Gloc-9 has outdone himself in Liham at Lihim

Last year, Gloc-9 scored big when he released his single Sirena (featuring Ebe Dancel) became a phenomenal hit and a critics’ favorite. Sirena, which tackles the life of gays in a different and inspiring light, also became the favorite collaboration song among the biggest live concert artists like Regine Velasquez, Ogie Alcasid, Noel Cabangon, among others.

The album Mga Kuwento Ng Makata, which scored a Gold Record award for its outstanding sales, also included the hits Bakit Hindi (with Billy Crawford), Hindi Mo Nadinig (with Jay Durias), among others. The said album was named Album of the Year in the recently-concluded Star Awards for Music.

Gloc-9’s outstanding feat last year is hard to top, but for the rapper’s latest release Liham at Lihim, it is easy to say that indeed the wordsmith has outdone himself in his latest release. In the album, Gloc-9 plays with other possible ways of telling timely stories, but never really talked about.

Magda, the first single to be released from Liham at Lihim and a collaboration with OPM young icon Rico Blanco, is the perfect example of this experimentation, where the storyteller is not the rapper, as it is another persona Ernesto, who has found the girl he had lost in Magda. That he finds the latter as an adult woman, working nights on a stage, with only her shoes on, is all that we know about what Magda does. And while she might be the star of this song, it is Ernesto who speaks for and about her, and Magda's silence is what fills the rest of the song.

The music video of Magda, featuring Jennylyn Mercado and Alex Medina, instantly entered the MYX Daily only a day after its premiere.

Proof of Gloc-9’s success as a storyteller and recording artist is the phenomenal outpouring of support during Liham at Lihim’s album launch last Saturday, October 26 at the Eastwood Central Plaza, where thousands of fans attended and celebrated the album’s little secrets and letters.


Magda and the rest of Liham at Lihim will prove that songwriting and creativity still make for the songs that are relevant not just because these sound contemporary, but because these engage nation in intelligent conversation.


 Tracklist:

Huminahon Ka (featuring Sly Kane)
Takip Silim (featuring Regine Velasquez-Alcasid)
KMT (featuring Eunice Jorge of Gracenote)
Magda (featuring of Rico Blanco)
Rap Ka Nga
Kuwento Mo
Tsinelas sa Putikan (featuring Marc Abaya)
Siga (featuring Quest)
Hindi Sapat (featuring Denise Barbacena)
Katulad Ng Iba (featuring Zia Quizon)
Kunwari (featuring Kamikazee, Biboy Garcia of Queso and Manuel Legarda of Wolfgang)
Itak Ni Andres


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Moonstar88 and Luke Mejares among winners at the 5th PMPC Star Awards for Music

The 5th Star Awards for Music by the Philippine Movie Press Club (PMPC) was held last Saturday, October 13 at the Solaire Resort in Pasay City and among the winners are Ivory Music & Video artists Moonstar88 and Luke Mejares.

Bursting with melodic guitar riffs and sweet vocals, Moonstar88’s latest record “This Year” wins “Alternative Album of the Year”. “This Year is a very solid album. It has a little bit of everything that we've grown and evolved into, musically,” said the band. “We'd like to thank God, our families, the Moonstareros, Ivory Music & Video, our album producers — Chito Miranda, Jomal Linao, Allan Burdeos & Allan Montero, the studios — Pink Noise, Blue Light and Tower Of Doom, our manager Darwin Hernandez, road manager Jasmin Macaraeg, Soupstar Family and the late Richard Tan of Backbeat.”

Another Ivory Music artist dancing his way to the top is Luke Mejares who won “RnB Artist of the Year”. The Kasayaw singer took to his Facebook page to express his gratitude to all those behind this award, “I would like to thank the members of The Philippine Movie Press Club (PMPC) for recognizing my work in the music industry. It was such an honor to be considered & ultimately chosen as the "R&B ARTIST OF THE YEAR". To Ivory Music & Video, producers, sponsors & to all of you who have continually given your support, THANK YOU!!! MABUHAY ANG PMPC, MABUHAY ANG OPM!”

Luke’s third solo album KASAYAW includes all-time favorite OPMs songs popularized by Randy Santiago, Rico J. Puno, Ogie Alcasid and VST & Company. The songs in the album were produced by True Faith’s bassist Bimbo Yance, in which a different side of him was exposed through this unique collaboration.

THIS YEAR and KASAYAW is still available in major record stores nationwide! Also available for online download on iTunes.

Be updated with your favorite local and international artists! Visit IVORY Music & Video’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/ivorymusicandvideophilippines!

The CompanY is holding a ‘KPub’ party

The country’s premiere vocal group The CompanY has a lot to celebrate these days – a sold-out Rewind. Play. Fast Forward show at the Music Museum last month, various nominations and wins at various award giving bodies, a soon-to-be-released album and a forthcoming US tour.

In celebration of these victories, The CompanY will be having two special shows this October 11 and 18, 10 p.m., at KPub Global City, The Fort, billed Party with The CompanY.

The country’s vocal group will be performing some of the most enjoyable tunes from different genres, and generation, which will surely set everyone to party mood. Also included in the repertoire are the favorite hits from The CompanY.

For reservations, contact KPub at 8471961 or 8473098. Admission is P500, inclusive of entrance and two drinks.

Guess who loves Christmas Shopping at The SM Store

Christmas is just around the corner & The SM Store is already feeling generous!

We're giving away P5,000 to 1 lucky winner who can guess who our Christmas endorser is!

Mechanics:

1. Watch the video (The SM Store Love Christmas Teaser) & guess the name of The SM Store’s Christmas endorser.
2. Like & share the teaser video on your Facebook with the caption “(your guess) loves Christmas shopping at The SM Store!”
3. Make sure your Facebook profiles are on Public to be eligible to win.

Protecting your mobile assets

Protecting your mobile assets
Why it’s time for you to start insuring your mobile phone

There are a myriad of reasons why consumers today would opt to get an insurance policy. Breadwinners may want to protect themselves and their families in case they get injured or sick. Others may want to cover their worldly possessions like cars, houses, properties, yachts, jewelry, and paintings.

On the other hand, Hollywood diva Jennifer Lopez and Victoria’s Secret Angel turned Project Runway host Heidi Klum thought it wise to protect their physical assets. Heidi Klum’s legs are insured for $2.2 million, while J.Lo’s famous derrière is worth a staggering $27 million.

With a gadget insurance program, you know exactly what to do in times like this

No matter how bizarre the circumstances are, acquiring an insurance program to protect what matters most can help ease worries away. And with the degree of attachment Filipinos are now giving their mobile phones, it makes great sense for mobile phone users to start considering insuring their handsets as well.

And this is especially true when mobile gadgets have gone from mere luxury to social necessities. More than a high-definition, multimedia business phone, it has become a communicator, navigator, educator, health watcher, babysitter, and the hottest status symbol.

Nowadays, some, if not most, people get serious anxiety attacks when they leave their smartphones at home, let alone lose or break them. Mobile phones are now considered big investments, ranging from P15,000.00 for the mid-end devices all the way to a whopping P50,000.00 for the high-end ones with the latest cameras boasting of the highest megapixels.

Unfortunately, the pricier they are, the more susceptible they are to accidents and cases of robbery. These sleek and stylish gadgets can easily fall into the toilet, slip out of the hand onto the pavement, or get drenched in the water during the rainy season. And of course, there’s the looming threat of theft with your smartphone as the much-coveted prize. These incidents are so common that we all know someone who lost or damaged his or her mobile device at some point.

According to statistics, from over 500 serviced claims covered by telco giant Globe Telecom to date, 81% were due to theft; 48% of which happened in public vehicles or while commuting, 35% in public places such as malls, restaurants, and bars, and 17% in private places like at home, office, in a hotel room, and in private cars. And as Christmastime nears, expect these troubling numbers to increase. So how can mobile phone users mitigate the high-cost of losing or breaking a prized mobile phone? Sign up for a comprehensive mobile phone insurance.

Gadget insurance is a growing trend among telco companies worldwide -- proof that a mobile insurance policy is now a very relevant product for all mobile phone owners in this day and age.

In partnership with global insurance provider Ace Insurance, Globe launched the first-ever mobile phone protection program in the country, Globe Gadget Care. The revolutionary product is offered exclusively to Globe postpaid subscribers.

Free 1-month coverage for new and re-contracting subscribers
And as an early Christmas gift for subscribers for a wonderful and hassle-free experience with their mobile phones, Globe Postpaid is extending a free one-month subscription to all new and re-contracting customers availing of a new handset to allow them to experience Globe Gadget Care.

This free 1-month offer is spot-on because people tend to be extra careful and sensitive when using brand-new phones. They take extra precaution when bringing it to public places and conscientiously buy protective cases to avoid scratches and dents. But in reality, theft and accidental damages are ultimately out of one’s control.

“The mobile phone is definitely a big investment for more people these days. It is even an extension of one’s self, so it’s definitely worth protecting it with an insurance program that will make you confident and secure,” said Globe Head of Postpaid Raul Macatangay. “Globe Gadget Care is another breakthrough service from Globe that offers comprehensive coverage for mobile phone theft and accidental damage, giving subscribers a worry-free experience when using their prized handsets.”

For as low as P89 per month, subscribers can continue enjoying the benefits of the comprehensive coverage after the free 1-month coverage, which can protect devices against accidental damage, theft or robbery, and outstanding postpaid bill balance.  The mobile protection program also guarantees hassle-free handset replacement, easy claims processing, and worldwide protection coverage for all subscribers.

To know more about Globe Gadget Care, call the Globe Gadget Care Hotline (02)7565400 or toll-free 1-800-8-7565400, or visit www.globe.com.ph/gadgetcare or any Globe Store nationwide.

Gloc-9 rises with “Magda” from Liham at Lihim

We might say that Pinoy rap is going through a revival. What we must know is how different Gloc-9's kind of rap remains, regardless.

At the heart of Gloc-9's icon is the fact of his creativity. This is a rapper who dares writes songs from nation, trailing an eye on the things we fail to see, listening to words no one else hears.

If the first single off his new album Liham at Lihim is any indication, then Gloc-9 has again raised the bar for songwriting in general, Pinoy rap in particular.

A collaboration with rock icon Rico Blanco, “Magda” is Gloc-9's storytelling at its best. For one thing, he doesn't take on the persona of Magda; instead he speaks as Ernesto, telling the story of Magda – the little of it that he knows. For another, Magda's story doesn't unfold easily, where many things are left unsaid, and much of what is truth happens in a letter. This is also why Gloc-9 thinks “Magda” the best choice for a carrier single, given the CD's title.

But Magda's complexity, as Liham at Lihim suggests, is borne of the fact that she is trapped in what she does, and we cannot understand why. Gloc-9 doesn't insist that we understand it, but through Ernesto we are being made to see the sadness in this situation, the nostalgia for the past, the longing for better.

Talking about the inspiration for the song, Gloc-9 says: “I was thinking of reasons why a daughter who was most precious to her father, could end up living the life of a prostitute. One line from the chorus goes “Magdalena, anong problema? / Alam naman natin na dati kang Nena / at sa ‘yong ama, ikaw ay prinsesa.”

That chorus is sung by Blanco, something that Gloc-9 is grateful for. “Rico is one of the most talented singers we have right now, and even though I wrote the song, Rico is the only one who can sing the chorus the way he does and bring to the song his own uniqueness. Sobrang galing,” he says.

“Magda” reminds us that there are many difficult stories to tell, and very few who dare tell it the way Gloc-9 and Rico Blanco do. This song reminds us that there are no judgements, as there are questions. And there is no right and wrong, as there is need and love. If not hope.

Without a doubt, Pinoy rap's going through a revival. With “Magda” and all of Liham at Lihim, Gloc-9 proves he is in a class all his own.

Liham at Lihim will be released in October 2013. This is Gloc-9's second album with Universal Records after 2012's Mga Kwento ng Makata and the critically-acclaimed hit single “Sirena.” Liham at Lihim features Gloc-9 collaborations with Regine Velasquez-Alcasid, Quest, Marc Abaya, Zia Quizon, Kamikazee, Eunice of Gracenote, Denise Barbacena, and Sly Kane.

ALBUM PREVIEW

Fashion Photography Clinic Complete with Raymund Isaac

PCCI Institute of Photography presents the Special One-Time Only 5-Day Intensive Workshop 


Fashion Photography Clinic Complete with Raymund Isaac
on October 4, 11, 18 /  November 8, 15

One field that will always rely on a skilled photographer to present it in the best light is the fashion industry. Digital cameras and image editors can never replace a fashion photographer who knows and understands styling, makeup, directing, and execution of a visual concept, and not just posing a model.

This special, one-time, comprehensive clinic produced by famous fashion and celebrity photographer Raymund Isaac immerses the student in the tiniest details of a fashion shoot, whether for an advertising or editorial layout.

"Shooting the layout" is the easy way out for a photographer, but directing and taking complete control over a fashion shoot distinguishes one photographer from another, which is what clients look for.

Participants have the option of signing up for all five (ideal) sessions or for any three sessions. Enrolment in the last session (Open Shoot) requires enrolment in at least one of the first four sessions.


Five-day clinic coverage
(Maximum 15 participants per day)

October 4:
Lighting For Fashion + Advertising + Portraits + Magazine
(session with model)
Instructor: Raymund Isaac

October 11:
Styling For Photo Shoots
(session with model)
Instructor: Raymund Isaac with stylist

October 18:
Make Up For Photo Shoots
(session with model)
Instructor: Raymund Isaac with makeup artist

November 8:
Directing Models + Conceptual Photo Shoot
(session with model)
Instructor: Raymund Isaac

November 15:
Actual Application (Open Shoot) with Makeup, Hair, and Stylist
(with male and female models)
Instructor: Raymund Isaac
(requires registration in at least one of the other Clinic classes)

Requirement
Participants must bring a point-and-shoot camera and an SLR or mirrorless/CSC (compact system camera). This is required of all participants.

Maximum 15 participants per session.

Who will benefit
Mainly, professional photographers who are doing or intend to do fashion photography for publications and advertisers
Portrait photographers
In-house photography staff of newspapers and magazines

Prerequisites
Completion of the PCCI basic photography workshop or equivalent
Working knowledge of basic camera functions, parts, and accessories

Lecturer
Raymund Isaac has been in the advertising, fashion and beauty business for 30 years. His expertise includes photography, directing music videos, art and creative direction, visual marketing consultancy, production design and teaching. He is president of Portfolio Photography & Studio Inc., publisher of Where Magazine, Canon camera brand ambassador, and current president of the Photographers' Guild of the Philippines.

Raymund will be assisted by a noted stylist and makeup artist from the advertising and editorial fields on the days indicated.

Class hours
Class hours will be from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Workshop Fee
P4,500 per whole day session (Last day requires enrolment in at least one other session)
P18,000 for five days (20% discount)
P12,150 for any three days (10% discount)
Class fees include lunch and snacks.
Includes certificate of attendance for each class.

Inquiry & registration
If you're interested, phone us at (2) 759-3087, or email us:inquiry@pcci.com.ph.
You can also visit our website: http://pcci.com.ph/slide/pcci-specialclass-fashion.html

SM Men’s Fashion unveils David Gandy

Male supermodel set to sizzle in brand’s biggest campaign to date

SM MEN’S FASHION brings another meaning to its name by adding an internationally renowned male ‘supermodel’ to its growing roster of brand icons. British model David Gandy has officially been announced as the face of SM Men’s Fashion, and is set to arrive in the country this October to headline the brand’s biggest campaign to date.

The blue-eyed, chiseled model from Essex, United Kingdom first catapulted to international stardom after headlining a series of high profile campaigns, the most notable of which are for Dolce and Gabbana’s  “Light Blue” fragrance and Johnny Walker Blue Label. David has also graced the cover of countless magazines, including the international editions of Vogue, Details, GQ and Men’s Health among others.

Once in Manila, David is slated to walk the ramp for SM Men’s Fashion during Philippine Fashion Week. Temperatures will definitely rise as he joins the brand’s already recognizable endorsers like Hideo Muraoka, Daniel Matsunaga, Fabio Ide and Rafael Do Prado.

A real fashion coup, Gandy’s partnership with SM Men’s Fashion has created a buzz in recent months, with speculations of his arrival to Philippine shore being a hot topic among fashionistas and netizens all over the country – even before this announcement was made. “Finally, the secret is out. We are glad to announce that David (Gandy) is officially part of SM Men’s Fashion, and we invite everyone to stay tuned to our future campaign, where our latest endorser will exemplify how it is to be a sensible and stylish man of the modern times,” says Ayen Florendo, SM Men’s Fashion assistant vice-president for marketing.

For more on David Gandy and SM Men’s Fashion, you may like www.facebook.com/smmensfashion, www.facebook.com/TheSMStore or follow @sm_mensfashion and @thesmstore on Twitter.