Meet Jikamarie, the Filipina Singer-Songwriter to Open Coldplay’s Concert in PH

This is definitely not a “lutang” moment. This is real, and it’s happening on January 19 and 20.

While most dream of watching their favorite singers on stage, R&B singer-songwriter Jikamarie is set to experience a major fangirl moment: to be the local act opening for Coldplay’s sold-out two-night concert in the Philippine Arena. Yes, the artist behind lutang, which made waves on TikTok during the pandemic, will now share the spotlight with one of the world’s biggest bands.

The young breakout OPM artist, who has admired Coldplay since childhood, is literally living the dream as she brings her dreamy, love-struck tunes on January 19 and 20 to life. “This is a band I’ve been listening to since I was in elementary. I didn’t have a phone then, so I’d wait for their music videos to play on MYX. I cried so hard to my family because of how excited I am when I found out.”

Let’s Get to Know Jikamarie

As part of their Asia 2024 concert tour, British rock band Coldplay has collaborated with local artists to enhance the opening acts for their Music of the Spheres World Tour, which started in March 2022—and has since sold over 9 million tickets. The most-anticipated Southeast Asia leg, scheduled to commence in January, will feature the talented Filipina R&B singer-songwriter, Jikamarie, along with other accomplished local artists representing their respective countries. This diverse lineup includes Valentina Ploy for Bangkok, RRiley and Jasmine Sokko for Singapore, and Jinan Laetitia for Indonesia.

Having grown up listening to hits The Scientist, Yellow, Fix You, A Sky Full of Stars, and Viva La Vida, Jikamarie openly expresses her genuine fanhood for Coldplay, a band that played a significant role in the soundtrack of her childhood. In an Instagram post, she shared: “it’s such an honor to open for one of the most iconic artists we all listened to growing up.”

Beyond the viral success of lutang, Jikamarie has consistently released music that serves as an inspiration for individuals to instigate positive change in their lives, even through the smallest actions. Collaborating with her brother, who serves as her producer, she has delved into the realms of R&B and dream-pop, producing notable singles such as Hinahanap-Hanap, Lito, Halimaw, and the upcoming song bawi na lang sa next life.

As a true artist at heart, Jikamarie also extends her creative pursuits beyond music, finding joy in painting and drawing. This multifaceted approach to her artistic expression reflects her commitment to making a meaningful impact through various forms of artistry.

As of the moment, Jikamarie is in the process of completing her debut album, which she hopes to release this month. As she shares in her Billboard interview, “This is what I’ve been anticipating since I started my journey in music—to be able to create a body of work that I could share with people, to immortalize a moment in time and commemorate an expression of myself, which I’m sure there’s bound to be people that can identify with it.”

Set as the band’s return after nearly seven years since their A Head Full of Dreams tour in 2017, let us also send some cheer and support to Jikamarie on January 19 and 20 as she opens the two-night show of Coldplay at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan. Let’s go!

_{Cover image credit: Jikamarie}