Photo by Lorenz Torres, September Fever Cebu PH
MANILA, PHILIPPINES—PH City pop band and Manila sound fusion ALYSON is back home in the metro after their debut performances at AXEAN FESTIVAL in Bali, Indonesia and September Fever in Cebu, Philippines. Teases possible region-wide bar tour to bring the music closer to more ALYSTANS in Luzon.
ALYSON has been carving out a distinct place in the local music scene over the years, becoming a go-to name in the indie scene for their signature take on both Japanese City Pop and the ever-so classic Manila Sound, and their dynamic, genre-spanning sonic library. Hailing from Quezon City, the jazz-pop, sharp-suited sensations made their mark with their debut album, DEFINITELY LOVE!, earning recognition from major music media outlets including Billboard Philippines and Billboard Georgia’s NEXT GEN campaign. With a sound and style distinctly their own, ALYSON continues to make waves both onstage and beyond the local scene—and their recent trip to Indonesia and Cebu is just the beginning of their global takeover.
The blue-suited players of ALYSON are Pio Ligot on vocals and rhythm guitar, Luis Uy on lead guitar, Marcus Mababangloob on drums, Miguel Erfe on bass and Easel Manes on keyboard.
Photo by Aldhy (@aldy_pranata), AXEAN Music Festival
AXEAN Music Festival in Bali, Indonesia was their first stop right after the release of their sophomore album “AFTER OURS”, where the band explored and incorporated the Manila Sound genre more and refined their music to be more conceptual and streamlined with a narrative akin to a “teleserye” or a “KDrama”. Before the international stage in Bali, the band showcased “AFTER HOURS” in the metro by mounting an album release party last July of this year. Right after all the frills and celebrations amongst the usual haunts, off the band flew to Indonesia and Cebu to bring the ALYSON experience to new eyes and ears.
“It was a dream to be able to play outside the Philippines,” shared by Marcus when asked about what the band felt performing abroad. “We’ve said it time and again how we draw from Japanese and even Indonesian music and the parallels we have with our own musical history, so being able to play on a stage that reflects that is a huge thing for us.”
In line with this, Mababangloob shared a lot of his discoveries while mingling with fellow ASEAN music lovers, artists and delegates at the AXEAN Music Festival. He states his surprise on how the PH scene and its neighboring islands have a lot in common on how the country values music, may it be local and international, coining this epiphany as a “spider-verse” of some sort. He also cites the reaction of the audiences in Bali as one of the most memorable experiences from the band as they also felt a warmth similar to their usual PH audience, which in turn allowed them to groove throughout their set.
As for the September Fever stage in Cebu, the drummer notices a significant difference yet a comfortability in the vibe as well. A “homecourt we never knew”, Mababangloob mentions. “I felt like a lot of the crowd knew our music and were fans despite us never playing there before.” Cementing the power of music to transcend beyond borders. The Cebu crowd enjoyed the ALYSON so much, there was even a fan that electrified the Cebuano audiences more by acting as an “unofficial” dance instructor for their set. “He got everyone dancing in a way that got us even more hype. A real treat,” he notes. “We really felt the love from everyone.”
From performing in two stages, both different in varying degrees yet both just as huge, in such a short amount of time, these milestones from the band have helped them re-affirm their musical identities and how their music creates a relationship with people, with Marcus stating the band’s desire to be a Filipino band not just contained to their own contexts as carriers of the OPM sound, but a Filipino band that is capable to connect to the greater South East Asian sphere, and beyond!
In line with pushing the envelope in terms of performances, an ALYSON Luzon-wide tour is currently in the works, to be made possible by the band’s record label Offshore Music.
The band will also be performing live at The Cozy Cove in Baguio on September 25. Tickets available here.
Support ALYSON everywhere and every time by streaming “AFTER OURS”, the sophomore album of ALYSON is out now on all digital streaming platforms.
About ALYSON
ALYSON is a Filipino band redefining city pop with timeless sound and unforgettable live performances. From Quezon City to global playlists, their debut album DEFINITELY LOVE! earned over 3 million streams, with top listeners in the Philippines, US, and Canada. Known for sharp suits, a fantastic brass section, and the musicality of every member, ALYSON’s shows are more than concerts, they are experiences. Praised by Billboard Philippines and spotlighted by Billboard Georgia’s NEXT GEN campaign in 2025, the band was included in a global list of 24 rising artists alongside acts from Japan, UK, France, and China—recognized for prioritizing album artistry over quick hits, backed by the million-stream success of “Feels So Good”. Their latest single “IKAW LAGI” closes the chapter on DEFINITELY LOVE! and ushers in their sophomore album AFTER OURS; a twilight soundtrack exploring what happens after love’s brightest moments fade. Coming in 2026, AFTER OURS promises to take audiences deeper into ALYSON’s evolving sound.
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