Christian Bautista celebrates birthday, sings theme of new GMA series

Asia’s Romantic Balladeer Christian Bautista, who is celebrating his birthday today, October 19, has been tapped by GMA to sing the theme of the Kapuso Network’s biggest Korean series “Empress Ki.” The series’ theme song is “Up Where We Belong,” a cut from the soon-to-be-released album of Christian under Universal Records entitled “Soundtrack.”

The series will start airing tomorrow, October 20, on GMA Telebabad. The series is reminiscent of GMA hit Korean dramas like “Jewel in the Palace.”

Currently, Christian is busy taping for the primetime series “Strawberry Lane,” hosting “Marian,” and performing on “Sunday All Stars.”

Next month, Christian will launch his newest album “Soundtrack,” which contains memorable themes from the most romantic films of all time. He will be joined by some of the hottest female recording artists in the album.

Sponge Cola reaches new milestones

After nabbing the Best Rock Group and Best Rock Album awards from the recently-concluded 2014 Star Awards for Music for their hit album “Ultrablessed,” Sponge Cola continues to reach new career milestones.

Recently, Sponge Cola headlined the Google PH’s “Google Mo Lang” campaign http://www.google.com.ph/campaigns/googlemolang/, which aims to promote Google Search. The band was joined by celebrity chef Erwann Heusaff, and social media stars Mickey Bustos and Bogart the Explorer).

The success of the band continues to be acknowledged by different brands, as they recently nabbed an endorsement deal with Unisilver Time.

The band’s current album “Ultrablessed” has already spawned numerous hits like  “Anting-Anting,” a collaboration with Gloc-9, “Singapore Sling (Dahil Kilala Na Kita),” Yael Yuzon and Karylle’s wedding song, and its current single “+63,” which featured Yeng Constantino and topped three MYX Music Charts (Daily Top 10, Pinoy MYX Countdown and Myx Hit Charts) for almost a month.

Another song from the album will be out in a matter of weeks.

An exciting collaboration between the band and rap duo QYork has also been released.

Sponge Cola also invades the small screen as their previous single “XGF” was chosen to be the theme of Coca- Cola’s new TV ad with Enchong Dee and Kim Chiu.

The band’s earlier hit “Bitiw” is also having second wind as “Pedro Penduko” is being re-aired on ABS-CBN. “Bitiw” was the fantasy series’ theme song.

In appreciation of the support of Sponge Cola fans, the band has also launched new shirts, which are available during gigs and online via towerofdoom.net.

The band’s vocalist Yael Yuzon is also making his movie debut in the latest edition of “Shake Rattle and Roll,” which opens this Christmas Day.

For updates about the band, please like their Facebook site www.facebook.com/spongecola.

Gloc-9 and Vinci Montaner drop some dancing in “Businessman”

Anyone who has watched Gloc-9 at a live gig would know that one of the most well-received songs that get audiences on their feet is one of his oldest, telling us all to move our bodies and dance, to lighten the load of life.

On his 17th year in the music business, and after seven full length all-original albums, Gloc-9 goes back to some dance rap, bringing with him Vinci Montaner of Parokya Ni Edgar. Montaner has taken a breather from band life, but said yes to “Businessman,” a dance tune that speaks of an uncanny love between a rich girl and a poor boy, and how this difference is bound by nation that allows this disparity.

The rest of the song speaks of the unbelievable breadth of the girl’s wealth, with rooms full of money that isn’t counted and wallets are only for one thousand bills, where cars are a plenty and food is laid out on the dining table like there’s always a party. The girl is does not question how this money is earned, and where it comes from – her father is in a business that earns them billions.

In that world where everything’s served her on a silver platter, this girl wishes for what she has not experienced: to ride public transport and get her hands on some change, to try doing the laundry. The boy is enamored with her, surprised at the everyday things the girl wants to experience, where the things that are new to her is a way of life for him.

Yet “Businessman” is no easy love song, as it is one that’s layered with such a huge disparity between the rich girl and poor boy, that one can only wonder: what business is the girl’s father in, that allows him such wealth?

“Businessman” featuring Vinci Montaner will be launched on MYX on October 17 2014, Friday at 6:00PM. The music video features Winwyn Marquez. “Businessman” is part of Gloc-9’s DVD release “Biyahe ng Pangarap” to premier in November.

Richard Poon sings hits of Burt Bacharach in new album

The country’s premiere crooner Richard Poon interprets some of Burt Bacharach’s biggest hits in her new album aptly titled “The Crooner Sings Bacharach.” This is Richard’s second album with Universal Records, after the album “Legends,” which was awarded Gold.

The album consists of 12 Bacharach classics including “What The World Needs Now,” “I Say A Little Prayer,” “Don’t Make Me Over,” “Close To You,” “Raindrops Keeps Falling On My Head,” among others.

“I think this is the best album I’ve ever done ever kasi even my record label executives are raving about it,” shares Richard. “It’s a nice album taas kamay ko sa mga arrangers ko.”

“The Crooner Sings Bacharach” will have an album launch this October 3, Friday, Shangrila Plaza East Wing. Advanced copies of the album will be sold at the venue.



THE CROONER SINGS BACHARACH
1. Always Something There To Remind Me
2. The Look Of Love
3. A House Is Not Home
4. What The World Needs Now Is Love
5. Alfie
6. Walk On By
7. Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)
8. Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head
9. I Say A Little Prayer
10. Don't Make Me Over
11. You'll Never Get To Heaven
12. (They Long To Be) Close To You

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