Cascade of new singles in July

RUUU – “Happy” Based in Cagayan De

ORO City, Ruuu is a singer/ songwriter and producer whose latest release titled “Happy” is an example of wry songwriting, Its opening lyrics go… “She had a tough time today/unstable emotions, she says/lost and confused/ Shunned by a few/still, she stands today/with a smile on her face.”

Dubbed the “Ed Sheeran” of indie label Northern Root Records, Ruuu sings with a Brit accent and employs a songwriting and performance style similar to Sheeran’s. He was still a sophomore when he started competing in his Uni’s songwriting competition and he bagged the grand championship this year. He’s also a finalist of Wishbus wishcovery 2021.

SEZAIRI “Dead”

The slinky R&B jam “Dead” finds Singaporean musician and singersongwriter Sezairi teaming up with rising Filipino rapper Young Cocoa. The catchy bop serves as the focus track off Sezairi’s third album titled ‘Violets Aren’t Blue’, which also features his previous singles, ‘Raindrops’, ‘Blue’, ‘Fool’, and ‘Restless Love’,

On the new album, Sezairi turns the famous 18th-century poem on its head, challenging cliché expectations and idealism of great love while being swept off your feet by someone who sees you better than you see yourself. Sezairi said, “On a personal level, my latest album is really the result of a long depressive episode amidst the pandemic and re-contextualizing my past experiences so I can live alongside them in peace. Working on the songs in isolation was very difficult but having my dream team of creatives made it incredibly worth it.”

MIDNASTY “Nissan”

WITH their second single of 2022 titled “Nissan”. Midnasty offers a colorful fast-paced track about love, car chases, and togetherness. Melodic flows and cinematic storytelling make it a ride you won’t forget. The new track also sets the tone for Midnasty’s fervent dream of putting Dumaguete City on the map that has now evolved into a mission of elevating Visayan culture to the world.

Midnasty, with current members Mark Villamil Ausejo, Earl Neil B. Kho and Jose Ramon Kho, have many achievements under their belt. Today, they not only have set their sights on new career heights but have taken also the time to give back and cultivate opportunities for local artists throughout the Visayas through a movement called Paraisla.

SUGARCANE & JC HERRERO “Paruparo”

The song “Paruparo” mainly revolves around the concept of destiny as it gives a more profound meaning to the famous saying: “If it’s meant to be, it will be.” In the track, Sugarcane in collaboration with an up-and-coming artist, JC Herrero, has once more utilized their strength in partnering a captivating melody with relatable lyrics for all ages.

Sugarcane is a 6-piece band which started doing covers of well-known artists but eventually created their own identity with their fresh approach to storytelling. JC Herrero is a rising singer/songwriter and Youtuber who serenades people in omegle and ometv.

ACE BANZUELO “Walang Himala”

OPM hitmaker Ace Banzuelo returns with another potential hit titled “Walang Himala,” which carries the weight of dealing with betrayal channeled through ’80s synth-pop and modern R&B textures. The melancholic synth-pop track serves as an antithesis to Banzuelo’s earlier “Himala”, a sad little tune that can reduce listeners to tears.

The new song’s emphasis on treachery cuts in multiple ways. The Laguna-based singer-songwriter and producer shares, “It’s not afraid to embrace a darker, more lamenting turn. This particular track reeks of angst and frustration in the most human way possible. Some people have experienced it at some point in their lives and it’s my way of comforting them as a songwriter/musician.”

NIKI “Oceans & Engines”

Jakarta-born, La-based singer-songwriter, and producer Niki has a new single with accompanying video in “Oceans & Engines”. Written by then 17 year old Niki it’s a heart-wrenching ballad about surrendering to a broken relationship in an impassioned moment of clarity.

About the track, Niki says “I wrote this song in 2016 when I was 17 experiencing the earthshattering heartbreak of a first love moving away for good. It is massively dramatic and long in naïveté and innocence when I look back at it fondly now at 23. Like, ‘she’ had no idea about what was going to happen. Life can be quite cyclical at times and I can’t wait for you all to hear each one of them nestled in the plush pillowy company of sisterhood.”*