Category: pop music

All-girl group is the latest Pinoy pop music act to burst onto the scene.

The year 2022 will go down as the year that Pinoy pop has established itself as a music style and movement.

One only has to look at the local music landscape to know that there’s no other music style out there today that sounds and looks as exciting as Pinoy pop. Of course, we’ll never discount other styles such as Pinoy rock, R&B, ballads, straight pop and everything in between, but it simply is just Pinoy pop’s time.

Known as P-pop, we now have a melange of music acts out there that champion P-pop; SB19, BGYO, ALAMAT, Boiz, BINI, LITZ, P-Pop Generation, KAIA, VXON (Vision), Eric Ejercito, Ace Banzuelo, DAYDREAM, G22, 1st.ONE and that’s just the active ones (that we know of) that put releases this year. That doesn’t count the long list of music acts that went before, the proverbial progenitors of P-pop.

And just before 2022 closes, a new group has been launched and you guessed it, It’s P-pop.

Emerging is the all girl-group BLVCK ACE – a sing and dance quintet that includes sassy named members Anasity, Ely, Jea, Rhen and Twinkle., The group comes under the Blvck Entertainment talent management agency and the group was recently launched with the announcement and release of their debut single. According to the talent management outfit, as their first ever group, BLVCK ACE are the bubbly, colorful aces-in-the-hole of Blvck Entertainment.

Just like any group worth their salt, BLVCK ACE (with the stylized spelling Black, duh) went through training and talent improvement workshops and camps as spearheaded by their mothership in Blvck Entertainment.

According to the newly emerged talent management group, the girls “has trained intensely in singing, dancing and acting for several months to be fully prepared to join the growing P-pop group craze in the music industry.” And even as BLVCK ACE has released their first single, “they are still being supervised closely so that they can continuously improve and develop their skills and talents.”

Blvck Ace certainly makes its case as an all girl group to watch out for through their debut track titled “Pasahero.” This bright sounding pop song is bubbly, upbeat and is bursting with energy, just like the group behind it. The group themselves describe their music to be “positive, and giving good vibes to all who listens to it.” Adding that, “’Pasahero’ is a tribute to the ever-reliable transport service drivers.” The kuya tricycle, jeepney and taxi drivers nod is admirable as BLVCK ACE sings in unison, “Ikaw ang aking pasahero / ako ang syang magmamaneho / at ako ang superhero na taga payo mo sa t’wing akala mo tinatalikuran ka na ng mundo,” as thumping beats, pop rock guitars gloriously carry those BLVCK ACE voices into the song’s catchy choruses.

BLVCK ACE and “Pasahero” are produced and released under the Blvck Music label which is the music platform of Blvck Entertainment. The music label and talent management outfit is a entrepreneurial venture by Louie and Grace Cristobal. The Blvck Entertainment and music brand are “determined to give deserving talents fulfill their dreams.”

As for BLVCK ACE, the road for these P-pop pasaheros looks wide and open. Not to mention colorful.

In my journey through the 7″ Singles in my collection, we are to one I don’t know when or where I ever bought this one. The single is for Hall & Oates song “Out of Touch”. I do like Hall & Oates and this song so I’m sure I bought it, but for the life of me can’t remember anything. I do know this was the first single off the band’s 1984 album ‘Big Bam Boom’. It was the band’s last #1 song and it was their 14th Consecutive Top 40 hit since 1980. That was a pretty impressive run.

The song was written by Daryl Hall and John Oates. The chorus had come to John when he was playing around on his synthesizer and thought it would be great for the band The Stylistics since had this whole Philly swing to it. The producer of their album, Bob Clearmountain, thought differently the next in the studio and said they have a hit. Well, he was right, they did.

My copy is the standard U.S. version and the B-Side is another album tracks called “Cold, Dark And Yesterday”. What I find interesting about my copy is the wear & tear on the piece of vinyl. Is that circular fading a result of being played a million times in a Jukebox or regular turntable. I would think a Jukebox as whatever was grabbing it wore off the label. But it still plays beautifully with no pops or any other noises.

A-SIDE:

The song is about two people who have drifted apart and no fault of their own, they are just growing in different directions. The line…”We’re soul alone / And soul really matters to me /Too much”…sums it all up. For Hall & Oates, “Soul” is important and a big theme for the band. If you are alone and soul isn’t growing, then it is time to move on and that is basically the theme to the song. The couple aren’t good for each other’s soul anymore and they out of touch with each other despite that they still love each other. Time to move on.

“Out of Touch” is a great little pop song. This is 1984 and it is full of synthesizers but the guitar work is still great as you have G.E. Smith on the guitar. There is a Philly, soulful sound and Daryl Hall masterfully delivers the lyrics with his smooth vocals that hit you in your soul. It is a great pop song

B-SIDE:

The B-Side is the song “Cold, Dark And Yesterday” off the ‘Big Bam Boom’ album. It is more synthesized out than the “Out of Touch”. John Oates sings this one and he was the sole songwriter as well. The drum is electronically programmed as well and it is an irritating beat in my opinion. There is nothing catchy about it, the chorus is weak and the electronic elements really turn me off from this one. Not a great song to compliment the A-Side in my opinion.

And there you have it, another 7″ Single in the collection. I am starting to run low, so might need to buy some more when I see some good ones. Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

© Provided by Zee News

New Delhi: Kantara’s most popular and loved song, ‘Varaha Roopam’ is now officially back in the film. Amidst the dispute, now the song is available for listeners to enjoy. The song Varaha Roopam has been a fan favorite since the time it was released and every single one of them has thoroughly enjoyed the music of the song. 

Today, Kantara is bigger than ever. Everything about the film has been widely appreciated by the audience. Kantara’s storyline has been spreading like a wildfire and the audience around all quarters are relishing it. The movie has completed 50 days and is still running in 1000+ screens globally. The film has completed 50 days in Australia, the UK, Canada, UAE, and the USA as well. In India, the movie is still being played across 900+ screens.

Kantara is a sumptuous meal that one should not miss. It is a perfect culmination of craft, culture and technical brilliance at display. It is that rare piece of Southern India that you would have barely witnessed or heard about. And is worthy of every piece of accolade and appreciation, it is received from everywhere.

A stage musical about feminist princesses that uses hit songs by Britney Spears will open on Broadway this summer.

nce Upon A One More Time, featuring Spears’ hits, including Oops!… I Did It Again, Lucky, Stronger and Toxic, will start performances in May at the Marquis Theatre in New York.

The musical has an original story written by Jon Hartmere about classic fairy tale princesses — Cinderella, Snow White and The Little Mermaid among them — who are transformed after reading The Feminine Mystique, a landmark feminist text.

Once Upon A One More Time first played at the Washington-based Shakespeare Theatre Company, known for its more stately offerings. It will be directed and choreographed by Keone and Mari Madrid. The cast will be announced at a later date.

Using already proven, popular songs to fuel a musical on Broadway has recently led to shows with music from The Temptations, Bob Dylan, The Go Go’s, Tina Turner and Alanis Morissette.

Many of Spears’ hits are in &Juliet — a jukebox musical now on Broadway that celebrates one of her writing partners and producers, Max Martin.

The musical is another step in the independence of Spears after her conservatorship case garnered national attention amid her attempts to regain control over her finances and livelihood.

The enduring appeal of former X Factor contestant Olly Murs (in 2009, he was runner-up to Joe McElderry) is no surprise.

Albeit not as abrasive or divisive, he is cut from the same cloth as Robbie Williams: outwardly a cheeky, cheery chappie, full of charm and chatter. It’s no wonder that over the past 13 years he has successfully juggled a pop star calling (Marry Me is his seventh album) with a string of lucrative presenting jobs on television.

In fairness, Murs is one of those rare X Factor alumni who, from the very start of his recording career, ensured his name was included in the songwriting credits.

However, if there’s a trick to his continued success it is staying true to not just formulaic pop songs but also adhering to the public view of him as one of life’s nice guys.

Marry Me is full of such clichés and perceptions, but Murs (and/or his management) has been canny enough to team up with the songwriting duo of Jessica Agombar and David Stewart (not the Eurythmics guy), who in 2020 wrote Dynamite, the immensely successful song for K-pop stars BTS.

The timing, you might say, is perfect, as due to South Korea’s compulsory military service, BTS are now on hiatus until 2025. Expect, then, generic pop music with one eye closed with a cheesy wink, and the other eye wide open, seeking out, laser-style, chart positions.