Kai Del Rio announces first headline show in nearly a decade

 Filipino singer-songwriter Kai Del Rio (formerly known as Kai Honasan) gears up for an electrifying comeback with her first solo headline show in nearly a decade. 

The former The Voice of the Philippines season 2 semi-finalist will perform her dual singles “Ang Nag-iisa” and “Storm Like Me” for the first time live on September 13, 2024 (Friday) at Sari Sari Bar in Makati City. 

Photo by Dee Cruz

The back-to-back songs highlight Del Rio's versatility and range, with "Ang Nag-iisa" (to be released on September 13, 2024) revealing her grittier version with blues and alt-rock influences and "Storm Like Me" (to be released on September 20, 2024) taking listeners back to her stripped-down roots.

Kai shares that both tracks have the same message and heart at the core of it all, but are musically different by intention. 

 “When I considered returning to my solo work, I always envisioned releasing a double single as a way to showcase my duality right off the bat. Nagagalit tayo at nasasaktan tayo. When you experience so much pain, you eventually experience hope. These two songs show the spectrum of rage and sadness and how it manifests differently within the same person.”

The official launch will not only include the performance of the new original songs, which Underdog Music will release on all streaming/digital platforms on September 13 and 20 respectively, but it will also serve as a reintroduction of the indie singer-songwriter, complete with a new moniker, a new record label and management team, and a fresh perspective on the music-making process.

 

“I took my time because I wanted it to be as real, as sincere and as authentic as possible,” the Liwanag act explains. “These will be my first solo songs in a decade and I wanted to take my time with them from crafting the songs to building the team. That included finding the right musicians, the right group to work with, the right time. Everyone who has worked on these two singles are authentic, decent, good people, but above all they are insanely talented.” 

Official poster by Dee Cruz

Kai Del Rio is co-producing the official launch alongside GNN Entertainment Productions and Locked Down Entertainment, with backing from Lightfirst and Underdog Music.

“For this reintroduction, trust and history were very important to me. Both the teams behind Gabi Na Naman and Locked Down have been there at the first few years of my career in the indie scene, after the Voice and my time in a band. They know my story and are equally as invested as I am, and I could not ask for more from partners in this first chapter. In addition to them, this event will also be co-presented by Lightfirst, which is a lovely company that focuses on helping make high quality educational content available to schools all over the Philippines.”

Kai promises that the show will be worth the wait, as she’ll be performing alongside some of her peers and idols in the local music industry, as well as playing with a special setup for the headline show happening next month.  

“It’s very different from the ukulele or keytar girl you might have met before, but I hope you’re ready for the ride,” shares Kai. “It’s going to get real, but it’s going to be a lot of fun.”

Tickets to KAI DEL RIO: “ANG NAG-IISA x STORM LIKE ME” Double Single Launch are now available on bit.ly/kaidrlaunch.