There's no better time than now to band together for a cause.

Balcony Entertainment, a Manila-based artist management and record label led by renowned singer-songwriter Rico Blanco, is paying it forward for those affected by the recent typhoons that hit the Philippines earlier this month.

The Balcony Fundraiser on Saturday (11/28) at 8:30 p.m. will feature live performances from the label's artists Rico Blanco, Ebe Dancel, Never The Strangers, Maris Racal, The Good Times, Raven, Ashley Julianne, Top Suzara, and Zild.

Get to know more about the acts on Balcony Entertainment's roster, what they've got planned for the upcoming fundraiser, and fond memories they have from Bicol.

Ebe Dancel

Tell us your Balcony story—how did you get on board, what made you decide to join?

I just happened to call Rico about how to self-manage. Instead he offered me a deal haha which works out perfectly for me, honestly. He and I go a long way back and Rico is someone I have always looked up to. To be mentored by him moving on is an honor.

What can your fans expect to see at the upcoming fundraiser?

All the Balcony artists coming together in one night, which is normally hard to do given our respective commitments.

Do you have any fond memories from a visit or stay in Bicol you'd like to share?

The people are always warm. I remember having a good time performing there. Plus the food. Man.

What are your plans for the rest of the year?

For now, just finish the shows for the year. But songwriting under Rico's guidance is something i will be working on soon.

Top Suzara

Tell us your Balcony story?

I’m new to Balcony. Really new. I’ve been busy handling myself for many years now. Ever since quarantine started, I would find the time to assess some opportunities for change in so far as handling myself and my music and my career.

Rico and I started discussing over a phone call that was supposed to have been one of about 15-20 minutes, tops. It was for new music I was working on for SUZARA, my tandem with other my cousin, Bolichie Suzara. That phone call dove deep into common history and experiences and our queries with each other. And then it also moved into discussing me as me. And that phone call became about a couple of hours straight.

What can your fans expect to see at the upcoming fundraiser?

Me and my fellow Balcony Entertainment artists will be featured, of course. I’ll be playing some of my own songs, of course, and maybe chatting with my fellow artists and with people online with us. It’s always a good opportunity to connect with everyone when we have the chance to help others and come together to do just that.

Do you have any fond memories from a visit or stay in Bicol you'd like to share?

Yes, many! From touring. From my days with Freestyle to many times as a solo artist, Bicol has always been a beautiful, picturesque place with the usual warmth of our people.

Bicol, like any other place in our country that gets hit hard by calamity, needs our help. We can help. And I do hope we all come together through music and discussion to do what we can to help our brothers and sisters there in Bicol. We are one with them.

What are your plans for the rest of the year?

For the rest of the year, my own music as myself will take a break. So I can focus on working with my cousin and Rico and Balcony to finish and refine our songs, all of which are being prepared, as we speak, for release after this holiday season. So it’s all SUZARA MUSIC for the rest of the year. Me as Top Suzara, we have other plans too for that and we will be hard at work for that too very soon. For now, we are having so much fun and are very excited with SUZARA and our music will be made available really soon!

Amidst all the challenges we all face,  music, OUR music, these are exciting times. And we can’t wait to share them with all of you. We’re putting our collective experiences behind our process and it’s very exciting exciting!

ZILD

Tell us your Balcony story?

When I released Homework Machine, I struggled being completely independent since I can’t handle stuff that a management should do. Then I remembered working with Balcony during the RB x IVOS concert and I thought that my art will be safe with these people.

What can your fans expect to see at the upcoming fundraiser?

An 8 month isolated musician in his room.

Do you have any fond memories from a visit or stay in Bicol you'd like to share?

The best bicol express is made in Bicol.

What are your plans for the rest of the year?

To survive. :D

raven

Tell us your Balcony story?

Patulog na ako nun nung nakita ko yung tweet ni Sir Rico Blanco about new artist na nadiscover ngayong pandemic tapos papakinggan niya daw. Sabi ko sa sarili ko bat di ko kaya subukan ilagay sarili kong kanta tapos yun nilapag ko yung isang kanta ko sa comment section at natulog na ako. Kinabukasan, nagulat ako dahil nag finollow ako ni Sir Rico Blanco sa Twitter at mas lalo ako nagulat nung nag message siya sakin.

Simula nun nag simula na kami mag usap-usap hanggang sa niyaya na ako sumali sa Balcony. Di na ako nag dalawang isip pa dahil Super Idol ko si Sir Rico Blanco talaga, isa din siya sa nag inspira sakin sa pag gawa ng kanta.

What can your fans expect to see at the upcoming fundraiser?

Abangan nila ang performances na inihanda ng kanilang mga favorite artist! I'll be singing the newer version of my song 'Kung Tayo, Tayo.' Isa to sa mga pinaka paborito kong kanta na naisulat dahil base talaga siya sa story ko.

Do you have any fond memories from a visit or stay in Bicol you'd like to share?

My Lolo is from Albay Bicol. Nandun lahat ng mga kamag anak ko sa father's side. Nakapunta si Lolo sa Manila noong binata siya at dito na din siya nakapag asawa. Minsan bumibisita din sa amin yung mga kamag anak namin sa Bicol. Minsan sa amin nauwi at minsan sa amin din nag babakasyon, pero hindi pa ako nakabisita ever since, isa to sa lugar na gusto kong puntahan one day.

What are your plans for the rest of the year?

Still do the things that I love: yung pag gawa ng music, pag susulat ng mga kanta at mag pag eexplore din ng mga bagong genre ng music. Gagawa din ako ng mga new content sa aking YouTube channel. Siguro din mag kakaron ako ng project with other Balcony artist someday at simulan ko na din planuhin yung future album ko.

Never the Strangers

Tell us your Balcony story?

We were in college when Rico reached out, expressing interest in our music. He told us about his vision of pushing us as a next-generation band in what was, at the time, a music industry that needed new blood.

That, along with our drive to find our big break, was more than enough to get us on board with Balcony.

What can your fans expect to see at the upcoming fundraiser?

The usual things one would expect from such a great line-up of artists playing a digital show: to be entertained, comforted, and, given this time of widespread isolation, find company.

Do you have any fond memories from a visit or stay in Bicol you'd like to share?

We've never been to Bicol as a band, but we look forward to the day when we do get the opportunity to play there. We realize that might be a while from now, given COVID-19 and the recent typhoons, but we’re keeping that hope alive nevertheless.

What are your plans for the rest of the year?

Continue making music, prepare for a holiday season under the shadow of a pandemic, and root for the state of the world to improve soon.

Maris Racal

Tell us your Balcony story?

It started when Rico Blanco and I did a collab together. I really enjoyed the experience especially the songwriting process and the outcome of our collab. I felt like I found a place where I could grow as a singer and a songwriter and that’s why I joined Balcony.

What can your fans expect to see at the upcoming fundraiser?

I will be singing my latest single, 'Kahit Na Anong Sablay' for the first since it was released.

Tidbit about 'Kahit Na Anong Sablay':

I wrote this song for my nephew around the time of his birth and was thinking of something along the lines of Barbie's 'Tabing Ilog' song and Ebe Dancel's 'Prom.' It was the first time for me to try that guitar plucking pattern. I now have a number of compositions based on that exact same style haha. I learned to play the guitar when I was 14. Was kind of peer pressured into it cos all my friends could play and everyone in school found them cool. I said hey I wanna be cool too.

The Good Times

Tell us your Balcony story

One day our friends were scrolling on Twitter and read Sir RB's tweet looking for artists with no label nor publicized material and we had no idea about it.

That time, gusto na namin talagang sumuko until everything happened. Minention ng mga friends namin yung Twitter page namin in reply to the tweet and then a few days after, we received the unexpected message from Sir RB... we said yes and masaya at grateful kami sa opportunity na ito. 

What can your fans expect to see at the upcoming fundraiser?

We can say that it's gonna be a much more heartfelt stripped version of our song.

Do you have any fond memories from a visit or stay in Bicol you'd like to share?

Sa totoo lang wala pa kaming experience sa Bicol. Pero history books and the internet never fails us to show kung gaano kaganda ay kayaman yung lugar. Its surely one of the places na gugustuhin namin ikutin as a band.

What are your plans for the rest of the year?

We want to focus more on helping those people in need; Pero hindi din kami tumitigil magsulat ng mga kanta pa. Expect new songs out soon!