MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Filipino music icon Zack Tabudlo and South African rapper Nasty C has released a new song called “Fallin’,” their first collaboration project with Coke Studio, Coca-Cola’s global music platform, which brings the most exciting emerging and breakthrough artists from all corners of the world together to create Real Magic.
Coca-Cola’s “Real Magic” brand philosophy celebrates the magic of human connection and the belief that our differences make the world a richer and more interesting place. It is a celebration of the real-life moments and the magic, that happens when people come together.
The performance video for “Fallin’, which brings Zack and Nasty C together for an exclusive performance of the track, will be released globally on the Coke Studio YouTube channel on July 14 – but fans can get early access by scanning their Coke bottles.
Zack Tabudlo may be the quintessential Gen Z Southeast Asian star of the new ’20s: an alternative-pop and R&B singer, lyricist, multi-instrumentalist, and producer based in the Philippines. In 2022, he emerged as Spotify’s most-streamed local artist in the Philippines, next to Taylor Swift and BTS. Zack has recently become the first Filipino male solo artist to achieve 1 billion Spotify streams, with multiple songs charting #1 on Spotify’s Global Viral chart.
“This is my first time releasing a track with a rapper like Nasty C. I’d always had visions of doing more pop-hiphop tracks in the future, so when I heard Nasty C was going to be part of Coke Studio, it felt like the perfect time to do it,” said Zack Tabudlo.
The multi-award-winning, platinum-selling South African Nasty C originates from Durban in the KwaZulu-Natal Province. His escalating success led to his 2020 signing to the esteemed Def Jam Records in the USA, and the release of his third album Zulu Man With Some Power, which saw him making global waves.
“Exchanging vibes with Zack on this record was special. Collaborating with him was an organic process; we connected creatively and found a perfect balance between our unique styles,” said Nasty C. “I enjoy collaborations that highlight the magic that can happen when artists from different backgrounds come together to create music. I can’t wait for the world to hear what we’ve cooked up!”
Also released is the Coke Studio version of “Perfect,” by multi-platinum, Grammy, Brit, Golden Globe, and Academy Award-winning musician Sam Smith. Originally from Sam’s top-charting album “Gloria,” and featuring celebrated JUNO-winner Jessie Reyez, the new version adds double-platinum-seller South Londoner and BRITs Rising Star-nominated Cat Burns with a self-reflective but hopeful new lyrical take.
The release of “Fallin’” and “Perfect” follows “Be Who You Are (Real Magic),” this year’s Coke Studio anthem by Grammy-award-winning American musician Jon Batiste, featuring NewJeans, J.I.D, Camilo, and Cat Burns. More tracks will be released to global music fans on all music platforms across July and August.
“Collisions’ are central to Coke Studio and are all about bringing incredible musical talent together across genres and cultures, to create fresh new sounds,” said Joshua Burke, Global Head of Music & Culture Marketing at Coca-Cola.
More than 16 of the biggest breakthrough music artists of the moment have been brought together from the US, UK, Canada, South Africa, Colombia, Egypt, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Turkey, China, Korea, and the Philippines for Coke Studio 2023:
- Jon Batiste (US)
- Camilo (Colombia)
- NewJeans (Korea)
- J.I.D (US)
- Cat Burns (UK)
- Imagine Dragons (US)
- Sam Smith (UK)
- Diljit Dosanjh (India)
- Evdeki Saat (Turkey)
- Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles (US)
- Nasty C (South Africa)
- Jessie Reyez (Canada)
- Shae Gill (Pakistan)
- Shreya Ghoshal (India)
- XIN LIU (China)
- Zack Tabudlo (Philippines)
- Afroto (Egypt)
The Coke Studio platform is a space for true borderless creation and collaboration amongst emerging and established music artists globally. Curated in collaboration with Universal Music Group, the world leader in music-based entertainment. It offers the rare opportunity for artists from all over the world to collaborate creatively and experiment with sounds from different cultures, fuse genres to create new music and reach global audiences – whether bringing Punjabi music to the US or South African beats to India.
In the Philippines, Coke Studio is now in its seventh season. It will continue its legacy of uplifting emerging Original Pilipino Music (OPM) talents alongside established musical icons. Leveraging on co-creations, Coke Studio Philippines this year will feature Filipino artist collisions that go beyond local regions and musical genres. Moreover, exciting efforts like the biggest Coke Studio concert in the country, fan engagements, and live activations are being planned.
“Coke Studio has always taken pride in featuring our remarkable Filipino artists, and together, we have created a whole new experience of enjoying music with Coca-Cola. We are proud to have our own Zack Tabudlo featured on the Coke Studio global stage to showcase an incredible collision of musical talent that creates the taste of a fresh new sound,” shared Teejae Sonza, Coca-Cola Trademark Group Marketing Director for ASEAN & South Pacific.
Content from the Coke Studio global platform is available for fans to access at https://www.coca-cola.com/cokestudio.
