MANILA, PHILIPPINES — From eye-catching booths to heartfelt beats, The Podium Hall stood witness as super fan history was written. For the first time, Universal Music Group brought together local and international stars and fandoms all in one place. Interactive installations, exclusive merchandise, and performances like no other truly handed the fans the spotlight. With over 50 artists in attendance (physically and virtually) it may just be one of the biggest music events in the country as of date.
October 17 marked the start of an exciting week. The festivities started off with the invite-only Big Bang Party where the experiential booths were first unveiled. With performances from VXON, G22, Morobeats, JMara, and many more, guests were able to enjoy free-flowing drinks with the bar open all night long.
The one-night-only Peaches Groove Bot allowed attendees to film their very own version of a music video to Justin Bieber’s hit song; The House of AG gave a little nail makeover to anyone who wanted some extra oomph on their hands; Olivia Rodrigo’s Sour Jeepney got everyone singing their hearts out in the Karaoke booth. They got to take pictures too, with stickers inspired by the album itself, no less.
Right in time for the launch of her new album, Taylor Swift’s Midnight lounge was ready to welcome anyone who needed to chill…. or do some reminiscing.
Of course, UMG’s local headliners were also present. Darren’s D Total Experience booth featured some of his most iconic costumes. Some of his fans also got the chance to see him for a short meet and greet; Zack Tabudlo’s Giant Episode Album allowed fans to “walk” into his songs and Juan Karlos’ Pancitan was also there for those in need of extra kilig; The newly-launched multi-lifestyle app Omne by FWD supercharged the FanVerse experience by having serious giveaways including VIP passes, special meet & greet access, merchandise giveaways, and more. FWD also hosted free fitness classes in partnership with 808 Studio and Electric Studio.
An IG booth was also put up to make sure everyone has a cute little spot to document their content and immortalize the event. Moreover, each time fans participated in the activities, they earned points that they could use to redeem snacks like Hatdog ni Zack, Juan Karlos’ pancitan, and Summer Heartbreak Ice Cream.
Up Close and Personal
Undeniably, there is nothing better than meeting people who admire the same artists as you do.
What makes UMusic Fanverse different is that it brought together fandoms from both international and local artists. Billie Eilish fans, or the avocados as they call themselves, tried out the different booths, played Billie Bingo, and the lucky winner got to bring home an Eilish perfume. Keshi’s fans, the Keshi Kult, celebrated his birthday in advance, played games, and got the chance to win two VIP Hell/Heaven Tour tickets.
The Katycats came prepared. They had party hats inspired by Katy’s mushroom headpiece, loot bags filled with candies inspired by her California Girls MV, games, a cake to celebrate our main pop girl’s birthday, and a performance by the famous Katy Perry impersonator – Katy Perya. The Swifties, on the other hand, welcomed Taylor Swift’s newest album “Midnights” with a listening party. They also got to take photos at the IG-worthy Midnights Lounge.
Last and definitely not the least, hundreds of fans gathered to be with Jeremy Zucker for the second time in October. The meet and greet ended with a sweet note as each fan got a scoop of the Jeremy Zucker + Chelsea Cutler Summer Heartbreak ice cream.
Ending with A Bang
What’s a superfan experience without a music festival? The weekend was certainly a treat. The Queens of the FanVerse night featured some Drag Race PH crowd favorites including the winner herself, Precious Paula Nicole alongside Morrissette and Bonnie Bailey.
Cosmic Saturday got the crowd groovin’ as well with Darren, Dermot Kennedy (IE), Lullaboy, Yonnyboii, BLASTER, 8 Ballin’, to name a few.
Last but definitely not least, Supernova Sunday caught the audience right in the feels with Zack Tabudlo, Juan Karlos, Zild, December Avenue, and more.
With so many fans still missing out on all the fun, UMusic FanVerse organizers are already getting ready and looking forward to the 2023 edition that’s slated to be bigger, better, and even more exciting.
