Instagram | @troyesivan
In a celebration of pride, the Australian singer brought together different collectives from all over Southeast Asia, including the Philippines’ Femme MNL.
Before Troye Sivan became a globally-known, Grammy-nominated artist, he shared bits of his life through vlogs and song covers on YouTube. The video-sharing platform became his safe space, and it was where he decided to come out to the world. A decade later, he has continued to use it as a tool for authentic self-expression; but this time, through the music videos that he released.
For Sivan, his work has served as a means to uphold representation, particularly in the queer space. With projects that consistently highlighted stories and experiences that resonate with members of the community, he has established an active fan base with a foothold set in unity and authenticity—themes that were depicted in his latest album, Something To Give Each Other.
Last month, he released a dance video that accompanied one of the album’s singles, Got Me Started. The video, uploaded to his YouTube channel on October 21, featured different collectives—including queer performers—from Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Their diverse interpretations of the song, exhibited through choreography, displayed each country’s movement style.
“Honestly, we were all shocked when we found out that we were chosen,” gushed Femme MNL as the group shared how unexpected it was for them when they got the invitation to represent the Philippines in the video. “It was unexpected so we were all excited to showcase the talent of queer Filipinos on the international scene.”
Femme MNL is a queer Filipino dance crew that has gained local and international recognition. From headlining World of Dance Philippines to getting a shoutout from Rihanna’s choreographer Parris Goebel, they have made a name for themselves through the infectious energy of their moves. Unsurprisingly, this did not go unnoticed by Sivan and his team. “This is such a dream for us considering that Troye Sivan is a known singer in the industry who represents the gay community in the entertainment media. Getting the chance to dance with his new song is such an amazing experience because it gives us the spotlight to show our craft and artistry,” said Matrix Katindig, one of the group’s members. The rest of the group who appeared on the video were Kenshin Tabion, Denver Dumo, Christian Coligado, Renz Bercasio, Kian Apuad, Arialle Amahit, and Sofronio Alcantara.
Beyond the fun experience they had in the shoot, they recognized that their inclusion was something bigger than themselves. “It is significant for us because we do not just represent our team but the whole gay community itself. We believe that the talent of gay Filipinos are meant to be seen worldwide.”
