It’s been ten years since childhood friends Neeko and Soliven first started experimenting with making their own music, and three since they officially formed Manila Grey and decided to make a serious go at their career. Since then their journey has resulted in a number of big wins, including streaming numbers well into the tens of millions and a handful of overseas shows. Now, the Vancouver-based duo are about to embark on their biggest tour yet, The Silver Skies Tour, which will take them to 10 cities across Asia and Canada. 

The decade of preparation is evident in their output, which is as polished as any other mainstream R&B or hip-hop and sounds perfectly at home on a playlist alongside other top-tier talent like The Weeknd, Bryson Tiller, 6lack and others. But it’s the way Manila Grey incorporate their Filipino heritage into their music and brand that’s set them apart, and now it’s propelling them onto the global stage.  

Pay close attention and you’ll notice references in their lyrics, imagery in their videos, and even the inclusion of an indigenous Tagalog script Baybayin in some of their graphics. It’s subtle enough that it doesn’t feel like a gimmick, and yet prominent enough to make a statement. For Filipinos around the world, it’s the type of genuine representation they’ve craved — and frankly, deserved — for years, and Manila Grey is here to deliver. 

Manila Grey perform Friday, Nov. 15 at Commonwealth (Calgary), Friday, Nov. 22 at Fortune Sound Club (Vancouver), and Friday, Nov. 29 at Toybox Nightclub (Toronto).