Having been in the Philippines for more than 20 years to date, Alfonso Brandy has always been known for its premium ingredients and imported quality. Made from the finest grapes of Spain’s La Mancha region and aged in the biggest single bodega in Jerez, Alfonso Brandy has made its way into more Filipino homes, and has now expanded its market – ang tropang Alfie.
As a way to thank and celebrate tropang Alfie, Alfonso Brandy brought together street culture, art, music and drinks at Alfie Alley, held at The Pop Up Katipunan in Quezon City last April 15, 2023.
Branded as its first-ever street culture-themed outdoor event, Alfie Alley invited tropang Alfie to feel at home while enjoying the company of their friends and good music as they sip on Alfonso Brandy, whether on the rocks, with cola or with ginger ale and lemon. Showcased were the three Alfonso Brandy variants in their respective sari-sari-store-inspired booths, which also had their own limited edition merchandise and games for guests to enjoy.
Over at the Alfonso Light Booth, guests had the chance to snap a picture at the Alfie Alley Photobooth with their Alfie caps and shirts. Meanwhile, the Alfonso Zero Booth set up a thrilling Al-Flip Cup game where winners took home exciting prizes. Finally, the Alfonso Platinum Booth presented a Jenga-inspired game, Jengalfie Platinum, where one had to pick out the Alfonso Platinum block from the stack to win a special prize.
Art formed a huge part of Alfie Alley as well, as they unveiled a larger-than-life street-art-inspired Alfonso Brandy Bottle installation and a huge Alfie Alley mural created by artist Dennis Bato. Then, capping off the fun-filled event was Alfie Awitan, a string of musical performances by some of today’s biggest acts. The line-up included SSUT, Hulu, John Roa, I Belong To The Zoo, and Urbandub.
Following Alfie Alley’s launch in Quezon City, the street culture-themed event is set to delight tropang Alfie again next month. Alfonso Brandy’s Alfie Alley will be making a stop at Papa Doms Bar and Restaurant in Tagaytay on May 20, to be followed by a run at Daluyon Beach Resort in La Union on May 27.
Make sure to drop by and feel at home sa #AlfieAlley by following #AlfonsoBrandy on facebook.com/alfonso1brandyph/, instagram.com/alfonsobrandyph/ and https://tinyurl.com/alfonsobrandyph
Back in 2015, Jason Dy conquered the local music scene when he won The Voice of the Philippines season two. Since then, his self-titled debut has spawned several hit singles, and his concerts have always been sold out. Having had success in his native land, Jason is now setting his sights on the world.
Jason—who has been dubbed The Philippines’ Voice of R&B—joined forces with Malaysian multi-hyphenate Fazura to record and release a single titled “Nothing Like Pag-ibig.” (They also did a version of that song for the Malaysian market titled “Nothing Like Cinta Ini.”) It was written for them by Jungee Marcelo, one of the Philippines’ foremost hitmakers, and it talks about the universal power of love.
Love is universal because people from all corners of the globe and all walks of life know what it’s like to love and be loved. It doesn’t matter if we speak different languages, or if we live far away from each other. Love bonds us all. That’s what “Nothing Like Pag-ibig” is about.
Because the song is about such a relatable subject, it became a hit. Not just in the Philippines, where the song was first released, but also in Fazura’s hometown of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The song’s success over there was bolstered by the promo tour Jason and Fazura did recently.
Jason and Fazura started their Malaysian promo tour for “Nothing Like Cinta Ini” on the first day of May. Jason—who already had a fanbase in Malaysia because MCA Music released his single there too—gathered some of his fans at a bowling alley, where they played against Fazura and her fans.
It was a good thing that Jason and Fazura’s Malaysian promo tour got off to such a fun start, because the following day, May 2, was a very busy one for them. They got up early to perform “Nothing Like Cinta Ini” on Selamat Pagi Malaysia, which is the top morning show in Malaysia. (It’s like that country’s version of ABS-CBN’s Umagang Kay Ganda.) Jason and Fazura followed that up with another performance on a popular women’s show called Wanita Hari Ini. Then, after a radio guesting on iM4U fm—a youth-skewing radio station in Malaysia—where they talked about what it was like for them to collaborate on “Nothing Like Cinta Ini,” Jason and Fazura performed on H Live, a music show produced by Astro, Malaysia’s number-one cable provider.
May 3 was Jason and Fazura’s last day promoting the song in Kuala Lumpur, and they spent it talking to the people at Radio Suria FM, as well as select members of the Malaysian entertainment press. After a new karaoke version of the “Nothing Like Pag-ibig” music video was launched at RedBox Malaysia, Jason and Fazura attended a Media Conference.
On May 4, Jason and Fazura flew to Kuching, Malaysia, where they appeared at the opening night of the ASEAN International Film Festival & Awards. The next day, they visited different radio stations, including Cats FM Sarawak Radio, Era FM Sarawak Radio, and Hitz FM Sarawak Radio to talk about the song.
May 6 was Jason’s last day in Malaysia, and he definitely ended his promo tour in a big way. He and Fazura sang “Nothing Like Pag-ibig” at the gala night of the ASEAN International Film Festival & Awards. Jason was the only Filipino invited to sing at that event. However, some Filipino celebrities—Benjamin Alves, Cherie Gil, Jaclyn Jose, Marlo Mortel and Nora Aunor—did get to watch with pride as he did his thing. Star Wars actor Donnie Yen was also in attendance, as were other noted actors and actresses from all over Southeast Asia.
It’s one thing to succeed in one’s home country, as Jason has done. Since he won The Voice of the Philippines season two, he has established himself as a force to be reckoned with in the OPM scene. But it’s another thing, a big thing, to find success beyond our borders.
Jason is already a star in the Philippines, but as the success of his recent Malaysian promo tour shows, he’s making the right moves towards global recognition, too.
“Nothing Like Pag-ibig” and “Nothing Like Cinta Ini” is out on all digital platforms through streaming via Spotify, Spinnr, Apple Music and VEVO and through downloads via iTunes and Spinnr. Download or stream the track here: https://JasonDy.lnk.to/NothingLikePR
For bookings and inquiries, please contact Francis Dayao of MCA Music Artist Management at (632) 9162504, +639178935623 or email mcabooking@umusic.com
With the success of his debut solo EP A New Strain, former Urbandub frontman Gabby Alipe is riding high these days. “Visions,” his first single as a solo artist, became a radio hit—and its successor “Paalam” is poised to do the same.
Since so many good things have come his way lately, Gabby and his record label MCA Music decided to pay it forward by supporting School-in-a-Bag, a program run by Smart Communications. The program aims to make learning easier for students in disadvantaged areas by giving them digital learning tools. Those tools include a solar panel for electricity, a laptop, a tablet, a mobile phone, a pocket WiFi with starter load, an LED TV, and a wide variety of study modules.
According to Darwin Flores, Smart’s Vice-President for Community Partnerships, School-in-a-Bag is the leading telecom company’s attempt to bring people together using technology.
“The people of the Philippines have been divided by geography for the longest time,” says Darwin. “So Smart came up with School-in-a-Bag to unite them by giving people internet access. This is part of our digital inclusion efforts. We want to enable children in even the most remote of areas to participate in the global knowledge economy. There’s so much to learn out there, and School-in-a-Bag will help them gain access to that wealth of information,” Flores said.
So far, School-in-a-Bag has made learning easier for the students in far-flung ‘unenergized’ schools like Rawang Elementary School in Tanay, Rizal. Most of the children who go to school there have never seen, much less used, desktop computers and tablets. But thanks to Smart, second grader Katrina Apelada can now familiarize herself with such gadgets and figure out how to use them to improve her grades. Teachers can also make their classes more dynamic and interesting, using the learning tools School-in-a-Bag contains.
Rawang Elementary School is just one of 18 schools in remote areas in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao that have already received School-in-a-Bag units. Most recently, two island schools in Coron, Palawan—Banuang Daan Elementary School and Cabugao Elementary School—got their own units, and Gabby himself delivered the MCA Music School-in-a-Bag package.
Gabby decided to get on the School-in-a-Bag train because he’s a big believer in the power of education. The schools Gabby went to shaped him as a musician and songwriter. Not only did his classes teach him how to write well, but it was in high school that he began his musical journey. Had he not been able to finish his studies, his life would probably have turned out very differently.
That’s why the Cebuano rocker was so eager to get involved with School-in-a-Bag in the first place. He wanted to give students a chance to change their lives by encouraging them to stay in school. He believes School-in-a-Bag will help them become more motivated to do so. Luckily, Gabby has the full support of his label. After all, MCA Music is all about music, charity and hitmakers like Gabby who love to pay it forward.
Interested parties can also give the gift of digital learning to more schools all over the Philippines by sponsoring a School-in-a-Bag. Each unit costs P100,000. For more information, email TechnoCart@smart.com.ph.
For booking inquiries, please contact Kerwin Rosete of MCA Music Artist Management at 916-2504 local 107, 0920-9682991 or email mcabooking@umusic.com.
MCA Music, the number one music company in the Philippines, keeps on championing local acts as it presents its new releases.
Fresh from the airing of her international TV debut at US show Little Big Shots, Elha Nympha comes out with a single she performed in the show, “Chandelier”. The track is the second single from her debut album “Elha” after her rendition of Beyonce’s “Love On Top”. Her version of “Chandelier” stunned host Steve Harvey and even garnered a tweet from the original singer herself Sia calling the performance “Incredible”. Nympha is also a part of the ABS-CBN show “Your Face Sounds Familiar”.
Alternative band MilesExperience has 3 amazing singles “Anggulo”, “Silakbo” and “Love Supreme” playing on radio, online and on major playlists of streaming platforms. “Anggulo” is currently the theme of GMA morning series “Wolfblood”. They will also be part of the “Get Music Indie-Go” Concert happening on May 20 at the Mall of Asia Arena with the best upcoming bands in the country.
The Total Performer Darren Espanto is definitely proud of his new single “Home” having been one of his compositions from his sophomore album “Be With Me”. It speaks about missing home and going back to where it all started. Espanto is still on demand with countless shows here and abroad. He also appears at ABS-CBN show ASAP every Sunday.
Now 16, former The Voice Kids Season 1 semi-finalist Edray blossoms as she releases her third single “Wala Lang” from her upcoming self-titled debut album coming out this April. The song which is about being in love with someone but can’t really express it will definitely be the new LSS song of the youngsters. It is something they can dedicate to their crushes.
Get ready for a new dance craze, as Mitoy Yonting brings his latest single “Juan Leg Chacha” from his “Hanggang Wakas: Deluxe Edition” coming out on April. Expect this to be another radio hit like his single “Pinaikot-ikot” with catchy hooks and danceable beats. Watch out for the steps on how to do the “Juan Leg Chacha”.
After winning the third season of The Voice Kids, Joshua Oliveros finally releases his self-titled debut album this month featuring the carrier single “Nobela”. His version of the Join The Club hit will leave you humming and singing its lyrics.
Asia’s Acoustic Sweetheart Sabrina comes out with two new covers: Bruno Mars’ “Versace on the Floor” and “Hymn for the Weekend” by Coldplay. Relax to her chill sound with her own acoustic take of the two hits.
These are now available on digital streaming via Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer and Spinnr and digital downloads via iTunes and Spinnr. CDs are available at Astroplus and Astrovision outets nationwide.
For booking inquiries, please contact Kerwin Rosete of MCA Music Artist Management at 916-2504 local 107, 0920-9682991 or email mcabooking@umusic.com.
Two Southeast Asian artists - The Philippines' Voice of R&B Jason Dy and Malaysian star Fazura join together for a duet proving that music can truly cross boundaries. Entitled "Nothing Like Pag-Ibig", the song composed and produced by Philippines' hitmaker Jungee Marcelo talks about how important love is no matter waht language we speak.
Fazura, a singer, actress, model, TV host and star of the E! reality show "Facing Up To Fazura", travelled to Manila all the way from Kuala Lumpur to record the song wiht Jason last November. She could not contain her excitement with her collaboration with The Voice of the Philippines Season 2 winner.
"Jason is such an amazing guy! If I was gonna have a boyfriend, he would be someone that can be a perfect candidatel So Smart and so calm. He's a gentleman," Fazura said.
Jason, who is also a mainstay of top Sunday vareity show ASAP, was likewise honored to have been given a chance to have a duet with an international star.
"I got very excited the moment my label, MCA Music, told me that I wqas goiing to have a duet with the beautiful Fazura. When she came here for our recording, we clicked right away. She is lovely inside out," Jason said.
This wonderful duet shows the power of collaboration and uniting 2 countries via music. Who would have thought that different artists from different countries could share a music together?
Since Valentines Day is near, wouldn't it be nice to hear a feel good song about lovve by Asian artists? Prepare to have some "kilig" in your bones with their unmistakable chemistry.
"Nothing Like Pag-Ibig" will be out on January 20 on streaming (Spotify, Apple Music, Spinnr, Deezer) and downloads (iTunes, Spinnr) under MCA Music.
Gabby Alipe began his musical journey as the frontman of the Cebu-based rock band Urbandub in 2001. When the band announced a hiatus in 2015, Gabby welcomed the opportunity to take a breather and focus on other things.
Bands usually goes on hiatus so each member can pursue their individual interests. For a time, Gabby’s interests were limited to his company and his family—particularly his son Jacob—but eventually the call of the music scene proved to be impossible for him to resist. Not because Gabby craved fame or fortune, but because he’s an artist who needs a creative outlet.
For Gabby, the most fulfilling part of playing in a band was being able to tell stories through music. “Sixteen years after I began my journey, here I am embarking on a new challenge as a solo artist. It’s definitely a big adjustment. I’ve always been more comfortable in a band setting, where I can feed off my bandmates in terms of arrangement and songwriting. This time it all has to come from me. I decided to call my EP A New Strain because it’s something new. It’s more organic—I employed a simpler approach on it, compared to all the stuff I did with Urbandub,” he explains. “Back then everything had to be grand, in-your-face and loud.”
Gabby was Urbandub’s main songwriter, but he says he still had to write songs that fit each member’s individual taste. When he went into the studio to work on songs for his debut solo EP, he had more creative freedom than he ever had before.
“The band’s arrangements and songs were always a group effort. I may have been Urbandub’s main songwriter, but I was only one aspect of the whole. My music is different now because I don’t have any of my bandmates to help me. I also made a conscious effort to shy away from the songwriting approach I employed when I was still with Urbandub,” he says.
Gabby admits he felt a little uncertain when he began working on A New Strain. Having played in a band for over a decade, he was used to having other people to rely on. He reveled in his newfound freedom as a solo artist, but he still wanted to have someone he could bounce ideas off of. That’s where his producer Eric Perlas came in.
“The recording process was a lot scarier this time,” Gabby says. “I did everything alone for the first time. At first, there was a lot of confusion and uncertainty. I wasn’t sure whether I could come up with songs I would be proud of. But my producer, Eric Perlas, really helped me focus, and after that everything went smoothly. I owe a lot to him. In a lot of ways, he became my ‘bandmate’ for this project. Eric had a big role in the creation of this EP.”
Aside from Eric, Gabby also surrounded himself with some A-list collaborators. “I got the chance to do two songs, ‘Demons’ and ‘Paalam’ with Buddy Zabala and Raimund Marasigan, who played bass and drums, respectively. Those two were part of the Eraserheads, and it was such a huge honor and privilege for me to work with my music heroes. I’m a Hip-Hop/Rap fan also, so I enjoyed working with Gloc-9 and Cebuano rapper Pain-in-the-Neck on a remix of my song ‘Ether.’”
A New Strain is bannered by the lead single “Visions.” According to Gabby, he wrote it because he wanted to include a song about having a positive mindset on his EP.
“‘Visions’ is about being positive in the face of whatever struggles you encounter,” he explains. “It’s about how a person has potential and can achieve anything as long as they believe in themselves and not let fear control them As long as you have a clear vision of the future and of your goals—no matter the hindrance or road blocks—as long as you work hard.”
Gabby is also excited about the other songs on the EP. “There’s a song called ‘Ether’ on it, and it’s about being lost and trying to find your way. ‘Demons’ is about setting aside negativity, ‘Ocean’ is an expression of love, and ‘Paalam’ is about letting go of the past in a positive way,” he shares.
Gabby made every effort to stretch himself artistically on A New Strain while making sure to come up with material that captures where he is at this point in his life.
“As a songwriter, for this particular EP, I wanted to challenge myself musically. I wanted to step out of my comfort zone and come up with a collection of songs that would best describe my current mindset, highlight my personal preferences in music, and most importantly, have a good message,” he says.
As Urbandub’s frontman, Gabby enjoyed commercial and critical success as a musician. The band put out their first album Birth in 2001 and it was considered a success, but only in Cebu. Distribution problems prevented it from finding an audience beyond the band’s hometown. It was only when Gabby and his bandmates released Influence two years later that they finally hit the big time. It sold well and they even won awards for it. Urbandub released four more albums—Embrace, Under Southern Lights, The Apparition and Esoteric and an EP- Sending A Message—before announcing an “indefinite hiatus” last year.
Looking back on his time with Urbandub, Gabby describes himself as an “accidental singer,” although he grew into that role over time and is now comfortable enough in it to strike out on his own.
“I was never really a singer. I never thought I’d end up fronting a band. I always saw myself as a guitar player and songwriter. My journey as a musician began in high school. I joined different bands as a guitar player. When I was in college, I began playing in bands in Cebu as a bass player. When one of my bands didn’t want to write original material, I decided to form a band with my friend Jed Honrado. Jed and I formed Urbandub, and that led me to start singing—only because nobody knew who we were, so nobody was interested in becoming our vocalist. Now, sixteen years later, after Urbandub’s run, I’m taking on a new challenge as a solo artist.”
“I hope they’ll be able to relate to what I’m trying to say in these songs. Everyone will have a different interpretation of the songs and how they can apply all the lyrics to their lives. Regardless, I hope they take something positive away from this EP. I will always be grateful to all the Urbandub fans, but I hope they continue their journey with me. At the same time, I want to gain new listeners as well.”
Gabby says that all the songs on A New Strain are his personal stories, and he’s looking forward to touching people with them.
“I’m a storyteller. The new EP is basically a collection of stories and thoughts that I’ve accumulated through my experience in music and life. My goal is to share my stories with people who are willing to listen, and hopefully they’ll be able to relate to my songs.”
A New Strain is out under MCA Music on digital downloads and streaming via Spinnr, Spotify, iTunes, Apple Music, Deezer and VEVO and on CDs at Astroplus and Astrovision outlets.
View a sampler of his live performance in A Space watch:
For more updates and information on Gabby Alipe, log on to the following pages:
Facebook- MCA Music (Universal Music Philippines)
Instagram- mca_music
Twitter- @mcamusic
Former lead band vocalist of Urbandub Gabby Alipe releases his debut single as a solo artist “VISIONS” this September 23, 2016. It is the first track to be released from his upcoming first solo EP entitled “A New Strain” coming out this October. “Visions” is all about having a positive mindset in life.
“That no matter what struggles you may face, as long as you have a clear vision of your goals that a person has to work hard in achieving that goal, no matter the hindrance or road blocks. That a person has potential and can achieve anything in life as long as they believe in themselves and not let fear have control over them. That everything will fall into place, all in good time.” Alipe said.
After Urbandub decided to go their separate ways in 2015, MCA Music signed Alipe as a solo artist.
“I’ve had a very good working relationship with MCA, even while Urbandub was still signed to their label. It’s always great to work with people who are very encouraging and give the artist free reign to express themselves and their art. I couldn’t be more grateful to still be signed to a label that treats you like family.” Alipe said.
Gabby Alipe also shared how he started singing from being part of a band and now as a solo artist.
“Never really was a singer. Never thought I’d end up being a frontman for a band. I always saw myself as a songwriter and guitar player. My journey as a musician started in high school. I joined different bands as a guitar player. While in college, I was a working student, and began playing in bands in the local Cebu music scene, as a bass player. when my former band didn’t want to write original material, I decided to form Urbandub ith my friend Jed Honrado, which led me to sing, only because nobody knew who we were or was interested joining our group as our vocalist. I became a singer by accident.16 years later, after Urbandub’s run, I’m embarking on a new challenge as a solo artist.” Alipe said.
“Visions” had its premiere on radio last Sept. 22 at Jam 88.3 and RX 93.1. The single is now available through digital downloads via Spinnr and iTunes and streaming also at Spinnr, Apple Music, Spotify and Deezer. Click this link to stream or download: https://GabbyAlipe.lnk.to/VisionsPR. For bookings and inquiries, contact MCA Music Artist Management at +639209682991or email mcabookings@umusic.com.
For more updates and information on Gabby Alipe, log on to the following pages:
