“What I’m going for is a relentless, huge pop punch to the face. I want people to be like ‘oh my god, I didn’t expect that’ – but then want to listen to it again.” 

JADE, a.k.a. Jade Thirlwall of multi-platinum selling, BRIT Award winning pop phenomenon Little Mix, today releases her highly anticipated debut solo single, “Angel of My Dreams.”

JADE co-wrote ‘Angel of My Dreams’ in LA alongside Steph Jones (Sabrina Carpenter’s Espresso), Pablo Bowman (Calvin Harris’ Miracle) and producer Mike Sabath (RAYE). The track is a frenetically shapeshifting, gloriously OTT banger that explores her love/hate relationship with a pop industry she’s been at the heart of since 2011.

“I didn’t want to do a safe first single, that was really important to me,” JADE states. “I’m setting the tone of who I am as an artist on my own. I want people to hear it and be like ‘what the fuck is that song?’. My worst nightmare is for someone to hear my song and go ‘that’s nice’.” 

The lyrical themes are brought to life via an eye-popping video that takes the song’s playful storytelling and blows it up into big neon letters. Directed by Aube Perrie (Harry Styles, Megan Thee Stallion), and filmed over four days (“the budget was budgeting” laughs JADE), it’s a visual feast, inspired by the Fifth Element, Showgirls and Black Swan, that stars various versions of Jade all scrapping for the spotlight. 

“There’s 11 looks in the video! The concept is sort of rags to riches It was emotional actually because for one bit I’m busking and walking past a Sainsbury’s Local. When I was 16, I would stand outside my local Sainsbury’s and sing Christmas songs.”

It’s been a long, carefully chosen path to get to ‘Angel of My Dreams’. When Little Mix announced their hiatus in 2022, JADE started to set her solo career in motion across multiple studio sessions with collaborators including MNEK, Cirkut, Lostboy, RAYE, Lauren Aquilina and Dave Hamelin alongside Mike, Steph and Pablo. ‘Angel of My Dreams’ immediately jumped out as the lead single. Built around a cheeky, knowing sample of Sandie Shaw’s 1967 hit ‘Puppet on a String’, lyrically JADE wanted to reflect on her time in an industry that has brought her both unimaginable highs and deep lows. 

“It’s about how obsessed I am with the industry – so there are lyrics like “love when you call me a star” – but also there’s the dark side that comes with that. It’s not as glam as it seems.”  The sample, which JADE had wanted to use in a song for years, was chosen very specifically. “In the beginning of our career you do think you are this puppet, but at the same time it isn’t true – we wrote a lot of our songs, and we were behind a lot of what we put out there. I resented that as a statement. So it felt natural to take that and show that it can be true and untrue at the same time.”

The track is Jade delivering Big Pop Girl Energy. It is, as she says, doing the most; it’s OTT, it’s ridiculous and it’s gloriously WTF.

“This dawn of pop girls giving people everything is so exciting. It couldn’t be better timing for my music. I’m so proud of it and I can say that with chest. The fans have waited long enough so now we just want to give it to them”.

 

Rex Orange County by Clare Shilland

The Alexander Technique

PRE-SAVE: https://roc.lnk.to/TheAlexanderTechnique

ORDER: https://ROC.lnk.to/xStore

“Alexander”

LISTEN | WATCH

“Guitar Song”

LISTEN | WATCH

Rex Orange County announces his new album The Alexander Technique for release on September 6th via RCA Records. The album was produced entirely by Rex himself alongside Teo Halm (Rosalía, SZA, Beyoncé) and Jim Reed, the latter a member of the Rex Orange County touring band since its inception, in addition to James Blake who produced and features on “Look Me In The Eyes.”

To coincide with the announcement, Rex is sharing two new singles with accompanying music videos, “Alexander” and “Guitar Song,” that showcase two distinctly different sides of the album. Album opener “Alexander” arrives with a Nick Walker-directed music video that introduces the inspiration for the album’s title while the video for “Guitar Song” features footage of Rex filmed by Alexandra Waespi at Decoy Studios in England during the album’s creation.

The Alexander Technique is named for a therapeutic practice in which back pain is treated in order to address deeper health problems, and it’s an apt name for Rex’s most raw album to date: what may have begun as a simple exercise in changing the purview of his writing ended up becoming his most confessional, open-hearted album. Stripping back his sound to a skeletal mixture of stream-of-consciousness R&B and indie-folk, while retaining the orchestral lushness that’s become his trademark, The Alexander Technique marks the beginning of Act Two of Rex Orange County’s career: a new chapter on which he lays everything bare, no matter how painful that might be.

“The Alexander Technique is very much a look into my own brain and experiences over the last few years – it’s almost a diary,” he says. Longer than any project he’s ever made and more musically varied, The Alexander Technique was made over a matter of years, started before and finished after 2022’s WHO CARES?; listening to it feels like watching an artist grow in real-time, and face all the attending growing pains that come alongside. “I’ve made a lot of love songs over the years, and I feel as though this is the first time I’m trying to make a project about everything in life. In my mind, it’s exactly what I’ve always wanted to make.”

Listen to and watch “Alexander” and “Guitar Song” above now and see below for all The Alexander Technique information.

The Alexander Technique album artwork

Rex Orange County

The Alexander Technique

(RCA Records)

September 6, 2024

1. Alexander

2. Guitar Song

3. 2008

4. Therapy

5. 4 In The Morning

6. Jealousy

7. The Table

8. Pure

9. One of These Days

10. Carrera

11. Much Too Much

12. Sliding Doors

13. Lost For Words

14. Look Me In The Eyes featuring James Blake

15. New Years

16. Finally

Connect with Rex Orange County:

Instagram | Youtube | X (Twitter)

The P-Pop solo act stars in the music video, along with Nicole Omillio of One More Chance stage adaptation and RJ Cruz of The Juans

Justin delivers another track with an unfiltered creative pulse.

The promising P-Pop star releases “kaibigan,” an anthemic track that finds the sweet spot most solo artists only dream of: staying true to their roots while harnessing their fully realized potential.

The song channels the agony and frustration of expressing one’s true feelings to a friend—a familiar premise that ends with an intriguing twist to its own brand of storytelling.

“To be honest, there’s no actual or specific inspiration behind the song,” Justin reveals. “I wrote this tune from the perspective of an observer and wanderer: a person who enjoys movies with coming-of-age slant.”

Radkidz collab

Layered with sonic complexities and refreshing builds, “kaibigan” simply defies expectations by giving Justin more room to experiment. Credit goes to Filipino production duo Radkidz (SB19’s Pablo and his brother, Josue), who reconciled Justin’s pop sensibilities with their envelope-pushing ideas. Both Pablo and Josue worked with Justin on his previously released solo tracks, “surreal” and “sunday morning.”

“Similar to surreal, I let them hear my demo in its ukulele version,” Justin shares the production process behind his new track. “At first, it was more of a solemn and calm song, but as we navigated deeper through the collaboration and explored the material and its story, we came up with something that ripped out the emotional layers in the latter part.”

The charismatic member of SB19 specifically praised Radkidz for guiding him towards honing his sonic instincts while sticking to the brief.

“They added some interesting builds on the bridge, and made me even scream towards the end. I personally don’t see myself doing that, but there’s always total payoff in accepting the challenge without giving in to your sense of inhibition. I’m actually thrilled with the final output.”

About the music video

SB19’s Justin himself conceptualized the visual narrative that accompanies the track’s release. While he is responsible for the flow, the talented multi-hyphenate doesn’t want to take all the credit for the MV, as he takes pride in the collaborative nature of filmmaking. He shares captainship with his team, particularly in coming up with the storyboard and the shot list.

“For the direction of the MV, other than the rough storyboard, we make sure the producer knows the story behind it and what feeling we want to convey. I even sent movies and not just music video pegs for them to really understand what we wanted to achieve,” the 1Z Entertainment act adds.

The music video for “kaibigan” stars theater actress Nicole Omillio, who recently made headlines as Basha on the stage adaptation of the hit movie One More Chance, and RJ Cruz of alternative pop band The Juans.

The concept of the MV captures the complexities of human connection. As the team puts it, the newest single from justin is a reminder that some things are better left unsaid: “kaibigan is an embrace for the unrequited.”

Justin admits, “To be honest, the music video is very easy to digest. And that’s what I want: for people to relate to it and feel the story of the music and the music video.”

Justin’s “kaibigan” is out now on all digital music platforms worldwide via Sony Music Entertainment. Watch the music video here.

Metro Manila, Philippines – July 17, 2024: EastWest is excited to commemorate its 30th anniversary with an exciting array of exclusive promotions. These special offers are designed to elevate the dining and leisure experiences of our cardholders, both within the metro and for those looking to explore destinations outside Metro Manila.

Exclusive Dining Discounts for Metro Manila Residents

EastWest cardholders can enjoy significant savings at some of Metro Manila’s most popular dining establishments. These promotions offer remarkable value and will surely enhance your dining experiences:

• California Pizza Kitchen: From July 1 to September 30, enjoy 50% off for a minimum single-receipt spend of Php 3,000, with a maximum discount of Php 2,500. Indulge in your favorite pizzas with this fantastic offer.

• North Park: Enjoy a 50% discount for a minimum single-receipt spend of Php 2,500, with a maximum discount of Php 3,000 from August 1 to 31, 2024. Savor classic and authentic Chinese dishes at unbeatable prices.

• Admiral Club Manila Bay: Platinum, World, and Infinite Credit Cardholders can enjoy 50% off on lunch or dinner buffet, while Classic, Gold, and Titanium Credit Cardholders can avail 30% off until August 31, 2024.

• Firehouse Pizza (Crimson Hotel Filinvest City Manila): From August 1 to 31, get Php 1,500 off with a minimum spend of Php 3,000. Savor delicious pizzas in a luxurious setting.

Special Offers for Exploring Outside the City

EastWest also extends its exclusive promotions to cardholders who wish to explore and relax outside Metro Manila. Enjoy these offers at various prime destinations from August 1 to 31, 2024:

• Unioil: Save Php 7 per liter on all Euro 5 fuels from August 1 to 31, 2024. Make your road trips more affordable with this exclusive fuel discount.

• Azure Beach Club (Crimson Resort and Spa Boracay): Avail Php 1,500 off with a minimum spend of Php 3,000. Enjoy a relaxing beachside dining experience with this special offer.

• Baker J (Quest Hotel Tagaytay): Enjoy Php 1,500 off with a minimum spend of Php 3,000. Relish the serene ambiance and exquisite offerings of Baker J in Tagaytay.

• The Ridge Café (Timberland Highlands Resort): Get Php 1,500 off with a minimum spend of Php 3,000. Delight in a scenic dining experience at The Ridge Café.

• Mequeni Live (Quest Plus Conference Center Clark): Avail Php 750 off with a minimum spend of Php 3,000. Enjoy an unforgettable vibrant dining atmosphere with this special offer.

Elevate Your Dining and Leisure Experiences

These exclusive promotions are part of EastWest’s ongoing commitment to provide our customers with exceptional benefits and rewards. By partnering with top dining and leisure establishments both inside and outside Metro Manila, we continue to work towards enhancing your lifestyle and ensuring that all your leisurely experiences are both enjoyable and affordable.

How to Avail the Promos

To take advantage of these exciting offers, simply use your EastWest credit card when dining or fueling up at any of the participating establishments. Don’t miss out on these limited-time promotions and treat yourself and your loved ones to unforgettable experiences.

Going Further for You

EastWest continues to innovate and deliver tailor-made, specific banking solutions that cater to the diverse needs of our customers. As we celebrate our 30th anniversary, our commitment to providing valuable rewards and superior service remains at the forefront of our initiatives. Join us in enjoying these new promos and discover more ways EastWest can enhance your financial and lifestyle experiences.

For more information on these promotions and other exciting offers, please visit EastWest Promos (https://www.eastwestbanker.com/promos).