Cover Warner Music's We Play Here event held at UP Diliman (Photo: We Play Here/Facebook)
Warner Music's We Play Here event held at UP Diliman (Photo: We Play Here/Facebook)
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Here’s what you may have missed at Warner Music’s ‘We Play Here’ school tour
After a resounding success in 2023, Warner Music’s ‘We Play Here’ returns this year in the form of a school tour—bringing both established artists and rising stars to universities around Luzon. The kick-off event happened on August 23 and was headlined by British soloist Griff, indie band Dilaw, SB19 member Stell, and OPM singer-songwriter Arthur Miguel. They were joined by up-and-coming bands such as Letters from June, Sugarcane, Playertwo, Paul Pablo, and Kahel who performed covers before presenting their original songs.
More from Tatler: Over October on authenticity in today’s music scene
Letters from June performing at Warner Music's 'We Play Here' at UP Diliman (Photo: We Play Here/Facebook)
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Dilaw
Above Dilaw performing at Warner Music's 'We Play Here' at UP Diliman (Photo: We Play Here/Facebook)
Dilaw performing at Warner Music's 'We Play Here' at UP Diliman (Photo: We Play Here/Facebook)
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An indie rock band from Baguio formed in 2021, Dilaw quickly became a sensation when their song Uhaw and its re-released version Uhaw (Tayong Lahat) garnered millions of listeners on all platforms—with the latter peaking at number one on the Viral-50 Philippines playlist. The band has dabbled in several genres—from the politically charged aspect of Kaloy and 3019 to songs about love with Janice and Orasa—with plans of venturing into different ones. “We’re for sure going to write more songs in different genres. We’re just looking for what works for us all as a band,” shares lead vocalist Dilaw Obero.
The band recently released their latest song Nilalang which simply means “admiring that one person or thing in your life,” quips Obero. Its lyrics contain multiple fantasy-style imagery like fairies, dragons and a princess in a tower to portray their loved one as otherworldly.
Stell
Above SB19 Stell performing at Warner Music's 'We Play Here' at UP Diliman (Photo: We Play Here/Facebook)
SB19 Stell performing at Warner Music's 'We Play Here' at UP Diliman (Photo: We Play Here/Facebook)
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After making his solo debut with an EP titled Room, the main vocalist of SB19 Stell has been making waves in the P-Pop scene. Before performing as the final act on stage, he hopped on the Wish Bus where he sang Anino and Di Ko Masabi.
Also see: How Filipino boy band SB19 helps shape the future of local music
Griff
Above Griff performing at Warner Music's 'We Play Here' at UP Diliman (Photo: We Play Here/Facebook)
Griff performing at Warner Music's 'We Play Here' at UP Diliman (Photo: We Play Here/Facebook)
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Her first performance in the Philippines, British singer-songwriter Griff treated her fans with an electrifying performance of songs from her debut album Vertigo. As a self-taught artist—having learned how to create beats from her brother’s laptop—she quickly made a name for herself after spending plenty of time finding her groove. “I never studied music in school. I went to the School of Youtube and that was it… I spent a lot of time in my early teens figuring out what I loved and at the time it was pop music. With the release of my first album, I still have a lot to explore,” she shares.
Griff would then go on to perform the opening acts of great artists such as Coldplay, Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, and Sabrina Carpenter on their tours—something she feels very proud of. “It definitely motivated me. There’s a lot of self-doubt when you’re a solo artist and having artists like Taylor Swift want to take me on tour is a nice and quiet affirmation that I’m doing good,” she says.
Arthur Miguel
Above Arthur Miguel performing at Warner Music's 'We Play Here' at UP Diliman (Photo: We Play Here/Facebook)
Arthur Miguel performing at Warner Music's 'We Play Here' at UP Diliman (Photo: We Play Here/Facebook)
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Having just released his latest EP titled MU, 24-year-old singer-songwriter Arthur Miguel explores other musical avenues while still retaining his identity. The five-track EP touches on the stinging pain of a situationship—finely meshing together upbeat rhythms and bittersweet lyrics. As if to quote Taylor Swift “We’re happy, free and confused at the same time,” quips Miguel. As of writing, Miguel shows great promise and is one of the Philippines’ fastest-growing artists—boasting over 2 million monthly listeners on Spotify.
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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.
