Cover Chardie B, Viñas DeLuxe, Christy Tabanyag, Marina Summers, and Poca (Photo: Spotify PH)
Chardie B, Viñas DeLuxe, Christy Tabanyag, Marina Summers, and Poca (Photo: Spotify PH)
1 / 1
A dazzling celebration of diversity, visibility and confidence
Who are the LGBTQ+ creators you know of? You can probably name a few from the top of your head, but what if I tell you there’s a whole trove of music and podcast content to be discovered? Capping off the month-long celebration of pride and visibility, Spotify unveils its new GLOW Hub, a space dedicated to LGBTQ+ artists and creators. Last June 27, Spotify brought together three of the biggest names in the community to share their artistry live.
The global equity programme of Spotify ensures the recognition of queer artists all year round, and it was kicked off with talks, brunch, and painting, and capped off with a special surprise.
“The setting of the event was intentional. Normally these events would happen at night, but we chose to host this event in the morning to symbolise visibility. Everything that we’re doing here is in broad daylight—and we have nothing to hide,” says communications and PR manager of Spotify Asia Elaine Toh.
More from Tatler: The line between two anti-discrimination bills
Above Poca and Chardie B
Poca and Chardie B
1 / 1
Set in Makati’s very own Assembly Hall, the GLOW brunch was graced by the LGBTQIA+ community’s shining stars. Creators and influencers like Sassa Gurl, Silas, Pipay Kipay, Dom Guyot, and IC Mendoza were thrilled to see their friends in the limelight.
Above Marina Summers
Marina Summers
1 / 1
Hosting the talk on the state of the music industry and allyship co-creators of the Queerfully Yours podcast, Richard Remorta and Warren Daniel Osinaga—popularly known as Chardie B and Poca—and Spotify’s GLOW x PRIDE Southeast Asia ambassador, Marina Summers, shared their insights on the state of the industry, allyship, and representation. “Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to learn everything on the first day. It’s a slow process. A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. . .Give a listening ear. When you listen, you understand. And when you understand, you get to tell our stories as how we would tell them,” shared Summers.
Chardie B and Poca also shared their thoughts. “We are passionate about creating a safe space for our listeners where they can find answers to questions they may be afraid to ask,” Chardie B said. “We are seeing how our podcast offers companionship, affirmation, and a reminder to our community members and allies that we are not alone in our journeys. This energises us to continue creating more content for them,” Poca added.
Playing in the background were the beats of local artists like Paul Pablo, Jason Dhakal, and Jake Zyrus from their special Bahaghari playlist.
Read also: Filipino Pride: Meet the 12 Queens of ‘Drag Race PH’
Above Viñas DeLuxe
Above Marina Summers
Viñas DeLuxe
1 / 2
To end the morning, queens Viñas DeLuxe and Marina Summers captivated the audience with their showstopping drag performances to the music of Beyoncé and Jessie J.
NOW READ
SOGIE Equality Bill: Everything You Need To Know—Supporters, Origins, And More
Echo-system: 10 charitable organisations consistently calling for action
Power and possibility: How Asia’s most influential women inspire others to follow in their footsteps
About
Gabriel found his passion for writing through poetry in high school. He sharpened his skills at Ateneo de Manila University and hopes to write a play worthy of Broadway one day. A self-proclaimed geek, he loves to spend his free time playing video games and board games. When he's not clicking heads on Valorant or roleplaying as a barbarian in Dungeons and Dragons, you can find him exploring art galleries or watching stage plays.
Work
A creative writer who writes about anything and everything, Gabriel loves to dive deep into the arts and culture scene—as well as going on long road trips for travel pieces.
You can reach him on Instagram at @gbohol for any leads, casual conversations or game invites.
