Metroscene Mag - For the young, empowered & creative

In the Philippines, there is a tradition that speaks to the power of community: bayanihan . More than an act of helping, it reflects a belief that communities are built through shared labor, collective responsibility, and people choosing to show up for one another. The story of queer liberation in the Philippines has always been one of bayanihan. The visibility we experience today did not emerge overnight. It was built piece by piece, through decades of organizing, resistance, and collective action. Every Pride march, every community center, every safe space, every hard-won right rests on foundations laid by those who came before us. One of those foundations was laid in 1992, when a lesbian contingent known as the Lesbian Collective joined the International Women's Day mobilization. Described by scholars as an important turning point for lesbian activism in the country, it marked the first documented participation of an organized LGBTQIA+ sector in a public demonstration in the Phi...

Summer in the Philippines has never really been about escaping the heat. If anything, we've learned to celebrate it. We dance through it, sweat through it, laugh through it. Filipino summer has always been less about the season itself and more about the people who make it worth enduring. Maybe that's why some of our most iconic pop culture moments happen under the summer sun. Old Filipino movies knew this well: a beach trip, a random dance number, larger-than-life characters, and just enough chaos to make it unforgettable. It may be a lost art, but it's one we still carry with us every summer. As Metroscene's final encore to the season, we dive headfirst into that tradition with two masters of turning the ordinary into the unforgettable. Enter Baus Rufo and Macoy Dubs, the beloved hosts of Dogshow Divas, whose brand of comedy has become a celebration of Filipino wit, queer creativity, and the beautiful absurdity of everyday life. For our Summer 2026 cover story, the duo...

Ariana Grande just announced her eighth studio album, Petal , arriving July 31 via Republic Records .  Executive produced and co-written alongside Ilya Salmanzadeh , the project signals a softer, more organic chapter for Grande. Describing the album as “something that is full of life and growing through the cracks of something cold and hard and challenging,” Ariana is clearly leaning into contrast delicate, but resilient. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ariana Grande (@arianagrande)   Ilya is the hitmaker behind much of Eternal Sunshine , working closely with Max Martin and crafting chart-toppers for the likes of Taylor Swift and Sam Smith .  The announcement lands after a whirlwind few years balancing the world of Wicked (and its sequel) with the Eternal Sunshine era and its 2025 deluxe run. Now, Petal feels like the next evolution. And yes, if you’re already thinking about tour—same. Originally tied to Eternal Sunshine , the up...

Lady Gaga and Doechii drop the “Runway” music video ahead of The Devil Wears Prada 2 , serving avant-garde couture, emerging designers, and Met Gala-worthy fashion moments. With just days before The Devil Wears Prada 2 hits theaters, Lady Gaga and Doechii said, “let’s warm them up real quick,” and dropped a music video that feels less like a promo and more like a full-blown fashion moment. And with a title like that? Yeah… they didn’t come to play. Oh, This Stuff? Directed by Parris Goebel , the video is pure controlled chaos. We’re talking surreal striped rooms, strobe lights, random rain moments, basically a fever dream, but make it fashion. The looks? Insane. Bejeweled bodysuits, exaggerated ballgowns, sculptural silhouettes, and every frame is giving editorial. Honestly, some of these could walk straight into the Met Gala 2026 and still steal the spotlight. Watch The Music Video Below  Join the community of  Young, Empowered, and Creative!  Like, Follow, Subscribe...

  Universe, it’s  summertime!   Marina Summers , the globally celebrated Filipina drag performer known for standout runs on Drag Race Philippines and RuPaul's Drag Race: UK vs. the World , is stepping into the spotlight. The queen has been tapped to host the upcoming Miss Universe Philippines coronation night, as announced on the pageant’s official social media channels. From being the first drag queen to perform on the Miss Universe stage to becoming the first trans woman to host the pageant, Marina breaks another barrier and proves that she is THAT GIRL! View this post on Instagram A post shared by Miss Universe Philippines (@themissuniverseph) A Full-Circle Moment Summers’ return to the Miss Universe Philippines stage feels like a full-circle moment. In 2024, she made waves as the first drag queen to perform at the pageant, delivering a show-stopping opening number to her single AMAFILIPINA . The performance wasn’t just a spectacle, it was a cult...

If you aren’t shaking it to Arizona Brandy’s latest track, what are you even doing? Fresh off the runaway success of “Arizona B,” the drag powerhouse and Drag Race Philippines star Arizona Brandy is back to reclaim the dance floor. This time, she isn’t just bringing the glam she’s bringing the grill. Partnering with the undisputed "Godfather" and founder of Budots, DJ Love (Sherwin Calumpang Tuna), and visionary producer Coby Cheong , Brandy has delivered the high-octane, street-food-inspired anthem we didn’t know we were starving for: “Isaw.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Arizona Brandy (@arizonabrandy) Bring back the fun! In a music landscape that often takes itself too seriously, “Isaw” arrives as a breath of fresh air. It is unapologetically a novelty, fiercely rhythmic, and deeply rooted in the chaotic joy of the Filipino spirit. Arizona Brandy is single-handedly reviving the Camp movement, proving that local music is at its best w...