Proving once again that Filipinos belong on the global music stage, Zephanie and 15-year-old Fil-Am Jayna Hughes are set to be part of the Now United Creative Hub in Abu Dhabi.
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It’s safe to say that it’s been a good year for OPM and P-Pop globally this 2021. KZ Tandingan became the first Filipino to sing an original Filipino song for a Disney movie. SB19 made history as the first Filipino act to be nominated at the BBMAs. BGYO recently reached number one on two separate charts—the Next Big Sound chart and the Pandora Predictions Chart. And the hits keep on coming as two young Filipinas could potentially join the global pop group, Now United.
ZEPHANIE AND JAYNA JOIN NOW UNITED BOOT CAMP
It was recently announced that Zephanie and Fil-Am Jayna Hughes were part of the 12 participants chosen to join the Now United Creative Hub and boot camp in Abu Dhabi. The boot camp will serve as a place for the selected artists to hone their singing, dancing, and performing skills. For a quick refresher, Now United is a global pop group created by American Idol creator Simon Fuller. The group is composed of 18 individuals from 18 different countries. Some of their hits songs include Who Would Think That Love?, Wave Your Flag, Na Na Na, and Summer In The City. Our very own Bailey May is a member of the group and has been so since the group’s inception in 2017. With Zephanie and Jayna joining the boot camp, there’s now the possibility of there being three Filipinos in the group.
YOUNG AND TALENTED
Zephanie Dimaranan, or who more commonly goes by her first name Zephanie, was the first winner of Idol Philippines in 2019. Just watch any of the 18-year-old’s performances and you can see why she got picked. Despite her relatively short time in the industry, she has wowed us with her vocals on multiples occasions. “I’m so excited to be part of Now United’s boot camp in Abu Dhabi”, she said in a video message accompanying her announcement.
While Jayna Hughes may not be as known as some of her peers, you shouldn’t underestimate this 16-year-old’s talent, especially when it comes to dancing. Jayna is from the Philippines but is currently based in Las Vegas, Nevada. She said that she has been dancing since she was 2 years old. The teen is no stranger to the stage or cameras either. When she was 11, she, along with her dance crew, Prodigy Dance Crew, danced on the Ellen Show. She also performed in America’s Got Talent and Showtime at the Apollo. “I am so incredibly excited to be going to Abu Dhabi and I can’t believe I got picked to do this,” she enthusiastically said in a video message.
Congratulations to Zephanie and Jayna and we can’t wait to see where they go from here.
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