#CulturePH - “Sulong” brings together KAIA, HORI7ON, and 1ST.ONE in historic P-Pop collaboration

In a game-changing moment for Filipino and Southeast Asian pop music, P-Pop powerhouse KAIA teams up with South Korean-based Filipino boyband HORI7ON and Filipino boy group 1st.One for the release of “Sulong,” the official theme song of the ROUND Festival 2026.

Released under the special collaboration unit Project P-Pop: Rising, the track captures the spirit of unity, resilience, and collective ambition. Embracing the continuing rise of P-Pop beyond national borders, the song embodies a shared vision: to elevate Filipino music while strengthening artistic connections across ASEAN and Korea.

Photo by Round Festival

For KAIA, the experience represented far more than a musical partnership. It’s a collaboration that emphasizes the sense of teamwork and mutual respect that united all artists and creatives involved in the project.

“It was a very exciting and meaningful experience for all of us,” shares the acclaimed pop quintet. “Even though we come from different groups with different styles and journeys, everyone shared the same goal of representing Filipino music and showing what P-Pop can achieve together. The project truly felt like a collective effort, showing that this special performance was not only about the artists, but also about the many people working behind the scenes to bring the vision to life.”

Delivering a strong statement of solidarity, “Sulong” was conceived out of the common goal to transcend borders and connect cultures. The title itself is a Filipino word which means “to move forward” or “to progress,” holding significant for every artist striving to bring local talent to the world stage.

“Collaborations like this help break barriers and show that artists and groups can work together to create something bigger than themselves,” shares KAIA in a press statement. “It also strengthens connections between fans, artists, and countries, which is very important in growing both P-Pop and ASEAN music internationally.”

A live performance of “Sulong” will be aired on KBS World TV on the following dates:

EP.1 — May 21 (Thu) 21:50 KST

EP.2 — May 22 (Fri) 21:50 KST

KBS World YouTube Premiere:

EP.1 & EP.2 — May 22 (Fri) 23:00 KST

For more information about Project P-Pop Rising, visit ROUND Social Media Channels.

KAIA, HORI70N, and 1st.One’s “Sulong” is out now on all digital music platforms worldwide via Sony Music Entertainment.

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