MANILA, Philippines - Manila traffic is notorious for testing one’s patience, but last April 5, the influx of people at the Closeup Forever Summer had arguably reached World War Z-esque levels: complete standstills, SUVs parked on narrow streets, with young hipsters in crop and tank tops milling towards Circuit Makati grounds. It was, in many ways, a wordless announcement of the madness that was about to reach its crest.
Claiming to be the first crowdsourced music festival in the country, Closeup Forever Summer featured three international DJs with a solid repertoire between them: Alesso, who’s renowned for his work with Swedish House Mafia’s Sebastian Ingrosso and One Republic’s Ryan Tedder; Deniz Koyu and his seamless mix of pop and EDM (that’s electronic dance music to you); and Helena, whose tough chick persona is a fresh sight in a genre dominated by men.
Helena herself recognizes that it’s no easy feat for women to break into the field of DJ-ing. “This is the question I get the most, ever,†she said before her show. “I would say there’s a lack of female artists now, but especially in the higher levels of the industry. You have a couple of artists like myself and you know, Krewella, but I think it would change in the next few years, with more female artists coming in.â€
Even before her set at Circuit, the British-Australian DJ expressed her excitement in playing for a Filipino audience or the first time, with a set that included her own tracks and some from festival headliner Alesso. Deniz Koyu, who finished up the hours-long festival with some Michael Jackson realness, said that the large crowds gave him no anxiety. “I’m not nervous — I never get nervous!†he said. “I’m more excited to show people a good time.†The madness that ensued at Circuit Makati definitely did not disappoint. — Margarita Buenaventura