AJ Rafael fans, take note – the popular Filipino-American singer/songwriter is embarking on a concert tour starting this September, taking his unique sound around the country!
The Play. Live. Breathe. Music Concert tour will hit 9 cities across the US and is sure to be a night of incredible talent.
Neon outfits, hip hop and urban inspired head-to-toe looks, outrageous and daring hairstyles filled the streets of Downtown, Los Angeles on Friday night, August 24, 2012. If you didn’t know any better, you would’ve thought there was a costume party somewhere in the middle of L.A. Live. No, there wasn’t a costume party nor an early prep of Halloween that night; instead, it was 2NE1’s “New Evolution” concert at the Nokia Theatre – their first official World Tour. After wowing Newark, New Jersey, the melting pot of Los Angeles got the chance to witness South Korea’s very own piece of swag, urban, and pop: Dara, Minzy, Park Bom, and 2NE1’s leader, CL live. South Korea’s hip-hop girl group of YG Entertainment, one of South Korea’s biggest and prestigious recording label, brought together people of all ages, race, and gender that night. Strobe neon lights and urban stage props filled the stadium as 2NE1 danced and performed songs from their debut album, To Anyone, to their latest single, “I Love You.” Continue reading for more details and photos from the concert!
Courtesy of Live Nation
There’s no doubt that the Asian American community is stronger than ever before and becoming more widely recognized for their contributions to the Arts, amongst other disciplines. At the frontline of community organizations for Asian Americans in Southern California is APEX; a volunteer-based organization that encourages others to do the same, as their mantra this year encourages Asian Americans to live through, “Empowering the Community. Inspiring Change.”
On Saturday Sept. 8, 2012, APEX will hold its 19th Annual APEX Awards Gala; honoring those who have made an impact on the Asian American community. The awardees include the Far East Movement for the Excellence in Arts & Entertainment, Center for the Pacific Asian Family for the Excellence in Community Service, The Gas Company for the Excellence in Corporate Leadership, and Dan Au, Vice President of Planning & Operations (OC) for the President’s Award.
In perfect timing to offset this summer’s heat wave, Aaron Takahashi and Jully Lee of Cold Tofu will be the emcees of the evening. The night which will include a dinner show, live entertainment, and special performances from singers Ryan Fleming & Israel Waahila of HaleAmanO, singer Vy Nguyen, and dancer/choreographer David Lee.
WHAT: 19th Annual APEX Awards Gala
WHEN: Saturday, September 8, 2012
6PM – VIP Reception
7PM – Awards Dinner & Show
WHERE: Sheraton Downtown Los Angeles Hotel 711 S. Hope Street
Los Angeles, CA 90017
Attire: Black-tie/Formal Only
For more information on Asian Professional Exchange | APEX, please visit www.apex.org.
There’s nothing Offbeat, as suggested by the title of her latest single, about Clara C, although her mellow voice and seriously soothing strumming give her a quirky outside-the-lines type attraction; à la Zooey Deschenel.
The 24-year old graduate of the University of California, Irvine, Clara kept her musical talents under wrap until just a few years ago when her voice was unleashed, winning her such competitions as Kollaboration 10, ISA 09: Los Angeles, as well as the KAC Media Creative Juice Night.
Since the debut of her first album in 2010, Clara has performed for up to crowds of 18,000 at venues such as The White House Dept. of Education, Hollywood Bowl, Shrine Auditorium and more.
Over the next three months, Clara is set to tour alongside fellow Asian American musician, David Choi, in a 2012 Fall Tour presented by YesStyle.com. Clara and Choi kicked off their tour yesterday, Sept. 29th in Los Angeles at the Troubadour, and will continue on to hit 19+ cities across the United States. The two will wrap up in Clara’s Alma Mater hometown of Orange County at the Galaxy Theater on November 30.
For those interested in hearing more from Los Angeles’ own little cheesy Quesadilla, there is a full interview (conducted by host Nic Harcourt), courtesy of Guitar Center, that accompanies this performance is available for free at: http://atguitarcenter.com/podcast, proving that Clara is not Offbeat, or Cheesy, but a musical force to be reckoned with.
The podcast is part of an ongoing podcast series created by Guitar Center that delivers unique music, and the stories behind it as told to host, Nic Harcourt, in the highest quality possible. The series features both exclusive performance videos and audio podcasts of these interviews that aim to tell the stories of the artists, their background, their music and more.
Elaine Truong (left) and Jenny Bui(right) | photo provided by Calvin Eusebio
Meet Jenny and Elaine: together they own Antoinette’s Boutique, an online and non-profit store of handmade, vintage jewelry. The Boutique that’s only about a year old is divided into three sections: “handmade,” “vintage,” and “global.” These jewelries are either handmade by Jenny and Elaine themselves, made and sold by other local boutiques or online stores, such as Etsy, or they come from third world countries, which are made by the women there. Despite the fact that the idea of the company was created a year ago, they have created: partnerships with non-profit organizations and other similar jewelry stores, an up-to-date website that channels their vision of French chic-ness, and have already been mention in established publications such as, Teen Vogue, Seventeen magazine, and Pasadena Star News. Oh, and did we mention that they’re only sixteen and eighteen-years-old?
Continue reading for the full interview and for more pictures!
What’s a Glamourbaby, you may ask? Well, it is much, much more than the implied wealth, clothes, jewels and superficial beauty. According to Ruby Veridiano, being Glamourbaby goes much further beyond these things.
As summer winds down, it’s time to update your wardrobe with the newest trends for fall. As strange as it may seem, your shoes are one of the first things others notice about you. Make an impression with these must-have shoes.
Loafers
From left to right: Christian Louboutin Sakoette Curly Calf Hair Loafer, courtesy of Neiman Marcus. Elizabeth and James Clark Pointed-Toe Suede Smoking-Slipper Pump, courtesy of Neiman Marcus. Alexander Wang Astrid Suede and Leather Ankle Strap Loafers, courtesy of Saks Fifth Avenue.
Loafers are officially the new flats. However, this doesn’t mean you need to rock Sperry Top-siders to your next dinner party. The new loafer is sleek, elegant, and versatile. Loafers are appropriate for the office and the bar, making them the perfect shoes for a day-to-night outfit. Go for a classic look with this loafer from Christian Louboutin or try a more adventurous variation, like these ones by Elizabeth and James and Alexander Wang.
It may have taken a while to convert, but in recent months, I have become an admitted accessories fiend. Though I used to shy away from jewelry, handbags and the like, in recent years, I’ve found myself scouring shops and the internet looking to add to my ever-growing collection. Not helping my new found addiction, the trends predicted for this upcoming fall are ones that are exciting, yet accessible and can easily help update any fall wardrobe.
Check out some of the trends to look out for this fall after the cut!
When asked to describe the new and emerging Malaysian singer, Yunalis Zarai, or her stage name Yuna, the word “unique” should come up. Everything about Yuna, who hails from one of Malaysia’s federal capital, Kuala Lumpur, is simply unique. From her music to her journey to where she is right now is just unique. Her hit single, produced by Pharrell, “Live Your Life,” and the rest of her songs on her first album, “Yuna,” is the type of music you can’t categorize or label it a genre. Even Yuna, herself, can’t seem to classify it, let alone describe it. However, that’s the beauty of Yuna and her music. As she claimed during our interview, her voice is the only component in all of her songs that holds them together – the rest is just a little bit of everything: everything from Malaysia to America. Her soft, folk-like voice with a twist from her Malaysian accent that sings songs that were inspired from her travels is another element that makes Yuna unique and is what made Pharrell want to jump in the studio with her and her recording label, Fader. In a society where its pop culture is a pool of artists with a pattern of similar types of music and personas, Yuna isn’t afraid to be herself – especially when it comes to her music.
Having an updated vlog on YouTube is another way that Yuna shows to her fans who she really is and how genuine her music is. She claims that she doesn’t need to put up an act around her fans and she most definitely prides herself in not being a gimmick in current day’s pop culture. This is why she is not afraid to reveal that she has learned and grown from working with Pharrell and that her knowledge in music has expanded since her music days in law school. That’s right, Yuna was once a law school student and once had dreams of becoming a lawyer. However, she discovered her talent in songwriting and music during her final year in law school when she began to hang out with independent musicians and decided to chase after a career in music. Letting her strong intrigue in their mere independence in music guide her, she soon began to teach herself how to play the guitar, write songs, and produce them. Her unique style in music and her voice is just what this society needs: genuine, real music with no outrageous costumes, smoke machines, and flashy lights. Continue reading for the full interview and for her music!
Courtesy of www.ThisSoundGoesAround.com
The Saturday afternoon parade was a grand moving showcase of Filipino customs and culture along with community (All photos by Karen Datangel).
Last weekend in San Francisco was a busy one with Outside Lands, baseball, and preseason football going on, but there was one other big event that brought more hustle and bustle to the city: The 19th Annual Pistahan Parade and Festival at Yerba Buena Gardens was also the only event where you could hear good music and watch a live sport at the same time, plus find the rare entertainment in watching people eat ice cream and duck eggs. Pistahan—which ran for two days on August 11th and 12th—is the largest street celebration of Filipino culture in San Francisco, and this year’s event broke some new ground as well as kept up with beloved traditions.
