1st One’s “Paalam Na” Music Video Launch Unites Dance and P-Pop Communities
In an electrifying event that marked a significant, a first-of-its-kind milestone in the P-Pop music scene, the much-anticipated music video for 1st One’s “Paalam Na” was finally unveiled at Hype Club in Quezon City via an exclusive watch party. The launch was not merely a celebration of music but an exceptional confluence of two vibrant communities: the dance community and the P-Pop family.
1st One Ace, the leader of the group explained, “We really designed our MV Music launch party this way. As a P-Pop group whose members have such a deep grounding in dance; we are marking our spot as to who we are as artists, where we came from, what we love doing and what we’re capable of doing. After all, this genre that we call P-Pop, is heavily influenced by the foundational work of choreographers who tirelessly work behind the scenes. 1st One wants to fuse our two worlds together dance and P-Pop because, why not di ba, kung may magandang music, dapat may choreo?”
Setting the Stage: A Night to Remember
The venue was abuzz with anticipation as fans, dancers, and industry insiders gathered to witness this groundbreaking event: First on the agenda was a fierce dance battle courtesy of the best battlers in the dance community. The battlers came in all kinds of ages, shapes, sizes, styles, different backgrounds and skill levels.
Some battlers came from humble beginnings from local dance communities, some came from dance studios and others came from various dance crews who have been competing locally and internationally.
1st One Max says, “We, ourselves, came from dance crews in college; we trained; we choreographed, we competed. We grew as artists in the dance community. For 1st One, the way we choreograph our songs, we can say that they are so technically complex sometimes, that our supporters would request us to do tutorials or step-by-step instructions on how to do the dance so they can execute it well for their Tiktok.”
Suffice it to say, the event was a celebration of collaboration and creativity. Notable figures from the dance world, including renowned choreographers and breakout dance crews, were present to support and celebrate this union.
Audience members were treated to a series of dance battles and spontaneous performances, further cementing the spirit of unity and collaboration that defined the evening.
1st One J added “We’re really excited to witness the dance battles. Nakita ko kung sino- sino ang nag-submit ng entries sa competition, and I saw the names of some really famous dancers. We want to learn some of their techniques too. Baka may mapulot na bago.”
The elimination rounds were fierce and feverish— 50 battlers, brutally trimmed down to only one winner and runner up. Crowned as the Dance Battle Champion was Jogoro Gragasin who took home ten thousand pesos. Runner-up was Kyle “Taz” Naval who brought home five grand. A special MVP Award was given to the youngest battler 13- year-old Zhanea Kaemhiel Romulo who took home three thousand pesos.
The difficult task of judging and eliminating the battlers rested on the shoulders famous choreographers and dance icons Crazy Beans (Philippine All Stars, Pitik Pinoy, Team X); Mickey Yatar (Imperial House of Waaacking Philippines, HOME: a Company of Creatives); and Jyxb Tha Alphaeus ( Autonomicass Crew, Hybrids of Freedom, A-Team PH)
Enter the “Paalam Na” The MV: A Melodic Farewell
After the dance battle came the ‘piece de resistance ‘the much-anticipated music video of ‘Paalam Na’ followed by 1st One’s live performance of the song.
“Paalam Na,” which translates to “Goodbye,” is a poignant track that explores themes of parting, emotional resilience and moving on. The song’s emotive lyrics and compelling upbeat melody are brought to life through captivating visuals and intricate choreography, highlighting the band’s artistic versatility.
1st One Joker explains some insights into the MV, “The music video not only captures the essence of the song but also showcases words and music that resonate with audiences. I know magugustuhan nila. One thing different about our MVs is, we don’t spoon-feed our audience with a very specific narrative. We don’t dictate to them the narrative. We don’t force feed our own interpretation of the song on them. Kung baga, we give our audience the freedom to interpret the images as they see them on the MV. What we did is we gave them a series of beautiful images, striking visuals, and it’s up to the audience to interpret and give meaning to these images and create their own personal narratives.”
1st One Ace added, “We also leave it up to them na magbigay ng sarili nilang ending. Masaya ba? Malungkot? Because iba-iba rin ang experiences natin about losing someone or something, coping with loss and how to move on, or not. Very open-ended, ika nga, kung movie siya. Very personal and private kasi pag dumating na ang usapan sa lose and coping and moving on eh.”
As for 1st One Jayson he elaborated on the splendor of the locations, “Makikita niyo naman how hard we worked on this MV. How intricate the videography was? We are also proud of this MV because it gave us an opportunity to showcase how beautiful our country really is. For our next songs we will showcase our country even more. Malay ninyo, diyan kami sa lugar ninyo mag-shoot as susunod naming MVs. Magandang music mula sa isang magandang bansa. A good song deserves a good location, and we are and always will be proud to be Pinoy”
Bridging Communities: Dance Meets P-Pop
The merging elements of the MV provided attendees with a comprehensive experience, highlighting the hard work and dedication of everyone involved—the choreographers who collaborated with 1st One for the dance moves and the song collaboratively written with the members.
1st One Alpha said, “Ang aim talaga namin sa music video launch at watch party na ito is for it to serve as a bridge between the dance community and the P-Pop community. This partnership between choreographers and great music is a testament to the power of collaboration and how different creative communities can come together to amplify their impact.”
The launch of “Paalam Na” is more than just a musical release; it’s a celebration of the synergies between the dance and P-Pop communities, who also came in full force. The PPop icons graced the event, watched, cheered and even joined the dance battles. PPop Girl group DIONE also did an energetic production number.
By bringing these two worlds together, 1st One not only elevated their artistic expression but also set a new benchmark for future collaborations in the industry. MV Launch watch parties can also be extra.
As the echoes of 1st One’s performance reverberates through the hearts of fans, both seasoned and new, it’s clear that this event has ushered in a new era for P-Pop—one that embraces diversity, encourages collaboration, and thrives on innovation. For 1st One, the success of this launch is a promising sign of more groundbreaking projects to come, as P-Pop continues to gain momentum on the global stage. As for 1st One, expect more jaw-dropping dance choreography because 1st One, like most of us, will always go back to their one true love— Dance and Music.
