LISTEN: On My Playlist – August 2023

On My Playlist is a monthly list of songs from Rappler’s Live Jam artists.

This month’s playlist includes song recommendations from Lola Amour, Here+Now, Chelsea Alley, Kyla + Jay R, and CESCA.

Lola Amour

Lola Amour is composed of Pio Dumayas, Raymond King, Raffy Perez, David Yuhico, Zoe Gonzales, Manu Dumayas, Jeff Abueg, and Angelo Mesina.

Born from the merging of two rival high school bands, Lola Amour has been in the music scene since 2013.

After performing at the Wanderland Music and Arts Festival, they released their first EP, Don’t Look Back. They have since released singles, including their top songs ‘Fallen’ and ‘Pwede Ba.’

In June, they released their latest single, “Raining in Manila,” a hit featuring the band’s fresh and colorful sound.

Here+Now

Here+Now was formed during the pandemic. At the time, vocalist and songwriter Paco Santos wanted to make original music again after a long hiatus.

He reached out to guitarist Patrick Poblador, and the two turned to the internet to seek out other musicians who shared their vision. Guitarist Lance Camposano and drummer Franco Aguila complete the lineup.

The band then began working on new music at Paco’s home studio. They kicked the year off with the release of their debut single “In My Head,” soon followed by their second single “Runaway” in April, and their latest single “Paglaya” in June.

Chelsea Alley

The band was formed in 2020, and is made up of mainstays in the Filipino hardcore rock scene: Lean Ansing and Chi Evora of Slapshock, Ariel Lumanlan of Chicosci and Arcadia, JL Siscar of Philia and Even, and Marion Redoblado.

They released their debut single “Heneral” in 2021, a tribute to late Slapshock vocalist Jamir Garcia, who died in 2020. 

They continued to release more new music leading up to 2023, when they dropped three new singles: “Vis,” “We Are,” and “Kapit.”

Kayla + Jay R

The duo rose to fame in the early 2000s, and since then have been known as the pioneers of Filipino R&B.

The pair has fostered a 20-year musical partnership, marked by hits such as “Back in Time,” “Say That You Love Me,” and “Undeniable.”

They are performing together for the first time in years in a concert called Back in Time, happening at the New Frontier Theater on September 2.

CESCA

Singer-songwriter Francesca Mahusay, also known as CESCA, is a young artist with an old soul. Her music, a mix of Tagalog and English, speaks about the turbulence of youth, blended with sweetness that’s highlighted by her expressive voice.

She released her first single “Lovesick (Pagmahalasakit)” in 2022, and her song “Kung Makakapili Lang” appears on the original soundtrack of the television series Dirty Linen. She also released an EP titled Travel in 2022.

The artist released her folk-pop album Balse ng Gabi on August 25, featuring songs such as “Sabi-sabi,” “Pamahiin,” and “Himig ni Isa.”

You can watch their Live Jam performances here.

Follow Rappler on Spotify to listen to more song recommendations from your favorite Live Jam artists. – Rappler.com