On Friday, seven amazing singers competed at Kollaboration Los Angles but only one came out the winner. Nate Tao, the Taiwanese American singer/songwriter stole the show and will compete at the Kollaboration finals in November.
Winner Nate Tao. Photo courtesy of Kollaboration.
With the Olympics a little over a week away, many athletes are about to embark on the experience of a lifetime. However, for three filmmakers who have been following American table tennis players for the past year, this may be the end of the road unless they can receive enough funding for post-production. You can help with a pledge as small as $1.
Top Spin documents the journey of three young table tennis champions, including Asian Americans Ariel Hsing and Lily Zhang, as they compete all around the world for a place in the 2012 London Olympics. The filmmakers have one more shoot left—the London Olympics itself. They hope to release the film in 2013. However, between licensing Olympics-related footage to hiring co-editors, they need $150,000 in order to see this film to completion. As part of Kickstarter, the world’s largest funding platform for creative projects, the filmmakers are campaigning to raise $75,000. Currently, $68,000 has been pledged but they only have until 6:26 EDT to reach their goal. If they are unable to reach $75,000, the filmmakers will not receive any funding. Today, Top Spin is kicking off its live webcast telethon. Tune in to listen to talks by special guests and ask Olympic table tennis players questions! Erica Wu, who we interviewed for Audrey’s Athlete to Watch, is also featured in the documentary. Check out Top Spin’s website to learn more about the film and how you can help. Let’s support our Olympic athletes!
Kollaboration Los Angeles is only one day away! Tomorrow night, seven talented artists will take the stage at the Ford Amphitheater and compete for the title and grand prize of $1000. Past winners include Far East Movement and Dumbfoundead. This year, Kollaboration LA is hosted by comedian PK (Paul Kim) with a special guest appearance by comedian Jimmy Ouyang. David Choi and his father Ray Choi will also be performing at the show. Here’s your chance to get to know some of the contestants better.
Name: Andrew Abaria (alter ego is St. Andrew)
Hometown: Beaverton, OR
Music genre: Pop
Do you have a job other than performing or what did you do before you became a music artist?
I paid the bills with a career in yoga before I committed to my life as a music artist.
What was your reaction to becoming a finalist on Kollaboration Los Angeles?
I definitely felt honored when I found out that I would be part of the competition this year. Kollaboration has had huge successes over the years and to be a part of that legacy is truly incredible.
You first met Teesa when we interviewed her for Audrey’s One to Watch. Now, her newest music video is out and features a cameo by Filipino actor Dante Basco in a reprisal of his role as Rufio, the leader of the Lost Boys from the 1991 film Hook. Check it out!
A packed Hollywood Bowl celebrated Filipino culture on July 8 at a concert curated by Black Eyed Peas member Apl.de.ap. The show featured traditional and modern dance, Original Philippine Music, and hits by contemporary Filipino artists. Fellow Black Eyed Peas members will.i.am and Taboo joined Apl.de.ap to perform some of their group’s chart-topping songs and celebrate this historic night.
Taboo, will.i.am and Apl.de.ap performs at the Apl.de.ap Takes You to the Philippines – A Celebration of Global Filipino Music which took place at the Hollywood Bowl on Sunday, July 8, 2012. Photo Credit: Craig T. Mathew-Mathew Imaging
Here’s another great summer dish from my Nai Nai’s kitchen. This dish is cool and refreshing, and is perfect for those hot days when you don’t want to warm up the house with cooking heat. “Liang” means cool and “ban” means toss, and that describes this dish perfectly because the preparation is all cutting and assembling—easy and simple. This recipe uses a couple ingredients only found in Chinese super markets. Zha cai are pickled vegetables that add a great crunch to the dish. Century eggs are preserved duck eggs that look really funky, but taste great. This dish is a wonderful combination of flavors and textures and is also extremely healthy. The tofu and duck eggs make this dish almost entirely protein and will keep you going during the summer. Enjoy!
Photo courtesy of hungerhunger.blogspot.com.
While so many celebrities are famous for no good reason, Mara Measor stands out as a girl with real talent. This actress, singer-songwriter, and musician is a triple threat with something to prove.
This summer, the search for America’s favorite dancer continues on the Fox television show So You Think You Can Dance. For the past few weeks, Fox has been airing the auditions that took place in various cities across the country. Last Wednesday, the 20 dancers (10 boys and 10 girls) who will compete on the show were finally revealed. Among this elite group are two Asian dancers–Cole Horibe and Dareian Kujawa.
Courtesy of So You Think You Can Dance
Erica Wu is just like any other 16 year old—she’s preparing for the SAT, she loves watching Glee, and she thinks Michael Phelps is hot. The only difference is that she might just get the chance to meet Phelps when she heads to the London Olympics as a table tennis player for Team USA.
Dedication is an attribute that every Olympic athlete needs and Rena Wang is no exception. Having taken the past two years off from school in order to train rigorously in badminton, Wang’s hard work is finally paying off.
