Quantcast
Channel: TheHive.Asia
Viewing all 2437 articles
Browse latest View live

Ariana Grande is heartbroken over bombing incident at her concert

$
0
0

An explosion at an Ariana Grande’s recent concert which has killed at least 19 people and injured around 50, is believed to have been the work of terrorists, police said.

The incident which took place at the Manchester Arena in England on Monday, 10.30pm, happened shortly after Grande had left the stage, CNN reports.


“This is currently being treated as a terrorist incident until police know otherwise,” Manchester police said on Twitter.

“We can confirm there was an incident as people were leaving the Ariana Grande show last night. The incident took place outside the venue in a public space. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims,” the post continued.

Traumatised concertgoers which were made up of mostly adolescents, screamed and fled in what appeared to be the deadliest episode of terrorism in Britain since the 2005 London subway bombings.


According to New York Times, Grande’s publicist, Joseph Carozza said that “Ariana is okay” and added, “We are further investigating what happened.”

Meanwhile, TMZ has reported that Ariana is “in hysterics” after learning that 19 people were killed at her concert.

She tweeted, “Broken. From the bottom of my heart, I am so so sorry. I don't have words.”

Sources also said that her next concert in London’s O2 Arena this Thursday, is now up in the air as it may constitute a safety threat, but also, “She's in no condition to perform.”


Prince Harry to join Ramadan iftar with Singaporean Muslims

$
0
0

Britain’s Prince Harry will be coming to Singapore on 3 June 2017, for the first time to take part in an iftar session– the breaking of fast during the Muslim month of Ramadan – together with Singaporean Muslims.

Kensington Palace announced on its official Twitter page that the Prince will attend an Action for AIDS reception on 4 June at Eden Hall where he will meet with youths to discuss mental health issues.

On 5 June, the 32-year-old Prince will also participate in the Sentebale Royal Salute Polo Cup, an annual fundraising event hosted by the Singapore Polo Club.

The event will raise funds for Prince Harry’s charity Sentebale, which supports vulnerable children and young people living with and affected by HIV in Lesotho and Botswana.

After Singapore, Prince Harry will head off to Sydney, Australia to launch the fourth Invictus Games on 7 June, an international sports competition for wounded, injured and sick servicemen and women.

Prince Harry is the second son of Prince Charles and Princess Diana and also younger brother to Prince William.

At the time of his birth, he was third in the line of succession to succeed his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, but now, he is currently fifth in line after his father, his elder brother Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and William's children, George and Charlotte.

KFC Philippines is in search of its first Colonel Sanders

$
0
0

KFC Philippines is currently searching for its first ever Pinoy Colonel Sanders, the face of Kentucky Fried Chicken, better known as KFC.

The Philippines branch of the worldwide famous fast food chain posted a video on their Facebook page, showing three veteran Filipino actors auditioning for the role of the founder.

The three actors are Ronaldo Valdez, Leo Martinez and Pen Medina, who gave their own spin to the iconic character, and the results are hilarious!


To be honest, based on the looks itself, we think Valdez is the most suitable candidate to play the role, but Martinez and Medina would also make an interesting local versions of the character.

In the American version, actors who had portrayed the role of Colonel Sanders include Darrell Hammond, Norm Macdonald, Jim Gaffigan, George Hamilton, Dolph Ziggler, Rob Riggle, Billy Zane and Rob Lowe.

The video was shared yesterday and has so far accumulated over 39.5 thousand shares and 102 thousand reactions.

It is unsure who will get the role, but the answers will be revealed on 29 May 2017, so stay tuned!


Dance to ABBA’s famous hits with Arrival

$
0
0

Famed for their classic hits like “Mamma Mia”, “Dancing Queen”, and “Money, Money, Money” among others, it is time for us to travel to the 70s this September as AC Music Entertainment is bringing over the international hit tribute musical, Arrival from Sweden – The Music of ABBA!

Even though ABBA parted ways in 1982, the globally renowned pop band has remained as one of the most influential music groups and the most iconic 70s band, thanks to its varied musical genres that has managed to reach out to a wide range of audiences.


So, relive their golden days from 1 to 3 September 2017 at the Plenary Hall, KLCC by singing along to ABBA’s favourite hits like “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!”, “Fernando” and also their previously unreleased song, “Just a Notion”.


Swedish tribute band, Arrival – taken from the title of ABBA’s fourth album – was formed in 1995 and has already been seen by over a million of people, globally.


Performing in ABBA-inspired clothing; the group promises to deliver the most authentic ABBA show ever.

Tickets for their show in Malaysia range from RM92 to RM592 and will go on sale on 26 May via ticketcharge.com.my.


[Photos] Yesung, NCT 127 & Red Velvet heat up I.Seoul.U Concert in KL

$
0
0

Wha-wha-wha-wha-what? Fire truck! K-Pop fans probably needed one for their hearts after the sizzling show from SM artistes Yesung, NCT 127 and Red Velvet during the I.Seoul.U Concert in KL yesterday.

A crowd of 6,000 strong gathered at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre yesterday evening to welcome the K-Pop stars in Malaysia. While this was not the first visit to the tropical country for Super Junior member Yesung and girl group Red Velvet, it did mark the first time for their hoobae (junior) NCT 127 to perform for their Malaysian fans.

With an aim to promote the city of Seoul as the place-to-be in Korea, Vice Mayor of Seoul City Liu Gyoung-gee was also in attendance at the event to introduce the vibrant city to the concertgoers (which incidentally includes the royal family from Pahang).

Missed the concert? Take a look at our photos of Yesung, Red Velvet and NCT 127 as they heat up the stage at I.Seoul.U Concert in KL!

Yesung smiling when he sees a fan’s placard with his name.

Some E.L.Fs held up signs for Yesung that show support for the Super Junior member’s solo venture.

Confetti falling from above during one of Yesung’s performances.

E.L.F (Super Junior fan) or not, Yesung’s 'Seoulful' stare will melt any of the concertgoers’ heart.

NCT 127’s Chinese member WinWin pulling off one of the choreo stunts for their song, “Fire Truck”.

Red Velvet’s Yeri making a cute heart sign for her fans.

Red Velvet performing one of their four songs of the night.

Fans armed with lightsticks and ready to cheer on their favourite K-Pop stars.

Get it lifted~
NCT 127 maknae (youngest), Haechan, getting lifted by his hyungs.

While the rest of the members make ‘N’ signs with their hands, NCT 127 leader Taeyong made a hearteu sign.

NCT 127’s Chicage boy Johnny showing off his guns.

Jaehyun’s cap is quite an ‘eye-full’.

Doyoung showing off his “Limitless” singing skills (fans would know what we did there).

Yesung recommends fans who love shopping to visit Seoul Bamdokkaebi Night Market,
this year’s market will take place until October.

The nine members of NCT 127 happy to meet their fans in Malaysia.

Red Velvet is overjoyed all five of them get to perform for
their fans in Malaysia this time (Joy was unable to join during their last visit).

SISTAR members write heartfelt letters confirming their disbandment

$
0
0

Popular K-pop girl group, SISTAR, is disbanding after seven years of making music together.

The news has been confirmed by their music label, Starship Entertainment on Tuesday via Twitter.

“First, we want to thank all the fans who have cherished and loved SISTAR for the 7 years since they debuted,” read the tweet as translated by All Kpop.

“SISTAR will officially end their 7-year promotions as a group with their last album on May 31st. After our label and SISTAR talked for a long time, we have agreed to bring SISTAR to an end.”


“SISTAR's disbandment is a very disappointing and a painful thing, but we believe that it is the best to support the road that each member wants. We will be doing our best to support the members' futures.”

“SISTAR and the label thanks everyone once again for the large support we have received. Please show warm support and interest to the SISTAR members, who are standing at a new start in life,” read the post.

SISTAR which consists of Hyolyn, Bora, Soyou, and Dasom debuted in 2010 with the single “Push Push” which raised them to stardom instantly.


The group continued to release hit songs like “So Cool,” “Loving U” and “Give It to Me,” winning a total of 43 music awards throughout their career.

The four members also posted handwritten letters to their fan club homepage to confirm their disbandment and express their gratitude to their fans.


“Now, the SISTAR members will be going our own ways for our 2nd life. I want to sincerely thank our fans that let us know how happy and lucky we were to sing, to go on stage, to be loved, and to love others,” Hyorin wrote in her letter.

“I told fans every year that we should be happy, and I hope that you were all happy for the seven years you spent with us. The time that I spent with STAR1 and SISTAR members was happy and precious,” Bora wrote and said that they will definitely meet again.

“When I look back, I'm sad and sorry that I couldn't spend that much time with our fans. No matter what stage I stand on from now on, I won't ever forget this feeling I have for the members and our fans. I love you, I'm sorry, and thank you,” said Soyu in her letter.

“It's very sad, but SISTAR has decided to go our separate ways after this album is finished. We received so much love as SISTAR, and we want to give it back bit by bit by ourselves from now on,” Dasom said, adding that she will continue to communicate with the fans.

Check out their farewell video below.


Rihanna and Lupita to star in a movie inspired by a meme

$
0
0

From a Tumblr post, to a Tweet, and then to Netflix – for a movie starring Rihanna and Lupita Nyong’o which is actually happening thanks to a fan-made meme of the stars that went viral.

Here’s how it initially went down. In 2014, a Tumblr post featuring a photo of Rihanna and Lupita Nyong’o taken at a Miu Miu show in 2014 during Paris Fashion Week had gone viral, as the caption suggested that the two stars look like they’re in a heist movie in which they scam the rich out of their money.

http://elizabitchtaylor.tumblr.com/post/90856351997/they-look-like-theyre-in-a-heist-movie-with

Two years later, a Twitter user shared the same photo with the same idea, and this time, Lupita actually responded.

And she managed to get Rihanna on board too.

Excited by this turn of events, Twitter users started to pull in director Ava DuVernay (“Selma”) and writer Issa Rae (“Insecure”) to direct and write the possible movie, and both of them turned out to be interested too.


At first, it seems like a mere dream project where everyone is having fun discussing the possibility of it actually coming true, but it is no longer a dream now as Netflix has secured a deal for the concept at the Cannes Film Festival after a “dramatic negotiation session,” according to Entertainment Weekly.

“Netflix has bought the film project that will pair Rihanna with Oscar winner Lupita Nyong'o in a buddy movie concept. The project began as a Twitter meme after a photo was taken of both women at a Miu Miu fashion show in 2014. Ava DuVernay is slated to direct, and “Insecure's” Issa Rae is in line to write the screenplay,” DuVernay tweeted her moments.

Rae’s representatives has confirmed that the project is in the works and the original Twitter users who imagined the concept for this film will be credited and included in some form.

Netflix is reportedly eyeing the film for a 2018 release after DuVernay has finished her adaptation of the fantasy novel, “A Wrinkle in Time”

Original article from Cinema Online

Sid Murshid shows his love for pisang goreng via 90s style song

$
0
0

After expressing his love for nasi lemak via an ala-90s song, Malaysian singer Sid Murshid is now singing another song, also in the 90s karaoke style – about one of his favourite snack food which he describes as “the most powerful snack”: pisang goreng.


Pisang goreng (fried banana) is a tea time snack commonly sold at stalls by the bustling streets of Southeast Asian countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, Singapore, Brunei and the Philippines.

In the song, the Universal Music Malaysia artiste demonstrates the correct way of frying the snack using the recipe from Restoran Ala D’Sid – just like how he did in for his nasi lemak song.


The video also features Alicia Amin, a model and contestant from “Asia’s Next Top Model” Cycle 5 who is seen sexily peeling off the banana skin and eating the pisang goreng cooked by Sid.


Pisang goreng is not the only thing that Sid is good at frying apparently! He also shows off his guitar goreng skills in the video! (Note: “goreng” means frying, so in the Malay slang, guitar goreng simply means freestyling and solo-ing on the guitar.)

Let’s not forget the end credits of the video as well, where Sid comically lists out the director, singer, lyricist and music composer of the video– who are all him of course – and also the things that his mom sponsored for the music video, which includes cooking oil, wok, and flour, but not the bananas!


Also, this is not the first time that Sid Murshid had made cooking tutorials. Though the nasi lemak one may be the first accompanied by a song, he previously did other videos for fried chicken, lamb stew and roast chicken recipes which makes no sense at all, but are still entertaining all the same!



“Game of Thrones” Season 7 trailer shows the final battle

$
0
0

The Great War is coming in “Game of Thrones”, and fans of the popular HBO TV series have finally gotten their first look at the official Season 7 trailer, featuring some of the epic battles and political showdowns that we can expect from the new season.

The 90-second preview shows all the involved parties’ preparation for the final battle; Cersei Lannister is rallying her troops, Jon Snow is preparing for war in the North, and Daenerys Targaryen and her dragons are finally making their way back to Westeros with an eye on the Iron Throne.

The trailer begins with Queen Cersei striding across a map of Westeros the size of an entire room, ready to take on enemies coming from every direction.

Meanwhile, Daenerys finally returns home, putting her hand on Westeros soil after disembarking at Dragonstone, claming that she was born to rule the Seven Kingdoms.

Jon Snow the born-again King in the North and possible messiah, along with his fellow Northerners contend with the frozen forces barrelling towards the Wall.

The trailer also shows Littlefinger hitching his wagon to Sansa as his “last hope,” and Melisandre surprisingly returning to action after having been banished.

While we can see that a lot is going within this trailer, the main highlight would definitely be the showdown between the Dothraki and Lannister army in an open field, and the Unsullied overtaking a Lannister keep.

“Game of Thrones” Season 7 will be a mere seven (but explosive) episodes, compared to its usual ten, and it is set to premiere on 16 July 2017 on the HBO channel.



Australian singer Cassidy to release her first Malay single, “Seperti Dia”

$
0
0

Australian lass Cassidy Anderson, or better known by her stage name, Cassidy La Crème, is famous among many Malaysians for her ability to speak and sing in fluent Malay language.

Five years ago, the singing sensation took over the social media platforms in Malaysia when she sang a cover version of “Ombak Rindu” featuring her friend Irwan Azly, and since then, Cassidy has been covering plenty of famous Malay hits and giving them her own spin.

Fast forward to today, the Australian singer is signed to Raksasa Records and Warner Music Malaysia, and will finally release her first ever Malay single titled, “Seperti Dia”.

Cassidy at "An Evening with Warner Music" event.

Composed by Hael Husaini, Mike Chan and Ezra Kong, the ballad song is about cultural differences between a pair of lovers.

“It is like someone is still in love with their ex, but you can't compare because you're not from that culture, so it hit home for me, I can definitely sympathise with the lyrics because I've been through that heartbreak before,” said Cassidy as she revealed that she previously dated some locals.

The 29-year-old singer said that she moved to Malaysia back in January and plans to dedicate and focus on her career in the country.

Cassidy, interviewed by the local media.

“For 5 years now, I've always wanted to move here and try my luck in the Malaysian industry. I know it sounds very strange to say but, for me, Malaysia feels like home,” she commented.

Cassidy said that she learned about the Malay culture from her Singaporean Malay friends in 2012. Back then, she was working at Universal Studios Singapore as Marilyn Monroe.

Cassidy as Marilyn Monroe in kebaya.

Since learning about the culture, Cassidy has been very passionate about the Malay language and had started to take interest in learning Malay songs. It took her a mere six months to learn the language which is now her second language.

“It became a passion for me. The emotion in Malay songs is missing in the western market. We used to have amazing ballad singers like Celine Dion and Whitney Houston, but Malaysia still has that. I really aspire to be like the Malaysian artistes instead of the western artistes,” said Cassidy.

On her first Malay cover which was the “Ombak Rindu” song originally sung by Hafiz and Adira, she said, “I was scared because I didn't know how people would react. It's a bit of a gamble being a minah salleh singing in the Malay language. But luckily the response was quite amazing, and it encouraged me to keep trying.”


When asked about her future plans in Malaysia, Cassidy said that she hopes her Malay single “would be the first of many.”

“I'm very excited and honoured to be here. I would like to create a long term career and move my life to Malaysia. I don't want to just do one or two songs because I can really see myself living here.”

Cassidy revealed that some of her favourite Malay talents include Dato’ Siti Nurhaliza, Faizal Tahir and Amy Search, the latter whom she met twice already, but when asked who she would love to work with in Malaysia, she pointed out rapper Malique.

“I would love to work with Malique. I covered his song "Teman Pengganti". It took me 6 months to learn the rap. But he would be someone I would dream of working with.”


Cassidy La Crème, or as her Malay friends call her, Kasidah, performed her single for the first time ever at a Warner Music event on Wednesday held at The Bee, Publika.

The talented Australian said that it took her a day to learn the song but three to four days to understand the lyrics.

“I don't want to show disrespect to the language and not understand what I'm singing,” she said.

Cassidy performing her first live performance of "Seperti Dia".

Malaysian fashion designer Rizalman gets his own reality show

$
0
0

Malaysian fashion designer Rizalman will debut his very own reality TV series on Life Inspired this 30 May 2017.

Aptly titled as ‘Rizalman”, the eight-part series will highlight the daily life of Rizalman, giving viewers a chance to get up close and personal with the fashion guru as he juggles between his busy schedule and also overcoming the challenges that come his way.


“It was a dream-come-true when Life Inspired offered a TV show on its channel. It is my wish that I satisfy the curiosity of viewers who wish to find out more about my life and how I handle the creative processes of my work,” said the fashion expert to New Straits Times.

“I’ve always been asked on how I manage it all. I hope the show will answer those questions and inspire viewers,” he added.


The show will also see Rizalman travelling across the globe, to Paris, Guang Zhou and Singapore, for fashion shoots along with his team of dedicated crew.

A post shared by rizalman71 (@rizalman71) on

Furthermore, there will also be special appearances by some of Rizalman’s famous celebrity friends like TV host, actress and entrepreneur Neelofa Mohd Noor, former beauty queen Deborah Priya Henry and singer Dayang Nurfaizah.

“Rizalman” will premiere on Tuesday, 30 May 2017, 10pm on Life Inspired (Astro channel 728).


“Comedy Central Stand-Up, Asia!” returns for second season

$
0
0

The Asians are back to take over the stand-up comedy stage in the second season of “Comedy Central Stand-Up, Asia!”

Produced by Comedy Central Asia in collaboration with comedy entertainment company LOL Events, the Asian original stand-up series will be filmed in front of a live audience across two ticketed show nights at the HGH Convention Centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 13 and 14 July 2017.


The show will present from a line-up of 16 of the hottest, funniest and boldest Asian comedians from around the world including: Imran Yusuf (UK), Paul Ogata (US), Eliot Chang (US), Papa CJ (India), Alex Calleja (Philippines), Jason Leong (Malaysia), and Sharul Channa (Singapore).

“After a successful first season of Comedy Central Stand-up, Asia! which achieved record viewership across Comedy Central Asia’s TV and digital platforms, we are pleased to announce the second season in an expanded format – on a live stage for laugh-out loud entertainment,” said Paras Sharma, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Southeast Asia, Viacom International Media Networks.

“There is a growing appetite for comedy in our region and with Asian comedy now core to our programming, we will continue to invest in original content to delight viewers,” he continued.

The ten half-hour episodes of the show will premiere its first episode on Comedy Central Asia in August.

Tickets are now available at ticketpro.com.my, with prices ranging from MYR100 to MYR250.

The full line-up of comedians is as listed below:-

Thursday (13 July 2017)
  • Danny Cho (US / Korea)
  • Garron Chiu (Hong Kong)
  • Imran Yusuf (UK)
  • Jason Leong (Malaysia)
  • Paul Ogata (US / Japan)
  • Rishi Budhrani (Singapore)
  • Sharul Channa (Singapore)
  • Walter Hong (US / Korea)


Friday (14 July 2017)
  • Alex Calleja (Philippines)
  • Ben Quinlan (Hong Kong)
  • Dilruk Jayasinha (Sir Lanka / Australia)
  • Eliot Chang (US)
  • GB Labrador (Philippines)
  • Keren Bala Devan (Malaysia)
  • Papa CJ (India)
  • Shamaine Othman (Malaysia)


Alt trio LANY debut shows in Singapore and Bangkok

$
0
0

Since they are coming to three festivals in Southeast Asia this August, three-piece alternative pop band LANY thought that this would be a great time for them to make their debut in Singapore and Thailand as well.

The band’s name is an acronym for “Los Angeles New York” and is made up of good friends Paul Klein, Jake Goss and Les Priest. The band wass formed in 2014 with their first EP “Acronyms” debuted later that year.


Within less than three years, the band has embarked on American tours supporting Ellie Goulding, Twin Shadow, Tove Styrke, X Ambassadors, Troye Sivan and Halsey, and already held two headliner tours in the US and Europe.

Bangkok promoter Viji Corp has announced that the band will be playing in the country for the first time on 2 August 2017 at DND Club, before heading to Manila for Wanderland 2017.


Singapore’s Secret Sounds has also confirmed that the trio will be headlining a show on 10 August at *SCAPE The Ground Theatre, and then heading to Jakarta for We the Fest and Kuala Lumpur for Good Vibes Festival.

Tickets for the Bangkok stop goes on sale on 2 June 2017 at thaiticketmajor.com, starting from THB2,000, while in Singapore, tickets are priced at SGD78 on apactix.com.

These are the new Baju Raya designs for 2017

$
0
0

The fasting month of Ramadan has just begun, and many have already started their preparations for Raya Aidilfitri which falls on 25 to 27 June this year.

During this holy month, there are a lot of things that we can expect, like Ramadan promotions, new and weird food at the Ramadan bazaars, and also different types of Raya cookies as well.

But among all of these, the most important one of all is definitely having new baju raya to wear!
This year, many fashion designers have come up with more unique and modern designs of baju kurung, baju melayu, jubbah and others.

Many designs this year shows simplicity with lighter tone colours, but of course not all of them look like that, some designs are bold and bright, and they’re all gorgeous in their own way.

Check them out!

1.Gene Martino
(Photo source: genemartino.com.my)

2.Jovian’s JLuxe Raya
(Photo source: jovian.com.my)

3.Jovian for Zalora
(Photo source: zalora.com.my)

4.Jovian Mandagie for Zalora
(Photo source: zalora.com.my)

5.Keek 
(Photo source: keekcollection.blogspot.my)

6.Klozet
(Photo source: klozetkl.com)

7.KREE
(Photo source: fb.com/kreeoffical)

8.Lovely Suri
(Photo source: lovelysuri.com)

9.Lubna for Zalora (Men)
(Photo source: zalora.com.my)

10.Lubna for Zalora (Women)
(Photo source: zalora.com.my)

11.Rizalman for Zalora (Men)
(Photo source: zalora.com.my)

12.Rizalman for Zalora (Women)
(Photo source: zalora.com.my)

13.Tom Abang Saufi for Zalora
(Photo source: zalora.com.my)

14.Vercato
(Photo source: vercato.com)

15.Zalia Homme
(Photo source: zalora.com.my)

16.Zalia
(Photo source: zalora.com.my)


Supermodel Miranda Kerr ties the knot with Snapchat co-founder

$
0
0

Australian supermodel Miranda Kerr has tied the knot with Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel in an intimate twilight wedding in their Los Angeles backyard on Saturday.

According to People, the private ceremony was attended by 40 guests made up of mainly family and friends who were picked up by limousines at various LA locations and driven to the Brentwood home.


“Evan and Miranda looked at many different options for where they wanted to have their wedding, but their backyard was what felt most intimate and perfect,” said a source to E! News.

“They kept it small with only those people that mean the most to them.”

Back in July last year, Kerr, 34, posted news of her engagement to Spiegel, 26, on Instagram with a black-and-white photo of her engagement ring and the caption, “I said yes!!!”

A post shared by Miranda (@mirandakerr) on

This will be Kerr’s second marriage, after a prior relationship with Hollywood actor Orlando Bloom, father of Kerr’s 6-year-old son, Flynn.


Kerr and Spiegel met in 2014 at a New York dinner party and started dating a year later.

(Photo sources: eonline.com, maxima.at, elle.com)

Ariana Grande to hold a charity concert for Manchester victims

$
0
0

Pop star Ariana Grande plans to return to Manchester for a charity concert following the terrorist attack at her last concert which claimed 22 lives.

The 23-year-old singer has issued an official statement in regards to the Manchester suicide bombing tragedy which took place last Monday, 22 May 2017.

“My heart, prayers, and deepest condolences are with the victims of the Manchester Attack and their loved ones. There is nothing I or anyone can do to take away the pain you are feeling or to make this better. However, I extend my hand and heart and everything I possibly can give to you and yours, should you want or need my help in any way,” read her statement which she posted on Twitter.


In the statement, the “Dangerous Woman” singer has confirmed an upcoming charity concert in England which is slated for 4 June 2017, according to Variety.

The site also reported that Grande and her manager Scooter Braun, will personally recruit other artistes to join the stage, and that 100 per cent of the proceeds will go to the victims’ families.


“I’ll be returning to the incredibly brave city of Manchester to spend time with my fans and to have a benefit concert in honour of and to raise money for the victims and their families,” she wrote.
“I will have details to share with you as soon as everything is confirmed.”

Ariana Grande suspended her “Dangerous Woman” world tour and cancelled several European shows after the bombing.

The tour will pick up on June 7 in France, with further dates in Portugal, Spain, and Italy.

(Photo sources: inquisitr.com, nymag.com)

No more Gong Cha in Singapore, replaced with local brand LiHo

$
0
0

RTG Holdings, the franchisee of Taiwanese bubble tea franchise Gong Cha in Singapore has announced its move to replace all 80 Gong Cha outlets in the country to local bubble tea brand LiHo, which means “How are you?” in Hokkien.

According to The Straits Times, the man who introduced the popular brand to Singapore, Rodney Tang, has already converted more than 30 outlets to his very own homegrown brand, and the remaining outlets are expected to follow suit by 5 June 2017.

(Photo source: straitstimes.com)

The decision was made after the company decided not to extend its agreement with franchisor Royal Tea Taiwan, who sold its business to Gong Cha Korea, which is owned by a Japanese private equity firm known as Unison Capital.

“Our agreement to operate Gong Cha in Singapore expired on Dec 31 last year, and they proposed an extension. We were more than happy to do so. I saw no reason not to extend,” he said as quoted.


But after discovering that the franchisor company has been sold off, which resulted in a change in contractual terms that seem to be more restrictive, Tang decided to create his own brand instead of abiding the new terms.

LiHo will rely on completely different suppliers for its tea and other raw ingredients, and it will use different methods of making its drinks.

(Photo source: fb.com/lihosg)

“Tea is tea - there is only so much I can do to make it different. But we are introducing drinks such as cheese tea and smoothies,” Tang said.

Introduced in Singapore in 2009, Gong Cha has raked in an annual revenue of SGD30 million, and is by far the biggest brand that RTG Holdings has ever managed.

(Main photo sources: eatbook.sg, fb.com/gongchamy)

“Say Yes to the Dress Asia” announces Jovian and Daphne Iking as hosts

$
0
0

TLC has been announced that Malaysian fashion designer Jovian Mandagie and television presenter and actress Daphne Iking will be hosting the all-new Asian debut of hit reality TV series “Say Yes to the Dress”.

Jovian Mandagie who is widely regarded as one of Malaysia’s top designers, will be upping the sartorial quotient of the show with his famously eclectic haute couture sensibilities.


Some of his memorable designs have earned him an exclusive clientele among Kuala Lumpur’s elites and Malaysian royalty, including the former Raja Permaisuri Agong H.R.H D.Y.M.M Tuanku Nur Zahirah and HM Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha of Brunei, to name a few.

“I’m honoured to be given the opportunity to join the Say Yes to The Dress Asia team,” said Jovian Mandagie, the bridal designer for “Say Yes to the Dress Asia”.

“As a fashion designer, it gives me great joy creating the perfect fit and bringing my clients’ visions to life. I can’t wait to meet the brides to help them uncover their personal wedding styles as they hunt down the perfect dress for their big day,” he continued.

Meanwhile, award-winning actress and TV personality, Daphne Iking has lent her hosting chops to a range of programmes including “Ringgit Sense”, “Explorace”, “The Breakfast Show” and “Bella”.


She also gives fans an inside look into her travel adventures and family life through vlogs on her YouTube channel, Daphne Iking, which has amassed a following of more than 25,000 subscribers.

“When I first heard about Say Yes to The Dress Asia, I was really excited! I’m a big fan of the show and think it’s great that TLC has created an Asian edition to showcase the many amazing designers we have in this part of the world,” said Daphne who will be the image consultant for the show.

“It’s also amazing to work with Jovian again; he played a pivotal role in my very own journey in finding the wedding dress of my dreams,” the 38-year-old emcee added.


Produced by Endemol Shine Asia, “Say Yes to the Dress Asia” will capture the emotional highs and lows of the brides on their journey of finding the ideal wedding dress, along with professional recommendations from the series’ handpicked experts.

Filmed in Klang Valley, Malaysia, the series is set to premiere on TLC in the fourth quarter of 2017.


Royal Thai Embassy to hold a Thai concert in Malaysia

$
0
0

To celebrate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relationship between Thailand and Malaysia, the Royal Thai Embassy will be bringing over some of Thai’s biggest pop stars for a concert.

Some of the artistes announced for the event include the winner of Thai reality singing competition “Academy Fantasia” Season 8, Ton Thanasit; another fellow contestant from “Academy Fantasia” Season 2, Patcha; and singer and actress Mudmee Pimdao.

Ton Thanasit has won the 2011 “Academy Fantasia” with his silky-smooth voice. Since then, he has won several other awards including Most Popular New Artist on Virgin HitZ – twice, and Favourite Artist of the Year 2015 on Bang Channel.

On the other hand, Patcha, since departing from “Academy Fantasia” has now become one of the most prominent Thai female singers with numerous hit singles with feminist theme. Apart from singing, she also hosts shows and write books.

Mudmee Pimdao also known as Mutmee Panichsamail, started singing since she was 17. She has also dabbled in acting, having starred in several local productions including sitcom “Look Pee Look Nong” and movie “Pan Thai Nora Sing”.

For now, details for the concert are still scarce, but it is confirmed to take place at Malaysia Tourism Center (MaTiC) on 20 July 2017.

Stay tuned on TheHive.Asia for further information.



No injunction, now Tealive is free to continue its business

$
0
0

The High Court in Kuala Lumpur has dismissed an injunction filed by Chatime frachisor La Kaffa International Co Ltd against its former franchisee Loob Holding Sdn Bhd to forbid them from selling similar products as theirs.

The injunction filed on 17 February was dismissed by Judicial Commissioner Wong Kian Kheong, who ruled in oral judgement that it would cause great risk of injustice to Loob Holding and its business and also associates.


“Its 161 Tealive stores and sub franchisees will have to close shop.”

“The lives of its 800 staff, third parties associated with the business, the shops’ landlords, suppliers and creditors will be adversely affected,” he said as quoted by Free Malaysia Today.

Loob Holding CEO, Bryan Loo then took to social media to share the good news.

“Tealive operations can continue as usual after today’s High Court decision. The Court did not grant an injunction seeking to stop or interfere with our Tealive business. Let us now focus on serving our customers to the best of our ability and let our products and passion speak for themselves. Thank you for being part of our journey. Together, we are lagi strong!,” read the post.

With the injunction being dismissed, Tealive can now continue its business as usual and is free to legally operate in Malaysia, but the decision is still subject to the Singapore International Arbitration Centre’s outcome on the arbitration.

The court also ordered Loob Holding to disclose its monthly gross sales to assist in the Singapore arbitration proceedings.

The dispute between La Kaffa and Loob Holding started in December 2016 when the Taiwanese company prematurely terminated its agreement between the two parties despite having more 20 years left on the deal.

Following the contract termination, Loob Holding had then created its own tea brand known as Tealive, while La Kaffa had appointed a new local master licensor, Will Group, to run its franchise business in Malaysia.

Viewing all 2437 articles
Browse latest View live