My world shattered when Philippine telcos took away the beautiful, bang-for-your-buck deal that was unlimited data capacity. Okay, maybe not shattered, but close. At the time, I had just taken over my sister's unlimited data plan, ready to stream and post and work on the fly… only for the service to be revoked and become impossible to find in the country. Alas, my first taste of heartbreak.
Years later, it seems like a solution has finally dropped right into my lap. GOMO, the new telco on the block, has mustered its fair share of attention for its promise of 25GB no-expiry data. At a competitive P299 subscription per month, it seems like the next best thing to unlimited data access. I’ve yet to test drive GOMO myself, so I can’t testify to their LTE speed or the truth behind their deals. But as far as their brand-building is concerned, I admit I can run with it.
Speaking of which, GOMO kicked off their #WeDontStop movement—an ode to their non-stop, no-expiry data, of course—with a concert in partnership with 88rising last month. Featuring performances from Chungha, NIKI and Joji and streamed exclusively in the Philippines, here’s a play-by-play of what went down at the virtual concert.
RELATED: 88rising’s Asia Rising Forever: Good Music and a Whole Lot of Heart
Newly signed 88rising talent, Chungha, kicked off the concert with back-to-back performances of Gotta Go and Snapping—otherwise known as the superior Chungha eras. It’s been a minute since my last public declaration of my love for this woman, but my heart rests easy knowing that she is still all that.
Next up was NIKI, who has been everywhere in the past couple of months. She’s in your YouTube recommendations showing off her skincare routine for Harper’s Bazaar. She’s on your Instagram feed promoting her dream collaboration with Guess. She’s on a Wonder cover (which you should check out right here, if you haven’t yet). Through all the videos and photoshoots and publicity, though, it’s all kinds of refreshing seeing NIKI doing what she does best.
NIKI’s last performance of her stripped-back ballad, Lose, set the tone for the set to come. Last on the roster was Joji, who performed a few tracks off his repertoire of sad boy anthems. The last Joji performance I’d (virtually) seen was from 88rising’s own Head In The Clouds festival in 2019. The contrast between the Joji I’d seen then and the subdued, sober Joji that performed the #WeDontStop concert almost gave me whiplash.
Despite how convenient as these online concerts might be and how well-produced the sets might be, there’s always that longing for the thrill of a real-life gig. The sweat. The energy. The shared thrum and tension between artist and fan. Perhaps the artists that performed that night longed for it, too. But for now, at least, there’s this.
RELATED: Finding Inner Peace with NIKI's Moonchild Experience
Watch the full GOMO #WeDontStop 88rising concert here. Find out more about GOMO's offers on their website.
Art Alexandra Lara
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