment website ups traffic growth
GMA Network goes beyond free TV as the GMA Entertainment website posted traffic growth, with July registering a 49% increase in page views and 24% in user growth. The site’s page views increased 138% from January. The numbers driven by the Entertainment website for July greatly impacted the performance of the GMA Network portal (www.GMANetwork.com), which likewise posted its highest traffic performance. The portal, which consists of the Entertainment site along with GMA News Online, delivered total of 291 million page views in July. First Yaya, GMA’s top-rating primetime series which recently concluded its story on TV, was the website’s most popular show in terms of video views in July in the Full Episodes site. In terms of popularity, First Yaya was followed by Ang Dalawang Ikaw, The World Between Us, Endless Love, and Legal Wives.
