POP ARTISTS Pamungkas and Scrubb, from Jakarta, Indonesia, and Bangkok, Thailand respectively, will be coming together onstage for the first time in the concert #GNN10 Presents: Pamungkas and Scrubb Live in Manila.
This showcase of Southeast Asian music will play for one night only on April 26, at 123 Block in Mandala Park, Mandaluyong City.
Pamungkas (whose full name is Rizki Rahmahadian Pamungkas) is one of the most commercially successful singer-songwriters in Indonesia. Known for his 2019 global hit single “To The Bone,” which peaked at No. 5 on Spotify Philippines’ Top 50 chart, he recently released his fifth studio album, Hardcore Romance.
Meanwhile, Scrubb reached international popularity for contributing to the official soundtrack of Thai “boy’s love” (BL) romance 2gether The Series, released in 2020. Composed of Thawatpon “Muey” Wongboonsiri and Torpong “Ball” Chantabubpha, the duo has produced six studio albums over the course of their career.
For Pamungkas, the concert will be another welcome learning experience.
“My favorite thing is learning from people. [Music] is always about connecting with people on and off the stage. My mindset is to go there and be very open, to take everything in,” he said during an online press conference on April 22.
“I can pick up something from the perspectives of Filipino audiences, from discovering a new sound in the area, from watching Scrubb or by talking to them. That’s my mindset,” he added.
The Indonesian singer-songwriter last performed in the Philippines for Gabi Na Naman (GNN) Productions’ music festival Gimme Shelter in 2022. He was well-received for his heartfelt songs, some sung in Bahasa Indonesia, but some in English which more people could understand.
Since then, there has been a new format for his band, which means fans can expect a slightly different sound in the upcoming concert, according to Pamungkas.
“It was surprising to me when my manager said that the numbers of [listeners in the] Philippines are pretty high. Why would people listen to my songs? How? I don’t know. Like a photographer capturing moments with pictures, [songwriting] is my way of capturing my checkpoints in life. I’m able to connect through that,” he explained.
The one-day event doubles as a landmark celebration of regional talent, curated by GNN Productions in honor of its 10th anniversary. In addition to the international headliners, the show’s lineup includes Filipino acts The Ridleys and Shirebound.
Scrubb was last in the Philippines in February last year, which was their first concert in the country. Aside from the wide following due to their involvement with the BL romance genre, the Thai alt-pop duo garnered new Filipino fans from an online collaboration with local pop band Ben&Ben during the pandemic.
For Pamungkas, the upcoming concert will be a great opportunity to perform with Scrubb, whom he considers “a brilliant artist.”
Tickets for #GNN10 Presents: Pamungkas and Scrubb Live in Manila concert are now available via https://scrubbpamungkas.helixpay.ph, with tickets ranging in price from P1,900 to P5,200. — Brontë H. Lacsamana