My Book is now on Amazon!

My US-based high school friend @lorainelopez bought my book I Helped Myself from Amazon! She reminded me today of how much I enjoyed writing since we were in school 🥺 I’m really thankful that my books are reaching my friends all around the world! Buy my Amazon debut here to support me. 📖 #authorlife #ihelpedmyself

Pop-It Toys!

Kill stress away with these pop it toys! Buy them here. 💚 #shopeeambassador #shopeesambassador #shopeeambassadorph #shopaholicsam

I Helped Myself Print Copies Now AvaiLable!

My college friend Aisha was the first buyer of my book I Helped Myself on Amazon! She already received her copy, and I’m really happy to have supportive friends who appreciate my work ❤️ Buy my book via this link. 📕 #authorlife #ihelpedmyself

I Helped Myself Book Launch

Celebrated the launch of my Amazon debut title, I Helped Myself! This book is my first international release, and it means a lot to me to celebrate it with my loved ones. Please support by buying a copy here. 📖 #ihelpedmyself #amazonauthor #authorlife #flowerchimp

Rex Orange County drops new single “Open A Window,” featuring acclaimed rapper Tyler, The Creator

"OPEN A WINDOW" (feat. Tyler, the Creator)

LISTEN: ROC.lnk.to/OpenAWindow

WHO CARES? ALBUM

LISTEN: ROC.lnk.to/WHOCARES

Rex Orange County shares "OPEN A WINDOW" featuring Tyler, The Creator, the third offering from his brand-new album WHO CARES? The track finds Rex reunited with one of his earliest champions in Tyler, who contributes a verse, marking the first time the two have collaborated since Tyler's 2017 album Flower Boy.

"OPEN A WINDOW" is laid-back with jazzy keys and drums that flow freely behind Rex's stand out vocals. It follows the previously released single "AMAZING" and the lead single "KEEP IT UP," which Billboard described as "a tasty bit of happy-go-lucky pop-rock." Additionally, Rex appeared as the musical guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert last weekend, which you can watch HERE.

"OPEN A WINDOW" also arrives on the heels of Rex recently announcing a North American tour that will see him play iconic venues across the continent like Forest Hills Stadium in New York, Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado and The Hollywood Bowl and Greek Theatre in California before hitting the UK and Ireland in July and August for a 4-date string of shows. Tickets are on sale HERE.

WHO CARES? will mark Rex's first release since 2020's Live at Radio City Music Hall EP taken from his two sold-out shows at the venue in 2020 just before his international Pony tour was cut short in Berlin due to Covid-19. As it turns out, however, that tour being cut short is part of the genesis of this album. After spending the bulk of 2020 quarantined back home in the UK, Rex made the trek to Amsterdam that fall to record with Benny Sings, with whom he crafted the 2017 platinum selling breakout single "Loving Is Easy."

What started as sessions without expectations turned into an incredibly productive 48-hour window of recording with Benny, prompting a follow-up trip to Amsterdam. The subsequent 10 days of work together produced his fourth album, made in close partnership with Benny, that is a playful record by an artist in a playful mood.

Check out "OPEN A WINDOW" and WHO CARES? links above and tour routing below and stay tuned for more from Rex Orange County coming soon.

. 

WHO CARES?

Rex Orange County

March 11th, 2022

Sony Music

1. KEEP IT UP

2. OPEN A WINDOW (Feat. Tyler, The Creator)

3. WORTH IT

4. AMAZING

5. ONE IN A MILLION

6. IF YOU WANT IT

7. 7 AM

8. THE SHADE

9. MAKING TIME

10. SHOOT ME DOWN

11. WHO CARES?

 Source: Nyou

Sarabia Optical: A Go-To Optical Brand in Town

Sarabia Optical opened its doors this year, as itcontinuously innovates the field of optometry in the country. The brand started its year with a vision—providing excellent and best-in-class vision care services and products that patients may have not yet experienced before. Sarabia Optical is eager to make people see life clearly, and be the go-to optical brand of every Filipino.

Your Modern Eye Expert

The brand is known to offer tailored-fit services and products to customers who are in need of vision care. Its comprehensive vision exam is unlike other optical businesses, as it is comprised of series of interviews to know the customer’s lifestyle, and analysis to create aproper recommendation to help customers see clearly, and this way of giving vision care to people, it has given Sarabia Optical loyal customers through generation, making the brand the go-to optical brand for their vision care.

House of Premium Brands

Sarabia Optical is a house of multiple designer brands such as Lindberg, Randolph, Mykita and many more, showcasing unique and upscale style in affordable prices, recommended to customers who have different lifestyle

Pertaining to premium products, Sarabia Optical is also one of the largest retailers of Essilor, the #1 spectacle lenses worldwide, standing to its mission to improve lives by improving sight to people. Its flagship brands are Varilux®, Crizal®, Transitions®, Eyezen™ and Xperio®.You can avail the multi-pair best deal offer this 2022 with your 2nd pair of any Essilor lenses with Crizal at 50% off. Essilor Multi-pair offer is available at any Sarabia Optical Shops nationwiden to find the perfect pair of Essilor lenses suited to your lifestyle needs. Aside from optical lenses, Sarabia Optical also has contact lenses in partnership with Alcon, the global leader in eye care, specifically in contact lenses such as Air Optix, Freshlook, and Dailies.

Dedication to Vision Care

The brand is dedicated to vision care since 1906, showcasing Sarabia Optical’s passion to Optometry. The brand also envisions further expansion around prime locations in Metro Manila. Recently, Sarabia Optical opened its 29th store in Festival Mall to cater more patients, who are in need of extensive vision care.

Source: Sarabia Optical

I Helped Myself: Now on Amazon!

My book, I Helped Myself, is now available on Amazon! This is my international debut as an author, and I hope that you can support me by buying a copy here. 📖 Read on how I overcame challenges and helped myself! Buy now! #authorlife #ihelpedmyself

Yamada Specs

It’s the weekend! Don’t forget to relax 🍻 Buy my glasses from @sarabiaoptical 👓 via this link. 🤓 #shopeeambassador #shopeesambassador #shopeeambassadorph #shopaholicsam

15 Years of Child SponsorshIp

Celebrating 15 years of being a @worldvisionphl child sponsor with a self-development webinar! I started being a child sponsor when I was still in college, and I never looked back! And just like that, it’s been 15 years of sharing my blessings and knowing that I am able to impact a child’s life. 🧡 Please also consider sponsoring a child by visiting @worldvisionphl! 🧡 #worldvisionph

Ace Banzuelo kicks off International Women’s Month with captivating serenade “Babae”

The Filipino singer-songwriter/producer releases a music video helmed by budding female director Katrina Arciaga

 Filipino singer-songwriter/producer Ace Banzuelocontinues to carve out a new lane in pop music with the release of “Babae,” an ‘80s inspired track steeped in warm, analog-sounding synths and romantic lyrics.

The retro-infused jam serves as the official anthem for #BabaeAko, an International Women’s Month campaign by Sony Music Philippines which aims to put a spotlight on women and female artists under the label’s roster through several online and promotional activities this March 2022.

According to the Alive hitmaker, it’s an honor to lend his platform to an important cause that empowers women in creatives who have long been deprived of equal opportunities. 

“Babae was already finished months ahead and it was set to be released earlier than the target date,” says the 21-year-old artist. “When the team approached me about the possibility of using my song as part of a women-focused campaign, I immediately said yes. I’ve worked with many talented women all my life, and it’s about time that we recognize their legacy and how they have contributed significantly in pushing the culture forward. They are as great or even as better than their counterparts if truth be told.”

The music video of “Babae” is in fact, helmed by Katrina Arciaga, a budding female director who has worked with Ace on several projects before. “We’ve worked on small projects as independent creatives before, but this time without a doubt I knew we could pull off my vision and bring it to life.”

The visuals tell a story of a person earning someone’s trust. In Ace’s words, it’s a “sweet, magical and mysterious” metaphor on the various stages of liking someone, including the challenges that come with it.  

“I came up with the playful concept last minute actually,” the eclectic pop phenom shares in a statement.

Aside from its interesting music video concept, Ace also takes pride of writing a multilingual song that highlights the poetic beauty of Tagalog and Cebuano, with a generous sprinkling of English, Japanese and Spanish. 

To make this possible, the talented newcomer asked help from friends and family in taking into account preciseness and proper word usage when it comes to writing the lyrics of the song. “I always felt that adding those little language twists would add an interesting layer to the track.”

“Babae” is Ace Banzuelo’s follow-up to the sparkly bop “Alive,” which kicks of his new era with genres that range from K-Pop to city pop, ‘70s disco to dance music. To date, Ace has racked up more than 12 million streams on Spotify alone, and is slated to release his full-length debut album this year.

“Babae” is out now on all digital music platforms worldwide. Watch the music video here.

The song is part of Sony Music Philippines’ multiple activities planned out for the International Women’s Month, which kicks off with a curated playlist that highlights Sony Music’s local and international female artists, and a series of videos/online performances from the label’s roster of acts from March 17-29. Check out the Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter of Sony Music Philippines for details.

Source: Nyou

Israeli Embassy Launches The ISHA Project:A Woman's Health and Wellness Advocacy for Women’s Month

Signing of the ISHA project which provides free health and wellness package for women in uniform and women from the marginalized sector

In photo: Dr. Victor Gisbert President of MakatiMed Foundation; 

Ms. Mikaela Luisa Teves, Executive Director of Spark Philippines, 

Ambassador Ilan Fluss; Ms. Beatrice Luigi Gomez, Ms. Universe Philippines

The Embassy of Israel in the Philippines launched the ISHA Project in celebration of the International Women's Day on March 8. 

The project aims to serve as an effective tool for responding to the pressing health needs of Filipina women from underserved sectors and communities in cooperation with Makati Medical Foundation, Miss Universe Philippines, Spark Philippines, and MASHAV – Israel’s Agency for Development Cooperation.ISHA is the Hebrew word for "woman".

Beneficiaries from the marginalized sector will be given a free Women's Health and Wellness package sponsored by the Israeli embassy. The package will help detect and prevent women's illness through consultation with OB-GYN specialists, breast examination, and PAP smear done at MakatiMed.   

"This year, in the Philippines, we decided that we will focus on the issue of women's health, which is extremely important," Israel Ambassador Ilan Fluss said during the inauguration of ISHA project. "It is very important because not everybody has access to health services for free especially the marginalized sector. It is a critical issue so I'm very happy that we're able to inaugurate this program," he said.

The Israeli Embassy advocates women's health and wellness through the periodic conduct of health-related projects and activities. 

Ambassador Ilan Fluss launched the project together with the President of MakatiMed Foundation Dr. Victor  Gisbert; Ms. Marge Barro, Executive Director, Makati Medical center Foundation; Director of SPARK Philippines Ms. Mikaela Luisa Teves; Director of Miss Universe Philippines Ms. ShamceySupsup-Lee; Ms. Universe Philippines Beatrice Luigi Gomez; the embassy and MakatiMed staff; and the recipients of the health and wellness package.

 Source: EMBASSY OF ISRAEL MANILA

Philippine - Israel Sign Joint Declaration For the Development of Dairy Sector in the PH

Department of Agriculture Sec. William Dar and Ambassador Ilan Fluss show the signed joint declaration for mutual relationship and assistance in developing the dairy sector in the Philippines

The Embassy of Israel in the Philippines and the Israel Economic Commercial Mission to the Philippines, in cooperation with the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the National Dairy Authority (NDA), signed the joint declaration for mutual relationship and assistance in developing the dairy sector in the Philippines. DA Secretary William Dar and Israel Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss signed the said joint declaration.

In his opening remarks, Ambassador Ilan Fluss shared, “We aim to introduce smart and precision agriculture while using Israeli technology adjusted to local condition to address the local challenges. Signing the joint declaration is a strong signal that MASHAV, Israel’s agency for development cooperation, will be happy to support the Philippines through technical assistance and capacity building programs especially in the dairy industry.”

The signing was followed by a virtual event entitled, “Philippine - Israel Dairy Business Forum: Ramping Up the Milk Production to Meet Local Demands.”

According to Mr. Tomer Heyvi, Head of the Economic Mission of Israel, the event aimed to share best practices from Israel's advanced dairy industry, to discuss the challenges of the sector in the Philippines, and to introduce leading technologies to increase farm productivity.

“Israel is a model to us. The Philippine government is eager to learn from Israel’s best dairy practices, we want to know more about the technologies. We have also watched with great interest the progress of the joint - dairy projects between Israel and Vietnam, and we wish to learn as much in the Philippines. I trust the joint declaration is only the first step to continuing mutual relationship

and assistance,” Department of Agriculture Secretary William Dar said.

Deputy Administrator Dr. Farrell Benjelix C. Magtoto of the National Dairy Authority shared that the proposed 2020-2025 Dairy Road Map - One DAiry Revolution will increase the herd and improve productivity to provide milk for Filipino children and bolster against the war of malnutrition and poverty.

Ms. Ariane Blancia, Commercial Officer and Sector Lead for Agrotechnologies gave an overview about Israel’s dairy industry. She shared that 1.5 billion liters of cow milk were produced in 2020, and that Kibbutz and the Moshav account for 83% of the country’s dairy and other agricultural produce. “There are many reasons why Israeli Holstein cow is a world leader in milk yields, but the real answer lies actually in the combination of the unique method of production and quotas, heat stress management, breeding among others that are used in Israel to manage and improve the dairy herd,” Ms. Blancia said.

A study case highlighting Dairy Fresh Asia’s project in Vietnam was shared by Mr. Gonen Harel, its Co-founder and Chief Dairy Expert and Mr. Ran Leitman its Co-founder and CEO. He mentioned that this year, they hope to build a demo farm that can help change the dairy industry and its scale in the Philippines by training the local workforce and blending it with Israeli technologies that have proven its success in Vietnam.

Dr. William Medrano, Undersecretary for Livestock of DA, shared in his closing remarks, “I

totally agree with Ambassador Fluss that we really need to encourage all (Israeli) companies to come to the Philippines and establish their local entity, link with local partners, and interested investors to develop local milk industry. And with all the presentations I have watched, these are all technologies that can be adopted in the Philippines.”

Mr. Yoray Ofek, President of the Israel Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines, mentioned in his recorded video that the presentations of the Israeli technologies are very informative and the webinar serves as an opportunity to start the collaboration between the dairy farms in the Philippines and Israeli companies.

Israeli companies with leading dairy technologies in herd management, breeding and artificial insemination, milk equipment, and complementary technology also presented during the event.

Source: EMBASSY OF ISRAEL MANILA

Human Nature Online Store

Here’s a reminder to you all to buy your Human Nature essentials from me! My online store delivers straight to your doorstep for safe and hassle-free shopping. Order now.🌻

Two International Book Deals for Me!

Celebrated my two international book deals with my family 🌻 Please continue supporting me by buying my books here. 🌻 #authorlife

Speak Plan Live to be Published Worldwide!

I am very proud to share that my book Speak Plan Live has been accepted for publishing by Ukiyoto, and it will be released worldwide both in print and ebook forms. It is the third and final book in my Speak trilogy. Please continue supporting me by buying my books here: https://linktr.ee/speakoutsam and I hope that you can buy a copy of this book once it is released. Thank you! NEVER GIVE UP ON YOUR DREAMS! ✨

Coffee Buddy Cafe

@coffeebuddyph has finally opened their cafe along Roces Ave., QC! I have been buying my coffee beans from them since 2020. They make really good coffee, and my fave is their caramel macchiato! Drop by their cafe today! You can also order beans (my fave is their Benguet) here. ☕️ #greatcoffee #shopeeambassador #foodie

GLOBAL SUPERSTAR CAMILA CABELLO IS BACK WITH NEW SINGLE “BAM BAM” FEATURING ED SHEERAN

RELEASES CINEMATIC MUSIC VIDEO

NEW ALBUM FAMILIA COMING APRIL 8

Gearing up for her biggest, boldest, and brightest release yet, three-time GRAMMY® Award-nominated, multi-platinum, and chart-topping singer/songwriter Camila Cabello will unveil her anxiously awaited blockbuster new single and music video “Bam Bam” [feat. Ed Sheeran] on March 4, 2022 via Epic Records. Pre-order/Pre-save “Bam Bam”— HERE. “Bam Bam” was produced by Ricky Reed, Edgar Barerra and Cheche Alara, and was written by Cabello, Ed Sheeran and Ricky Reed.  The video was directed by Mia Barnes, in collaboration with Dave Meyers, who also directed Cabello’s “Havana,” “Senorita,” “My Oh My” and “Liar” videos. Watch the video here. 

“Bam Bam” marks her first release of 2022, and it stands out as one of the year’s most anticipated event singles. It notably reunites her with one of the best-selling artists in the world, four-time GRAMMY® Award winner Ed Sheeran. It continues a creative collaboration dating back to Sheeran’s gold-certified 2019 banger “South of the Border” [feat. Camila Cabello & Cardi B].

Most importantly, “Bam Bam” heralds the arrival of her third full-length album, Familia, on April 8.

Last year, she set the stage for the record with “Don’t Go Yet,” which impressively gathered 232 million Spotify streams. 

About Camila Cabello

Multi Grammy nominated Cuban born singer/songwriter Camila Cabello (Epic Records) released her debut solo album, CAMILA in January 2018 to rave reviews. It debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart at the same time as her single “Havana” Reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, making Camila the first solo artist in nearly 15 years to reach the #1 spot on the Hot 100, Billboard 200 and Artist 100 charts in the same week. Camila also became the #1 artist on global Spotify. She took home awards for Artist of the Year and Video of the Year for her hit “Havana” at the 2018 Video Music Awards. At the end of 2018, Camila was nominated for two Grammys for the 61st Annual Grammy Awards including “Best Pop Vocal Album” for her album, CAMILA, and “Best Pop Solo Performance” for “Havana” (Live). Beginning her official solo career after four years in Fifth Harmony, Camila released RIAA diamond-certified smash hit “Havana,” in August 2017 where it obtained the #1 spot on the pop radio chart, marking her second top 40 #1 as a solo artist. “Havana” became the most streamed song of all time by a female artist and was the number one song of 2018 globally. Her triple-platinum single “Never Be TheSame,” was released in January 2018 and peaked in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Camila became the first artist in history to have two multi-format number one singles as the first two singles from their debut album.  Camila had previously earned a chart-topping smash with her double platinum-certified hit “Bad Things” with MGK which generated over 400 million on-demand streams. Camila released the global smash single “Señorita,” with Shawn Mendes in June 2019, it debuted at #1 on iTunes worldwide and broke Spotify’s record for the biggest debut from a male/female duet in its history. “Señorita” was the most streamed song of any song released globally on Spotify in 2019 and was nominated in the category of “Best Pop Duo/Group Performance” for the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards. In December 2019, Camila released her sophomore studio album, ROMANCE, which is certified platinum. At the 62nd Grammy Awards, Camila gave a stunning performance of her track, “First Man,” where she sang directly to her father in the crowd. Camila is the first female artist since Adele to triple up atop Billboard’s Hot 100, Billboard 200 & Artist 100 charts. Maintaining her momentum, “My Oh My” reached #1 at Pop Radio in 2020, becoming her 5th total number one as a solo artist following the success of “Señorita” the prior year. Camila is also an ambassador for Save the Children. In August of 2021, Camila released her new single “Don’t Go Yet” from her highly anticipated upcoming album, Familia. In September 2021, she made her acting debut starring in CINDERELLA. 

Outside of entertainment, Camila is a spokesperson for L’Oreal. She is also an ambassador for Save the Children and was honored in 2019 with the Voice Award. In 2020, Camila, along with Movement Voter Fund, launched the Healing Justice Project, which provides direct grant funding for culturally relevant mental health and wellness resources to youth activists and grassroots organizations working at the intersection of racial and economic justice, electoral organizing and other movements that work towards bettering and moving this country forward. 

About Ed Sheeran

Ed Sheeran is an era-defining artist. From record-breaking sales across his recorded music and live performances, and a plethora of award wins to his name, the British singer-songwriter is the boundless talent behind some of the biggest songs in history.  The 4x GRAMMY award winner has consistently resonated with fans across the world with his peerless songcraft and exceptional music palate. With four multiplatinum, critically acclaimed albums under his belt – ‘+’ (2011), ‘x’ (2014), ‘÷’ (2017) and ‘No.6 Collaborations Project’ (2019) - Sheeran has amassed more than 60 billion streams and sold over 50 million albums, globally to date; he is also one of only six artists to have three songs – “Thinking Out Loud,” “Perfect,” and “Shape Of You” - earn RIAA Diamond-certification, for sales equivalents exceeding 10 million in the US alone.  An unparalleled live performer, Sheeran’s most recent, two-year ÷ world tour made history becoming the most-attended and highest-grossing tour of all time.  Last fall, Sheeran released ‘=’, the fourth installment of his symbol album series, highlighted by the hit singles “Shivers” and “Bad Habits,” which recently received a GRAMMY nomination for “Song of the Year.”  Debuting at #1 on the Billboard 200, ‘=’ is Sheeran’s fourth consecutive full length release to top the chart after its first week.   A global phenomenon, ‘=’ has also gone to #1 in 19 countries around the world.

Source: Nyou

BENJAMIN KHENG SAVOURS A PARTING OF THE WAYS IN NEW TRACK WITH SINGER-SONGWRITER BEA LORENZO

4th March 2022 — Homegrown artist Benjamin Kheng returns on the scene with a brand-new song, Good For A Time — an acoustic pop-R&B number that features Filipino artist Bea Lorenzo on vocals.

The radio-friendly pop ballad is a culmination of collaborations on multiple fronts. For the writing, Kheng teamed up with fellow Singaporean singer-songwriter, Linying, best known for penning and performing the theme song for 2021’s National Day Parade, ‘The Road Ahead’.

"Writing Good For A Time was as much fun as it was bittersweet. Linying was the perfect co-writer for this — breaking down heartbreak and joy is what she does bestand it felt like we left little pieces of ourselves in this tune."

Together, they penned lyrics that captured the desire to stretch time for as long as possible to savour the last moments before the unavoidable end of a meaningful relationship.

Good For A Time is more than just a breakup song, it's about a couple presently breaking up and going through the painful process of untethering while looking back fondly and appreciating the love that was."

Kheng leaned on the expertise of Snakeweed Studios' Josh Wei (CL, Gentlebones) to oversee production on the track. 

"Josh was a godsend. Not one stone was left unturned. We experimented with many arrangements on different instruments, and I'm glad we landed on this one."

Filipino singer-songwriter Bea Lorenzo, best known for her prowess with the Kalimba, was brought on as a feature to turn the song into a duet, highlighting the shared experience of heartbreak. Lorenzo describes the song as the seconds of silence between two people facing the realisation of no longer being good for each other. 

Good For A Time takes that brief moment and stretches it into a bittersweet 2-and-a-half minutes, painting a picture of young love and the peace that can come with letting go.” On working with Kheng she says, “Working with an artist like Ben, who was so open-minded and caring throughout the process, I was reminded of the joys of honest songwriting and the power it holds in a storytelling space.”

"It was serendipitous having Bea Lorenzo as a duet partner,” says Kheng, “She gave the piece a stunning voice and made the story all the more poignant. Being separated by miles due to the pandemic gave an added depth to the reality of the song."

This was especially true when producing the music video for Good For A Time. Set in the empty late-night cityscape of Singapore and Manila, the music video depicts Kheng and Lorenzo as ex-lovers reuniting for the first time since their separation. 

Singaporean Photographer and Director Lenne Chai took the helm. Inspired by her own experiences as a young teen, Chai wanted to capture the feeling of young love and longing. We follow Kheng and Lorenzo as they mull over their memories of being in love and exploring the city to extend their time together. 

Given that Kheng and Lorenzo were in different countries at the time, filming was done concurrently with a remote team in Manila led by director Simon Te and cinematographer Renz Gonzalez.

"The experience was wonderful, and I’m so glad we pulled it off," says Chai. "This would not have been possible without our hotel partners, Conrad Centennial and Conrad Manila, who supported our production in both cities."

Good For A Time is available on all digital platforms from 4th March 2022.

The music video for Good For A Time premiers on 4th March 2022 at 6:00 PM SGT.

ABOUT BENJAMIN KHENG

Benjamin Kheng is a Singaporean musician, actor and writer, and lead singer of former pop outfit The Sam Willows, who landed a coveted spot on Forbes' annual 30 Under 30 Asia. 

In November 2019, he officially returned to music after a year-long break following the hiatus of The Sam Willows. His first solo single, ‘Wicked’, and subsequent singles ‘Find Me’ and ‘Lovers Forever’ were released to critical acclaim, showcasing Benjamin’s versatility as a singer and lending promise to the potential of his artistry and growing repertoire.

Benjamin released his highly anticipated debut EP ‘A Sea That Never Stops’ in June 2020. In this highly personal EP, Benjamin explored life and love under the lens of both sincerity and cynicism. With upbeat tempos and sparkling melodies, ‘A Sea That Never Stops’ is simultaneously a cry and a celebration for the experiences that make us human. To date, the EP has garnered over 3 million streams from over 800,000 listeners. Benjamin’s success earned him a nomination for Best Southeast Asia Act at the 2020 MTV Europe Music Awards.

In 2021, Benjamin returned with a new single, ‘Fresh Feelings’, featuring R&B artist J.Sheon. Building on his work in ‘A Sea That Never Stops’, the production for ‘Fresh Feelings’ is daring and wildly theatrical, drawing from Benjamin’s love for gospel choir and musical theatre with glossy piano chords and layered harmonies. Love is clearly the higher power that straddles charming and clumsy with delicate and devastating. Benjamin ended the year with the song, ‘Baby Mama’. His single with Gentle Bones, Better WithYou, was awarded Single Of The Year at the Youth Music Awards 2021.

Benjamin’s body of work extends beyond music and into acting. The breadth of his acting talent shows in the roles he has played — from the leading role of Romeo in Toy Factory’s staging of Romeo & Juliet to his nomination for best actor in The Breakup List at the Raindance Film Festival. He is also one half of the acclaimed comedy sketch series, The BenZiProject, which has garnered over 2.2 million views on YouTube in less than a year since its inception, and the TheAnn & Ben Show, a music comedy sketch series with Annette Lee.

An advocate for youth and social causes, Benjamin has also been invited to speak at TEDxYouth@Singapore to share his experience in overcoming depression and anxiety disorder with synesthesia.

ABOUT BEA LORENZO

Bea Lorenzo is a Manila-based Filipina performing artist whose love for storytelling, stage theatrics, and minimalist arrangements in recorded music inspires and fuels her songwriting. Her journey as a no-genre recording artist began with debut single ‘Ili (Hush)’ which earned her recognition as an award finalist at the 2019 Awit Awards. In the same year, her act was featured on the music television programme Coke Studio Philippines. Following her 2020 single releases ‘Imaginary Love’, ‘With A Smile’, and ‘Kapalaran’, ‘Good For A Time’ is Bea’s first international feature on a song with Singaporean artist Benjamin Kheng.

FOLLOW BENJAMIN KHENG

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | TikTok | YouTube

FOLLOW BEA LORENZO

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

Source: Nyou

The Power of Gratitude

Transit Dialog has recently published my essay, The Power of Gratitude. Read it below:

"𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘥, 𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥."

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲

𝘉𝘺 𝘚𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘢 𝘎𝘢𝘪𝘭 𝘓𝘶𝘤𝘢𝘴

2022 began on a shaky note, with the emergence of the Omnicron variant in the Philippines. While we were given a semblance of normalcy during the holiday season, we quickly realized that we had to take precautionary measures in order to protect ourselves from the new variant. This led to a survival mode which personally felt like a hibernation of sorts.

In the comfort of my own home, I was able to plan, journal, and reflect on the new year. For me, the power of gratitude is crucial even during uncertainty.

Let's face it, life has always been uncertain anyway. It is just that the unknown has been more pronounced with the pandemic. The saying “life is too short” is no longer cliché, as the virus has become too close for comfort.

I am thankful to be alive, healthy, and boosted. The fact that I can write this essay in a well-lit environment means that I am fortunate. I am thankful to have the means to write and reflect on my status quo.

When gratitude is highlighted, blessings are triggered. I believe that when there is an attitude of gratitude, we learn to welcome abundance without guilt or shame. We accept what is given to us because we feel whole.

Gratitude lets us appreciate what we have at a time where there is a health crisis that has robbed us of our normal routines. If there is a sense of overwhelm, then let us focus on the basic things that we can be thankful for. The senses of taste and smell are a good place to start. The ability to inhale and exhale is another. The rest will follow from there.

Another way to harness the power of gratitude is to pass it on. We all have something to share with others. The victims of Typhoon Odette still need our help, so I hope that we could continue offering support to them. We can also offer our time and energy to those who are burdened by the effects of the pandemic.

There is always something that we can do for others, and the generosity that we extend can be the beginning of someone’s gratefulness to be alive.

There is no doubt that 2022 will have its share of bad days. Life is full of challenges, but we can learn to view them as opportunities instead. When we see them as chances to help ourselves and ease other people’s burdens, then we can be thankful for the skills that we have.

We can be grateful for the possibilities that are present in an unbelievable time in history. And we can be thankful to be alive at a time when life seems to be too short.

And when the days seem too long and time seems to become an illusion, always return to the concept of gratitude. Be thankful that you are present here today. Be grateful that your energy lets other people experience life more. Be grateful that you are able to have plans. Be grateful that you have reasons to be thankful for.

When you see a chance for you to help out, do not hesitate to do so. Do not wait until it is too late. It is better to be a blessing to others than to become a burden.

Friends, the only way to continue living is to begin with the power of gratitude. Be grateful for yourself. Be grateful that you showed up today. Be grateful that you can read this. Now, go ahead and be a blessing to others today. You will thank me later.

𝘚𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘢 𝘎𝘢𝘪𝘭 𝘉. 𝘓𝘶𝘤𝘢𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘦𝘣𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘦, s𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘴𝘢𝘮.𝘤𝘰𝘮, 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘔𝘢𝘺 2017 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘴, 𝘧𝘰𝘰𝘥𝘪𝘦 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴, 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱𝘴. 𝘏𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬, 𝘚𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘉𝘭𝘰𝘨 𝘓𝘪𝘷𝘦, 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘖𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘣𝘦𝘳 2021, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬, 𝘚𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘞𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘷𝘦, 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘋𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 2021.

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