Spreading the Love on High

After the old year activities that welcomed the New Year is done and all the festivities have died down, it probably seems fitting that the New Year is ushered in by the “Love Month” of February where Valentine’s Day is the first event to be celebrated in the hopes that perhaps the love will spread and last for the rest of the year.

This February 15, 2025 Saturday, a celebration of Love will be the main theme of the “LOVE FEST @ HACIENDA ISABELLA” off Tagaytay . Headlining this out-of-town celebration is Pop Diva Ms. KUH LEDESMA together with her daughter ISABELLA, Theater Actor JACK SALUD, up and coming singer THOR with Special Guest MANUEL ESCUETA. The event will start off with Dinner at 6 pm to be followed by the Musical Performances at 8pm and snacks after the concert.

Concert goers can stay overnight and share a delightful breakfast with Kuh

KUH LEDESMA and her daughter Isabella are already quite familiar figures to a lot of people but the 3 men who are also part of the show’s cast are not entirely known to the public, not yet anyway. But it’s no longer surprising to some that it is Kuh’s personal crusade to introduce and help out Filipino artists as part of her I LOVE OPM Advocacy.

Jack Salud is a Theater Actor who as part of his resumè have performed in various Musicals and Straight plays for Repertory Philippines. Some of his theater credits include Jekyll & Hyde, The Man of La Mancha, Little Women, The Taming of the Shrew, I Love My Wife and Zorba. Jack is also a 3-time Aliw Award nominee for Best Classical Singer for 3 Consecutive years from 2014 to 2016.

Wanting to be known simply as THOR, Thor started singing publicly in Malls and Train Stations in order to help raise funds for sick and underprivileged street children. Thor is an alumni and Grand Finalist of Tawag ng Tanghalan Season 8. He also participated The Voice Teen Philippines. Originally born in California USA, Thor moved to the Philippines when he was 4 years old. He got discovered and successfully became a child star for ABS CBN and GMA 7. His teleserye credits include Angelito, Batang Ama and Second Chances and was a regular on the award-winning kids show Goin’ Bulilit. Thor is presently enrolled as a Senior Student at La Salle Greenhills and will soon be enrolling on a Musicology scholarship at the University of Sto. Tomas.

Manuel Escueta (a.k.a. Efren Escueta) was discovered by Kuh herself when she was invited to judge in a Singing Competition where Manuel was one of the grand finalists. And although Manuel did not win the Grand Prize, Manuel’s performance so impressed the country’s Pop Diva that when the opportune time came she invited Manuel to be part of her show. When Manuel isn’t busy shuttling from one singing competition to another and taking care of his 3 children, he would busy himself with his online buy and sell business in order to augment the family income that his wife sends back home as an OFW in Bangladesh. Manuel’s hopes and wish is that he may one day be able to snag a record deal that would make him as successful as his singing idols Basil Valdez, Martin Nievera and Gary Valenciano. But Manuel is “keeping it real” and he knows that real success does not come overnight. He knows he still needs to do a lot of hard work coupled with lots of good breaks like the one that Ms. Kuh Ledesma has given to him in order for him to realize his dreams. “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” that’s why he’s “keeping his feet on the ground while reaching for his shining stars”

LOVE FEST @ HACIENDA ISABELLA happens on February 15 Saturday at Hacienda Isabella in Tagaytay City. The Romantic Event will feature the one and only Ms. KUH LEDESMA, ISABELLA, JACK SALUD and THOR with Special Guest MANUEL ESCUETA. Musical Direction is by Kettle Mata together with his live band. Be part of the Love Fest and spread the Love.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND TICKET RESERVATION PLEASE CALL 0960 8850288 and 0920 2868895

Lola Amour continues to expand their global footprint with the release of “Maria, ” a collaboration with Australian artist Oliver Cronin. This track not only showcases their evolving sound but also marks a significant milestone in the band’s international journey as they strengthen their presence in Southeast Asia and beyond. 

Written at a music camp in Malaysia, “Maria” blends a classic boyband ballad with a bold saxophone solo, capturing the unique synergy between Lola Amour and Oliver Cronin. The song tells the story of Oliver and Lola Amour’s lead singer Pio, both blindly in love with Maria, unaware of her secret betrayal. “Working with the Lola Amour boys was an incredible experience. Their 7-piece dynamic brought something fresh and magical to ‘Maria, ’ creating a perfect blend of our worlds, ” says Oliver Cronin. 

‘Maria’ is one of the nine tracks in the deluxe edition of Oliver Cronin’s EP ‘Edge of Paradise’ released under Warner Music Australia, which came out last January 30th. “As you can probably tell by the name, we’re one step closer to my debut album ‘Paradise’ . The last few years have been an absolute rollercoaster and I haven’t exactly felt in the right headspace to finish this album, but I’ve grown a lot and as time goes on I feel more and more comfortable and confident in the music and what paradise looks and sounds like for me. ” Oliver adds. With over 39.1 million combined streams, 1M TikTok followers, 412K Instagram followers, and 500K monthly listeners on Spotify alone, it’s safe to say that Oliver Cronin has all ears turned towards him right now. 

Lola Amour’s international appeal is reflected in their recent Spotify streaming growth. In the last 28 days, Indonesia ranks as their #2 market with 108,000 listeners, followed by the United States (92,000 listeners), Canada (60,000 listeners), and Australia (28,000 listeners). This growth highlights the band’s rising influence in key global markets. 

“Maria” is just the beginning of Lola Amour’s 2025 international collaborations, aligning with their goal to strengthen their presence across Southeast Asia. Kicking off their global journey, they had the opportunity to share the stage with Coldplay, gaining valuable insights into stage dynamics and audience engagement. Building on this momentum, the band has been expanding their reach through key performances at international festivals, including the Trifecta Music Festival in Singapore and the Hush Festival in Macau. Late last year, they participated in multiple international songwriting camps, including one in Malaysia with renowned producer Hyuk Shin of 153 Joombas, where they refined their songwriting skills and explored new creative approaches. 

Now, Lola Amour is ready to bring their elevated performance, shaped by these experiences, to audiences around the world. With these milestones paving the way, Lola Amour is gearing up for their new music, set to showcase their versatility and connect with an even wider global audience.