Freestyle wants to cash in as a brand that offers advertising and merchandising services with digital media expertise.

Formed in 1996, the band's original members went their separate ways in 2012.

Currently the group has new members except for Top Suzara, who recently met media to discuss what he's up to.

From an earlier press announcement: "We know that Freestyle as a brand has a lot more to offer because we're passionate about telling stories that touch on people's feelings and sentiments. We want to take that capacity for storytelling further not just through songs, but also through other products and services.

"We know that, in the digital era, we're competing for eyeballs and seconds of attention, but we still believe that good stories can stand out.

"Of course, we will always go back to the core, to our music. We're excited to have upcoming collaborations with other Filipino artists, and we're thrilled to take the stage again to share these connected, intimate moments with our fans and audiences."

Suzara, who wrote most of band's hits, joined Freestyle upon its formation in Davao (almost at the same time as South Border, whose original members also hailed in the same province).

Cousin Tat Suzara, Freestyle's founder, later married the band's lone female member, Jinky Vidal.

The band's other original members were Carlo Tapia (bass), Gerard Banzon (drums), and Obet Luzon (keyboards).

Among its hit songs were "Before I Let You Go," "This Time," and "So Slow."

Freestyle also famously covered Ogie Alcasid's "Bakit Ngayon Ka Lang" with Pops Fernández.

Top admitted that he may have left fans hanging when he left the band in 2005. The talk was he didn't get along with Jinky, who later on separated from Tats and also left the band.

Top said: "We didn't mean to disappear. I am here to make up for lost time. Please allow us to reconnect with you through the music we will share with you."

He added a collection of Freestyle songs is in the pipeline for release in early 2023, "but definitely, we will come out with one brand-new song before the year ends."

Aside from Top, the band's current members are: IJ Garcia (keyboards/vocals), Ian Tan (bass/vocals), Francis Manalo (guitar/vocals), and Leorod Cailao (drums/vocals).

Follow facebook.com/freestyle.philippines.

Kyla, Brian McKnight Jr. duet

Multi-awarded singer-songwriter Kyla recently collaborated with Brian McKnight Jr. on the single "Cuz of You (COY)" released on Tarsier Records' official YouTube page.
Its music video currently has over 75,000 views.

This is first time Kyla teamed up McKnight, although she has already previously worked with his father.

In a Zoom media conference, she discussed how easily she took the song.

"The first time I heard it, I fell in love with it right away. It's like a theme song for movies. It's enchanting," she said.

Brian Jr., said he was inspired to write the song from a past relationship when he was only 18 years old.

He kept the piece until the time came to bring it out.

"I actually wrote this song around the same time as 'Marry Your Daughter.' It's interesting because I was dating someone at the time when the 18-year-old me thought I was with someone who I can be with for a long time. The lyrics of the song are as true as can be," he said.

The song's music video features actor Brent Manalo of the Kapamilya network series Beach Bros and ex-Pinoy Big Brother housemate Anji Salvacion.

Kyla's hits include "Hanggang Ngayon," "On The Wings of Love," "Beautiful Days," and "Without You."