CREATEPhilippines brings the first Philippine music delegation to Bangkok Music City 2026

The Philippines is set to take a more aggressive step into the regional music market as the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM), through its banner program CREATEPhilippines, brings six Filipino music acts to Bangkok Music City 2026, happening on January 24–25 at the Charoenkrung Creative District in Bangkok.

Bangkok Music City is one of Southeast Asia’s key urban music showcases, bringing together artists, festival programmers, music labels, music journalists, and music industry professionals for two days of live performances, conferences, and networking. Positioned at the crossroads of culture and commerce, the event has become a vital platform for discovering new regional sounds and fostering cross-border collaborations.

While Filipino artists such as Muri and Tarsius have previously participated in last year’s edition through individual and independent efforts, in 2026, this presence takes a significant step forward as the Philippines arrives at the festival with its first organized national delegation, officially representing the country. Through CREATEPhilippines, CITEM signals a clear intent to engage more deeply with the Thai and international music scene, presenting a more cohesive picture of the Philippine music ecosystem and strengthening its position within the Southeast Asian market.

The six Filipino acts who will be going to Bangkok Music City were selected from more than 800 applicants vying for the opportunity. They are ONE CLICK STRAIGHT, PLAYERTWO, Delinquent Society, August Wahh, Pedicab, and bird. The final lineup was handpicked based on the artists’ respective artistic direction, live performance strength, and potential resonance with regional and international audiences.

READ: Get to know more about the participating artists joining Bangkok Music City

The Philippines is emerging as an increasingly vibrant and strategically significant music market. Local industry data show that the country’s recorded music revenues grew by nearly 18% in 2024, one of the highest growth rates in Southeast Asia, driven overwhelmingly by digital streaming, which now accounts for more than 90% of total music revenues.

This digital-first landscape is further amplified by one of the world’s largest and most globally distributed Filipino diasporas, creating natural cross-border discovery pathways through streaming platforms and social media. At the same time, Filipino artists are increasingly active in export-ready genres aligned with global demand, including pop, hip hop, R&B, electronic, and alternative music, genres that consistently perform well across international playlists and sync ecosystems. Within the broader Southeast Asian context, now one of the fastest-growing music regions globally, the Philippines stands out not only as a high-growth consumer market but also as an emerging source market for talent, songwriting, and regional collaborations, underscoring both strong domestic engagement and the rising relevance of Filipino music on regional and global charts. Its participation at the upcoming Bangkok Music City underscores how Filipino artists contribute meaningfully to the region’s evolving soundscape.

To complement the festival experience and exposure, CREATEPhilippines is also extending an open invitation to creatives and music industry stakeholders to join its Market Sensing Program, reflecting the Philippines’ openness to learning from and building meaningful connections with the Thai music industry. Through this program, participants can experience Bangkok Music City from a market-focused perspective through a curated, on-the-ground immersion designed for creatives, students, cultural workers, industry enablers, and music enthusiasts who wish to gain deeper insight into the Thai music scene and its industry ecosystem.

The Philippine participation in Bangkok Music City 2026 also serves as a strategic lead-in to CREATEPhilippines’ broader efforts to prepare the local music sector for export and sustained international engagement. Central to this is the Manila International Performing Arts Market (MIPAM), scheduled for 11–13 September 2026, which is designed as a global-facing platform that opens the Philippine performing arts and music sector to foreign buyers, bookers, festival programmers, producers, agents, and other international industry stakeholders. With MIPAM, CREATEPhilippines aims to facilitate concrete market access, professional exchange, and long-term partnerships between Filipino artists and the global performing arts ecosystem.

Through this first organized music delegation and its accompanying market program, CITEM and CREATEPhilippines continue to support Filipino artists and creative workers as they navigate regional markets, build connections, and position Philippine music for a sustained presence on the international stage.

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Interested to join the Philippine delegation’s Market Sensing Program in Bangkok Music City 2026? Sign up here.

Bangkok Music City 2026 happens on January 24-25, 2026 at the Charoenkrung Creative District in Bangkok, Thailand. Learn more here.

The Philippine delegation to the Bangkok Music City is organized by CREATE Philippines, the country’s flagship trade promotions program for the Philippine creative industries, done in partnership with Sonik Philippines, with support from the Philippine Trade and Investment Center in Bangkok

CREATEPhilippines is a trade promotions program that supports the institutionalization and growth of the creative industries as a driver of economic growth and major contributor to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), employment generation, and export revenues. It brings together diverse creative fields such as game development, animation, communication design, music, and performing arts to showcase innovative, world-class content ready for licensing and global distribution.

Want to connect with the artists in our participating delegation? Get in touch by filling out the Connect with a Creative form. Want to be part of our creative community and have the chance to be featured on CREATEPhilippines? Sign up and register for our Directory of Creatives here.