Two Nights of Charice Music | New Single

Source: Team Charice

Charice is set to share her music this coming Friday & Saturday, August 19 & 20, 2016. On the 19th, she will be at 12 Monkeys Music Hall & Pub on Kalayaan Ave., Makati; on the 20th, at Historia Boutique Bar and Restaurant on Sgt. Esguerra Ave., Quezon City. Dubbed as "Charice Unplugged," the two-night show is in celebration of the 3rd anniversary of The Yellow Room Philippines and in cooperation with The Mad Union Entertainment. Chasters and patrons of the two popular weekend destinations are in for a treat of live music.

Mayonnaise, a Filipino alternative rock band fronted by Monty Macalino, will be the special guest for both nights. Charice and Mayonnaise have been working together. In fact, Mayonnaise is the band behind the recently-released single of Charice entitled Epitome of Beauty. This new song is included in her new album Catharsis which will be out next month, September 2016. The music and lyrics of all the songs in the album are penned by Charice herself. Mayonnaise band provides the accompaniment in the album.

With Charice's undeniably powerful yet soothing singing voice and Mayonnaise's expertly planned play on the instruments, the audience will definitely be in for a real musical treat! Be there before the show starts at 8:00PM. You can get your tickets at the door on a first come, first serve basis. See you there!

Check out the official lyric video of Charice's newly-released single entitled Epitome of Beauty below.

Source: ABS-CBN Starmusic YouTube channel

Epitome of Beauty is available for download at iTunes and Amazon. You may also listen at AppleMusic and Spotify.

Source: http://smarturl.it/ChariceEOBitunes

The more the merrier!

(Collage by twestj)

More than a week ago, I was having an online conversation with some Chasters. Jade shared that she was craving for pizza. I reacted that I also loved pizza! I told her that we should go get some pizza one day. S&R pizza popped up in the conversation. Now, Pat wanted to join us and we set the date...Sunday, June 26. After some hours, however, Pat said that she could not make it on that date. So, we decided to meet up the following Sunday, July 3. Jay-Ann also wanted to join and that was great! The more the merrier!

A thought came to me afterwards. If not for Jade's craving for some pizza, I wouldn't have known that these Chasters, Pat and Jay-Ann also live in the same area in the south of Manila like Jade and me. That's a good info to take note of.

For the simple reason that our meeting time was 12:30pm, lunch time instead of snack time, we changed our venue (a few times) from S&R to Festival Mall to Mang Inasal to Burger King in Alabang Town Center (ATC), and finally to Giligan's Restaurant (just outside of ATC). We had a very nice and filling lunch. Jade and Pat, by the way, brought along their respective partners, Dee and Jem. The more the merrier!

At Giligan's Restaurant (Photo by twestj)

After having lunch, what do Chasters usually do? Hang out some more, right? Someone (Jade, if I remember it right) suggested that we go to Mr. Parks Bread & Cake in Molito. She knows Charice likes that cafe. Oh, I'd love to try that cafe if that's the case! Molito is a relatively small commercial center which is just a walking distance from ATC. Pat and Jem rode on their motorbike while the four of us went there on foot.

Many Chasters know that Charice and partner Alyssa sometimes go to ATC. A few Chasters have shared that they have seen them at ATC. And now, I learned that they also go to Molito. That's another info that I should take note of.

While we were having our drinks and some cream/choco puffs and having fun in our conversation, Jade kept looking at the door to her far right side, wishing/hoping she would see Charice appear and come into the cafe. I also had the same wish/hope. At one point, I teased her that she should also check out the glass door behind her because Charice might actually use that entrance. I was seated facing that door behind Jade.

We continued our conversation and teasing and laughing. We were so amused at how Jade, a French, had learned to speak Tagalog so well that Jay-Ann took a video of her in a sort of an interview about Charice. She responded in Tagalog to Jay-Ann's questions and we could not stop laughing because we did not expect to hear some colloquial expressions and advance Tagalog words from her and she also said them either exactly like the native speakers or in her own cute way. 

Our table is inside on the left. (Photo by twestj)

After a while, through the glass wall, and then, the glass door of the cafe, I noticed a big guy walking while talking to his companions. Remember, I was facing the door behind Jade. I wasn't wearing my eyeglasses and it was only him that really got my attention. He looked familiar, I thought. He then opened the door and held it for his companions. And then, because they were now nearer to us, and so, I could see them better, I realized that his companions were actually Charice and Alyssa!

The guy was Monty Macalino. Monty is the frontman of the band Mayonnaise. Mayonnaise was the same band that performed with Charice singing Nirvana at 19 East Bar & Grill earlier this year. Monty, with his band, helps in Charice's upcoming album entitled Catharsis which will be released soon.

I now remember that I was, for some seconds, motionless because I could not believe that Charice and Alyssa would actually be there. It turned out that they were having a meeting at a place near Mr. Parks cafe. It was a blessing in disguise that Pat was not available on June 26. Otherwise, we would not be at Mr. Parks Molito the following Sunday, July 3, the date of their meeting. Monty could not join us and had to leave, but not without having a group picture with us first.

Monty is the guy wearing a cap. (Photo by Jay-Ann)

Fortunately, Charice and Alyssa stayed and joined us at our table. We talked, we took pictures, and we laughed. And then, we talked, we took pictures, and we laughed some more. We could not thank these two great people enough. They made our out-of-the-blue meet up very special and memorable. 

On that day, July 3, 2016, we started as a group of six. Then, we became eight. The more the merrier indeed!

(Photo by Jay-Ann)

Wala daw star quality ang 4th Impact

[To the non-Tagalog speaking readers, I apologize that this post is mostly in my native language. Aside from it is most convenient and effective to express in my mother tongue, the target audience of this post are Filipinos. I will not advise the use of Google translator or similar because it usually doesn't give the correct translation.]

Medyo matagal na rin akong hindi nakapagsulat dito sa blog ko. Yung pinakahuli kong post ay tungkol sa audition video ng 4th Impact (na sina Almira, Irene, Mylene at Celina) at ang kanilang tour kasama ang ibang X Factor UK finalists. February pa yun! 3 months na pala ang nakalipas.

Balikan natin ang audition video ng 4th Impact. May part sa kwento ng girls na nag-stick sa isip ko. Panoorin muna natin ang part na yun dito sa video clip.

Video clip from X Factor UK audition

Sabi ni Almira, "We love X Factor..." sinundan kaagad ni Irene ng "UK." Sa tuwing mapapanood ko ang Bang Bang audtion video nila at maririnig ko ang mabilis na dagdag ni Irene ng "UK" randam ko na may ibig sabihin yun. Malaki ang hinala ko na nag-audition sila sa X Factor Philippines at hindi sila nakapasa.

At ganun na nga ang nangyari. Sa press conference ng 4th Impact sa Dubai, isang araw bago ang concert nila doon noong April 29, may nagtanong sa girls kung bakit kaya hindi sila napapansin sa Philippines noon. Bukod sa kawalan ng tamang manager at connections, sinabi rin ni Almira na sa Pilipinas, importante ang "star quality." Dinagdag din niya na nag-audition sila sa X Factor Philippines (ng ABS-CBN) pero hindi sila nakapasa dahil nga sa "star quality."

Ano nga ba ang "star quality" para sa Pilipinas? Ano nga ba ang hinahanap ng mga big and influential people sa showbiz ng Pinas? Yung maputi, matangkad, matangos ang ilong, mahaba ang hair, makinis ang balat, mestiza-looking na parang pang beauty contest? Teka lang. Singing contest naman ang X Factor, di ba? Para sa akin, hanapin mo muna ang talent. Magaling ba talagang kumanta? Mahusay bang mag-perform. May connection ba sa audience? Ramdam ba ang message ng song? Pag yes, e di yes na!

Pero may mga kokontra at sasabihin: E pano naman ang beauty, 'day? Wala namang ka-persona-personality ang singer na yan! Pano yan hahakot ng tao? Lugi tayo dyan! Tingnan mo naman ang hair...parang steel wool! Ang kutis, hmmm. At ang height kulang! Baka hindi yan makita sa stage!

Alam ko na syempre dagdag puntos ang beauty. May tinatawag nga silang total package. Maririnig mo yan sa mga judges. "You have the total package. It's a yes from me!" Minsan nga dahil sa sobrang gwapo at ganda, nalilimutan na ang piyok o sabit sa mga nota sa audition piece nila.

Para sa akin, kapag ang isang magaling na singer ay binalewala mo dahil sa kanyang looks, binalewala mo na rin ang kakayahan ng mga make-up artists, stylists at mga personality coaches. And I'm talking about the excellent ones. Hindi yung basta na lang maglalagay ng makapal na make-up ha? Yung tipo bang i-e-enhance nya ang beauty ng singer, babae man o lalaki. Ililitaw nya ang natural na ganda. Pag-aaralan nya kung ano ang bagay na hairstyle para sa kanya. Mag-experiment ng kung anong klaseng clothing style ang angkop sa kanya. Business ang showbusiness kaya may investment din dapat. Sa tingin ko, may paraan at mas madaling mailabas ang star quality na sinasabi nila kaysa sa hanapin ang talento na wala naman. Kahit pigain mo ang lalamunan ng tao, kung walang matinong nota sa loob, wala. Nganga!

Sana naman matuto na ang mga TV networks tulad ng ABS-CBN. Imulat ang inyong mga mata at buksang mabuti ang inyong mga tenga. Ang hirap nyan, kapag napansin na sa ibang bansa, doon pa lang mare-realize na uy, ang galing pala nila! Hanga ang mga banyaga, kaya hanga na rin tayo! Di ba insulto yun para sa ating mga Pinoy? Parang nakabase ang pagbibigay natin ng halaga sa ating mga singers (o kung ano pa mang propesyon) sa kung paano ang pagtingin o judgement ng mga banyaga. Wala ba tayong sariling disposisyon o sadyang inuuna lang lagi ang network ratings?

Ang tingin ng marami, pati ako, it's all about the ratings. Hindi nakapasa ang magkakapatid sa X Factor Philippines audition kasi walang star quality. Dahil walang star quality, hindi yan papansinin ng tao kaya hindi papanoorin. Pag hindi nanood ang mga tao, pano aangat ang ratings? Pero nang maging hit sa X Factor UK at gumawa ng ingay abroad, nang nagbakasyon sa Pinas ang mga girls, aba, guests sila sa ASAP. Not just once, but thrice! Di ba katawa-tawa yun? Hindi pumasa sa audition nila, pero nag-perform as professionals sa ASAP. Anyare?

Buti na lang at hindi taga-Pinas sina Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan, Sammy Davis, Jr., Ray Charles, Jennifer Holliday, atbp. Dahil taga Pinas ako, alam ko kung ano ang "star quality" na hinahanap nila. Hindi nila yan makikita dito sa mga nabanggit kong magagaling at nirerespetong mga singers. Bago pa man sila makahawak ng microphone, wala na. Out na.

Sana talaga matuto na ang mga big and influential people sa Pinas. Sang-ayon ako na kelangang may personality at beauty rin ang mga singers. Pero siguro nga, iba-iba talaga ang pananaw ng mga tao sa kagandahan. Ang pagkakamali lang nila, hindi nila agad nakita ang angking ganda nina Almira, Irene, Mylene at Celina. Star quality ba kamo? Look!

Mula sa Supreme ng The Philippine Star

Kuha sa taping ng Spotlight ng UNTV

Kuha sa press conference para sa Paradise International Music Festival

Mula sa Supreme ng The Philippine Star

Kuha sa isang gig sa UK

Screen capture sa X Factor UK rehearsal video

Mula pa sa kanilang pagkabata hanggang sa kasalukuyan, kita sa magkakapatid ang kanilang magandang samahan at magagandang ngiti tulad ng nasa picture sa ibaba. At huwag kalilimutan ang kanilang magagandang boses at nakakapanindig-balahibong harmony. Sabi nga ni Celina sa presscon sa Dubai...iba-iba ang katangian ng kanilang mga boses. Bawa't isa sa kanila ay may special na kakayahan na kapag pinagsama-sama, impact! 

May star quality na, may impact pa. Saan ka pa? 

Mula sa post sa Twitter ng 4th Impact

40 Million Views for 4th Impact's "Bang Bang"

The popularity of 4th Impact is growing every day. From their Twitter followers to their Facebook Page likes to the hearts in their Instagram posts, the numbers are growing. And about three hours before publishing this, their first audition performance video on The X Factor UK YouTube channel hit 40 million views. Yes, that's the Bang Bang performance when they were still called 4th Power.

This image is showing 40,000,152 views for the audition performance of 4th Power (4th Impact).

(Collage images source: X Factor UK YouTube Channel)

If we would analyze the numbers of the most popular videos on the channel, we could say that 4th Impact had already made a significant mark in the X Factor UK history. Their Bang Bang audition video is currently at 6th place after less than half a year from its publishing date. Compared to the top 5 videos, 4th Impact's reached millions of views at a relatively short period of time. The following are two videos showing just that.

4th Impact's Bang Bang Docu - Part 2 - A Mark in X Factor UK History
(Source: twestj YouTube channel)

4th Impact's Bang Bang Docu - Part 3 - What Numbers Say

(Source: twestj YouTube channel)

I believe their numbers will continue to shoot up specially because they are joining 7 other X Factor finalists in the X Factor Live Tour 2016.

L-R front: Louisa, Anton, Lauren, Mason, Che

L-R back: Sean, 4th Impact, Reggie N Bollie

(Image source: tellymix.co.uk)

For tickets, dates and venues information of the tour, please visit Ticketmaster. With 4th Impact in the group of amazing performers, this is one to watch!

@OfficialCharice is back!

I logged in to Twitter, browsed through my timeline and came across an unexpected, but definitely welcome tweet.

"@OfficialCharice is back?!" I wondered and at the same time was excited with a "Yey!" in my mind. But wait! I just wanted to make sure it was indeed Charice and not a hacker. The account was silent for about four years because Charice could not access it even after being reported to Twitter.

So, I checked out other tweets and accounts. Then, I saw Alyssa's reply to the unexpected tweet.  

Oh, yes! It's really back! @OfficialCharice is back! Big thanks to @WWEAarron! 

To celebrate the retrieval of the verified account, Charice had a Twitter party with the Chasters, myself included, using the hashtag #AskCharice. There were many interesting questions and the answers were retweeted and liked. It was definitely something that had been missed so much by the Chasters. It was fun!

I hope you will follow the verified Twitter account of Charice if you haven't done so. Thanks!