Music as a shared language: Taiwanese artists HengJones, Our Shame to perform in Manila

Taiwanese music is set to reach the Philippines as hip-hop artist HengJones and rising indie pop–folktronica act Our Shame join the upcoming All of the Noise (AOTN) 2026 from 17 to 19 April.

During an online media roundtable on Tuesday, 7 April, HengJones’ overseas manager Hanaku Purapuran and Our Shame duo Estelle Husky and Isan Cheng shared their passion for music and their vision for future collaborations with Filipino artists.

Purapuran told DAILY TRIBUNE on behalf of HengJones that the artist is open to exploring a romantic theme if given the chance to collaborate with someone from the Filipino music industry.

“Some love songs about meeting a Filipino girl in the Philippines, and then the vibes will probably be like R&B or reggae. But we’re still in discussion, not sure yet,” she said.

Our Shame, who shared that they like Filipino artist DJ Love and his Budots, as well as Jason Dhakal, is also leaning toward a similar theme. For Estelle, “a very romantic vibe is fascinating.”

“I’m very excited to collaborate with Filipino artists because I think the vocals, the energy in writing, and the beautiful vocal design layering are what I find very fascinating in Filipino artists’ music,” Estelle said.

In terms of motivation, the duo said it constantly evolves, but one thing remains—their love for self-expression.

“To write music and do sound design. I crave telling stories,” Estelle shared.

“Estelle tends to overshare. I’m more on the other side, but for me, the motivation comes when you share something real, and the fans want to know more about what you’re talking about—they want to hear it. That’s important to me,” Isan added.

The duo, who have performed in five international shows, including three for Asian audiences, believe their music can “travel across occasions and places,” making it a shared language among people.

Compared with K-pop and J-pop, which embrace their own languages alongside high-budget production, they believe Taiwanese music can also evoke emotions through its native language.

Among the group, Estelle’s excitement also comes from her previous visit to Boracay, and she hopes to experience more local activities, including karaoke sessions and trying Filipino favourites such as barbecue, dried mangoes, and summer treats like mango shakes and halo-halo.

Aside from performing, the artists are also excited to take part in discussions during AOTN and are looking forward to learning from the energy of the Filipino audience.

“We would love to take part in cultural discussion sessions to really dive deep into the scene in the Philippines,” Estelle said.