There’s a lot to unfold this week. Aside from the most prestigious award show in the music industry taking place (where notably, women ruled and dominated the major categories of the Grammys), the number of films, shows, and events we ought to watch or attend just never seem to cut down—something that is worth rejoicing about, really, since is there even such a thing of having too much content waiting in line to gorge ourselves on?
Listening Station
Taylor Swift announces new album ‘The Tortured Poets Department’
Upon being hailed the winner of Best Pop Vocal Album at the Grammys, Taylor Swift takes a moment on stage to announce her upcoming album ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ to be released on April 19. It marks as the 11th album in the entirety of her career, and the record that not a lot expected to be unveiled as the so-called ‘Reputation (Taylor’s Version)’ is said to be what the fans have been waiting for for the past few months.
Not long after her statement, she shared on Instagram the tracklist for the album which contains 17 tracks in total.
Side A, has ‘Fortnight,’ ‘The Tortured Poets Department,’ ‘My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys,’ and ‘Down Bad’; For Side B, ‘So Long, London,’ ‘But Daddy I Love Him,’ ‘Fresh Out the Slammer,’ and ‘Florida!!!’ For Side C, ‘Guilty as Sin?,’ ‘Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?,’ ‘I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can),’ and ‘loml’;
And lastly, Side D, ‘I Can Do It With a Broken Heart,’ ‘The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived,’ ‘The Alchemy,’ ‘Clara Bow,’ and a bonus track titled ‘The Manuscript.’
LE SSERAFIM maintains the suspense with previews of their latest mini-album ‘Easy’
This 4th Gen girl group never fails to outdo themselves with every comeback they put out. Known for their album trailers sounding like the perfect music when you want to envision yourself on the runway, LE SSERAFIM adds another song to that catalog with their ‘Easy’ trailer named ‘Good Bones’.
We see the members sporting idiosyncratic outfits that appear to hint at what their forthcoming mini-album will be about. As for the message of the song, which has Korean, English, and Japanese lyrics, it speaks about how life is difficult for everybody, and that it depends on us whether we choose to let ourselves succumb to that or overcome it.
‘Easy’ will be released on February 19.
Laufey triumphs with her debut Grammy win and unveils two-day Concert with the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra
Jazz and classical music are two of the genres this generation is currently delighting themselves in, especially with artists like Laufey championing this type of sound for younger audiences all over the world. With her achieving a milestone by winning Best Traditional Pop Vocal for her album ‘Bewitched’ at the Grammys, it transcends further that the genre she’s executing is indeed making its way to the hearts of many people.
Prior to her win though, is her announcement that she’ll be holding a concert once again in the Philippines, this time with the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra at the PICC Plenary Hall. This counts as a momentous occasion considering she rarely presents with a full orchestra while on tour, an opportunity that her Filipino fans surely won’t want to miss.
Spotify goes all out for K-Pop On’s 10th anniversary
Just from the promotional materials itself, fans can already get excited about what’s in store for K-Pop On’s anniversary. With the theme, ‘My First K-Pop Crush’, there will be a set of cover songs headlined by ENHYPEN, SHOWNU X HYUNGWON (of MONSTA X), and STAYC, that were originally recorded by senior artists from the K-Pop industry who truly paved the way for the solo acts and groups we love today.
Image Courtesy of Spotify.
Beginning on February 16 with ENHYPEN’s release, the First Crush campaign will continue and share a Spotify Single every two weeks. Apart from that, exclusive content can be viewed from Spotify’s K-Pop ON! (온) Video Podcast and YouTube channels for music enthusiasts and supporters alike to enjoy this engaging event.
It’s Jennie vs. Jennie for the Billboard Hot 100
BLACKPINK’s Jennie doesn’t only break records as a member of one of the world’s most famous girl groups but thrives in her solo career as well as her collab with Weeknd and Lily-Rose Depp ‘One of the Girls’ rises to a new peak of No. 58 in its sixth week on the Hot 100 chart. This feat breaks her previous record of having a song by a solo female Korean artist that achieved the highest position on the music charts.
‘One of the Girls’ was produced for the HBO series, ‘The Idol’. On its release, it significantly ranked No. 61 on the chart, the highest standing for a song by a female K-pop soloist to attain during its time.
Screening Room
“Turtles All The Way Down“
The long-awaited film adaptation of John Green’s 2017 best-selling novel “Turtles All The Way Down” is set to premiere later this year on Max. Following the success of the previous script-to-screen adaptations, “The Fault in Our Stars” and “Paper Towns,” fans from all over the world are eager to see more of their beloved book characters on the screen.
Isabel Merced will play the main protagonist of the film, Aza Holmes. Merced is best known for her previous works, such as Transformers: The Last Knight, Let it Snow, Dora and the Lost City of Gold, Transformers, and her recently released project this 2024, Madame Webb.
“Turtles All The Way Down” follows the story of a young teenage girl, Aza Holmes, living with obsessive-compulsive disorder. In return for a cash reward, Aza was tasked to investigate the disappearance of a billionaire, Russell Pickett, her neighbor’s father. Embarking on a journey, she finds herself in an unexpected adventure and reconnects with her childhood crush, sparking romance.
Written by executive producers Elizabeth Berger and Isaac Aptaker, the movie Turtles All the Way Down will be directed by Hannah Marks, a well-known writer, filmmaker, and actress who also worked on Don’t Let Me Go in 2022.
The exact release date of the movie is yet to be announced.
“Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin” coming on Apple TV+ this Feb 16
Fifty-five years after introducing the Peanut Gang to the world, “Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin” will return to our screens alongside our favorite characters, hitting us with nostalgia and warmth. The movie is set to premiere on February 16, 2024, at Apple TV+, showcasing the backstory of Franklin and his special bond with Charlie Brown.
Directed by Emmy Award-winner Raymond S. Persi, the premise of the movie follows the adventure of Franklin, who came across Charlie Brown, leading them to join an unforgettable race. In the trailer, Franklin’s trademark dance moves and grooves still create a magical feeling, taking us back in time. With themes such as perseverance, friendship, teamwork, and family, “Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin” presents a touching story that will inspire audiences for a lifetime.
Bridgerton Teases Us With a Sneak Peek for Season 3
After having two successful seasons, Bridgerton has become one of Netflix’s biggest hits. Having a production design that is to die for and an ensemble of promising cast members, the sneak peek of Bridgerton Season 3 has finally arrived. With millions of people watching the historical romance series, everyone’s attention was caught when a short clip was released on February 2, 2024.
In the 30-second clip, Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Featherington and Luke Newton as Colin Bridgerton can be seen having a romantic moment, only to be interrupted by an unknown happenstance. The two global stars will likely be the main focus of the third season’s storyline.
The third season of Bridgerton will consist of two parts: building up the excitement and anticipation of the viewers. The first part will premiere on the 16th of May, while the second part will be released on the 13th of June.
Toy Story 5 and Frozen 3 coming in cinemas in 2026
Healing the inner child of people who have watched the first films of the Toy Story and Frozen movie franchise seems to be the theme of 2026, as it’s been recently announced that Toy Story 5 and Frozen 3 will make their premiere in the aforementioned year following their last movies that were shared to the audiences in 2019.
No details have been revealed yet for what adventure the Toy Story gang will partake in or what Elsa and Anna will face following their previous growth. Nonetheless, these two films are sure to be on the radar of the people who have found solace in them even from years ago when it was initially released.
‘Coraline’ will be returning to the big screen, remastered and in 3D, this August.
As a celebration of Coraline’s 15th anniversary, the animated coming-of-age movie will return to theaters worldwide in August 2024. From the enigmatic universe to the creepy storyline that it follows, the public will get another chance to see the remastered 3D version of the film.
Written and Directed by Selick, the story follows a young girl who discovers a secret door inside their home, leading her to another alternate dimension almost identical to the version of her life. Mirroring her reality, the parallel word she steps into introduces a similar version of her mother and herself. Unexpectedly, the journey of staying in an alternate universe becomes dangerous, revealing sinister secrets of the strange world.
The film was voiced by several notable celebrities, such as Jennifer Saunders, Teri Hatcher, Dakota Fanning, Keith David, Ian Mcshane, and more. To have early access to the tickets, people can sign up at Laika’s Studios’ online shop.
Art & Creativity
‘10 Days of Art’ Grand Launching at Ayala Triangle Gardens
There’s no better way of experiencing art than being able to see it up close and in the most mundane places. Hence, the ‘10 Days of Art’ project that will be held in the city of Makati is the perfect chance for us to indulge in that kind of escapade as various kinds of artworks will be featured around the area—from underpasses to the gardens, and traditional galleries—all in celebration too for Art Fair Philippines 2024.
In collaboration with a bunch of talented artists, this event will run from February 9 to 18 with the tagline, “Celebrate the best in Philippine contemporary art for 10 days with our partners all around the city!”
Graphika Manila 2024
This year’s Art Month will become delightful as art lovers and goers will surely enjoy this time’s trades and events, this coming February 17- 18, 2024 from 1:00 until 7:00 pm at SMX Convention in Mall of Asia.
For a long time, Graphika has been an artistic hub for creative and art enthusiasts globally. With a 19-year history, The event has developed into a place where imagination is unrestricted. Through it delightful shows of design, vitality, illustration, and other forms. This event has guests who are forerunners in the world of crafts and design whose work has given starters and now professionals alleviations with their work. These individualities will elevate the events with angles and creative approaches, adding new meanings and game-changing concepts and designs.
This celebration curates an immersive experience that’s both grueling and instigative each time, giving a shade of different workshops that promote the boundaries of digital artwork.
There is still a limited ticket available at the Graphika Manila 2024 website.
Fotomoto Atelier
Graphika Manila will give new artists to anticipate the coming chapter of another journey to arts and design. FotomotoPh gives another disquisition on the world of visual narratives. With its mission to raise awareness of cultural expressions and artistic heritage.
FotomotoPH hosted its Fotomoto Atelier from February 9th to February 11th. Kicking off the first day wherein known photographers Geloy Concepcion and Ennuh Tiu lead the discussion on the evolving part of photography on social media. The following day, February 10th at My Cinema in Greenbelt 3, Artu Nepomuceno, Shaira Luna, and Joseph Pascual discussed their perspectives on the art of photography. And on the same day, Grid Magazine’s Nachi Ugarte and Miguel Nepomuceno unveiled on to what is behind crafting compelling visual narratives in publishing.
As the Fotomoto Atelier concludes its last day, February 11th, the conversations go beyond the boundaries of images. During the last day, Angel Shaw and Neal Oshima discussed cultural activism and methods for surviving in the creative industry. Guests had the chance to witness firsthand the alternative photographic process as Neal Oshima and Raena Obella showcased unusual methods.
Events & Festivals
UP Fair Pop Rising 2024
Just a day before Valentine’s, the much-awaited UP Fair will make our hearts pound and soar for a reason that involves our favorite artists performing on stage and partying with us at this event. Held at the UPD Sunken Garden starting from 4 PM, we can expect rising stars like BINI, SB19’s Josh Cullen and Pablo, Alamat, and Zild among others that will surely create new core memories for the attendees to look back on.
For those who still want to make a last-minute appearance to the must-see performances that we can witness in this concert, there will be a last physical ticket selling on the day itself.
GATE PRICES:
- Php 250 – UP Students
- Php 350 – Non-UP Students
Compiled and written by Alexi Aquilino, Kevin Renzo Daniel, Nina Tansengco.