Novocrane On Being Named Jack Daniel’s Onstage “Chosen One” And Performing At AXEAN Festival In Indonesia

From LeBron James in the NBA to Anakin Skywalker in the Star Wars saga, being called the “Chosen One” alludes to those destined for greatness and on the path to possessing something extraordinary.

For years, Jack Daniel’s Philippines has championed the independent music scene in the Philippines through its unwavering commitment to supporting local artists and giving them a platform to take their music even further.

Through its Jack Daniel’s On Stage music program, 35 of the country’s most promising indie acts vied for the title of “Chosen One,” nominated by the program’s partner indie production groups. Ultimately, indie-alternative rock outfit Novocrane was named the “Chosen One.”

Handpicked by AXEAN Festival and its co-founder and official Philippine partner, The Rest Is Noise PH, Novocrane, together with fellow Filipino acts — Filipino city pop band ALYSON, hip-hopHip-HopA cultural movement and music genre that began in the Bronx in the 1970s, built on rapping, DJing, beatmaking, and sampling. Hip-hop has a strong Filipino scene, with artists writingGo to Hip-Hop Glossary collective PLAYERTWO, and rapper Gee Exclsv — performed in front of international music industry delegates, festival programmers, and music fans around the globe.

Jack Daniel’s has always had a strong connection with music, rooted in the brand’s values of craftsmanship, authenticity, and independence. This comes as no surprise, as Jack Daniel himself was not only a whiskey maker but also a music enthusiast who performed with his band, the Silver Coronet.

Jack Daniel’s Philippines is no stranger to this connection, having supported the local music scene for more than two decades. Its efforts have included various grassroots initiatives, live music partnerships, and artist-focused programs, while supporting artists who embody the independent spirit through bar gigs, independent music showcases, and platforms such as Indiefest

Sharing their talents in Bali, Indonesia, for AXEAN Festival last August 29 to 30, 2026, Novocrane was able to share their music, connect with fellow artists and international audiences, and bring the Filipino flag on the global stage.

Before they took the Empire Stage at AXEAN Festival, Billboard Philippines sat down with the band to discuss the journey that led them to this very milestone moment.

“It’s a full-circle moment. When I first played in Manila, solo project pa lang ‘yun. It’s for Jack Daniel’s din, ‘yung first gig sa Manila. Ngayon na full band na talaga (Now that we’re a full band). Para siyang full-circle moment na kami ‘yung chosen (It’s a full-circle moment that we were chosen),” Kai shares.

Launched in 2024, the On Stage program is dedicated to celebrating Filipino independent artists and the communities that support them, championing the diversity and creativity of emerging artists that keep the scene alive and thriving.

Novocrane’s journey through Jack Daniel’s On Stage began with Chapter One: Playlist Live in 2024. From a solo bedroom project by Kai Sevillano, Novocrane became a full-fledged band with Kai on vocals and guitar, joined by Luke April on lead guitar, Zon Lee (Henz) on bass, and Ram Alonzo on drums.

Now, that continued in May 2026 with Jack Daniel’s On Stage: Mixtape, which brought different artists together for a collaborative event.

Speaking on how collaboration is an integral part of making music, especially with the band evolving from a solo bedroom project to a full-fledged band, Luke shares that collaborating with other people makes the entire process much more fun. “Because in the industry it’s so easy to get burnt out, to get pressured with other stuff like life, you know? But when you’re collaborating a lot with other people, it keeps it alive, it keeps the fun, it keeps the energy going.”

Ram adds that fortunately, feelings of stress and burnout haven’t seeped through the band just yet, saying, “I think for us, we’re one year in as a band. I think we’re still in the exciting phase of it. We usually go to the studio maybe twice a month. We have shows at least once a month. There are times na parang it’s maybe three shows in a week, two shows in a week. Malayo pa ‘yung burnout (We’re still a long way from burnout).”

The band shared that scheduling is very important, given how all the members have different projects and creative endeavors outside Novocrane. “Actually, that’s the exciting part about it. What we learn from our individual projects, we get to use it,” Henz reveals.

Their performance at AXEAN Festival marks their first international show. “It’s also our first time meeting other artists from outside the Philippines. It’s nice to talk to them about similarities in terms of music taste, what they do for fun,” Ram reveals.

They remain grateful to everyone who has supported them to play, all the efforts put in by their team, The Rest is Noise PH, and of course, Jack Daniel’s Philippines.

For the band, it feels surreal that we only started a year ago to have an opportunity like this. “But nung first band meeting namin, usapan namin, ano ba ‘yung goals natin? Ano ba ‘yung gusto natin? So, the first thing na nag-align kami is to be able to play sa international festivals,” Kai explains.

(“During our first band meeting, we talked about what our goals are: what do we want? So the first thing when we aligned was to be able to play at international festivals.”)

AXEAN also creates opportunities for artists to connect, learn, and collaborate through initiatives like its songwriting camp. Spaces like these are pivotal in helping independent artists grow.

As part of their AXEAN Festival experience, Novocrane participated in festival and industry activities such as networking sessions, industry engagements, media opportunities, and a songwriting campSongwriting CampA collaborative event where writers, producers, and artists come together for days of intensive creating and collaborating, often producing multiple songs. Songwriting camps help generate hits and build industry connections,Go to Songwriting Camp Glossary, among others.

“Opportunities like this don’t just come out of the blue. Like, not a lot of artists get the chance to meet people with the same wavelength, in a sense. We’re not gonna take this opportunity for granted,” Luke says.

“‘Yung mga songwriting camp, ‘yun din ‘yung nag-build ng bagong generation of artists. Dati, we had Elements [Music Camp]. Tapos, ‘yung scene na nandun, sobrang laki na nila ngayon,” Kai adds.

(Songwriting camps help build a new generation of artists. Before, we had the Elements Music Camp. The scene back then is so big now.)

Having full support from Jack Daniel’s Philippines, Novocrane cited how their support for local bands is always noteworthy. “I mean, we’re grateful because, you know, it’s expensive to go here,” Henz says. “It’s such a big help to fly us here and accommodations and all that,” Luke adds.

Fueling their rehearsals, songwriting sessions, and band meetings — Jack Daniel’s has remained a companion for various reasons. “Parang, the good times, always merong Jack [Daniel’s] (there is always Jack Daniel’s),” Ram shares. 

Introducing themselves to a new audience across Southeast Asia, Novocrane hopes to make a statement that Original Pilipino Music (OPM) isn’t limited to Tagalog — it can be English, Taglish, Bisaya, and everything in between.

Kai shares a message for her past self and for those who aspire to take their dreams to greater heights. “Show up ka lang, kahit wala ka pang band. Nood ka lang ng gigs, support ka lang. Siguro ‘yun din ‘yung masasabi ko sa mga nag-start-up na ‘yun. Show up sa practice. Pag nasa room ka lang, show up ka, mag-practice ka din.”

(“Just show up, even if you don’t have a band yet. Just watch gigs and show your support. That’s probably what I’d tell those who are just starting, too: show up for practice. When you’re in the room, just show up and practice.”)

After taking the stage and performing songs like “Moshpit,” “FOMF,” “Imaginary Party,” and “safe and sound,” Novocrane were surprised by themselves. Kai notes that when they were preparing to set up their instruments and gearing up to perform their set, only a few people were in attendance.

But slowly but surely, the festival crowd in Bali was slowly filling up the space. “Yeah, when the crowd came, it kinda gave us motivation. Not motivation, but like energy to feed off, you know,” Luke explains. Ram even adds that they enjoyed seeing familiar faces such as their friends in the industry, which made it all feel like they were performing at their home court.

Performing for a Southeast Asian audience, Ram reflects on what it was like to play for people who weren’t familiar with the band, saying: “Sobrang nice din na nag-react sila sa songs namin. Yeah, they don’t know us, pero sobrang nag-jam sila sa songs, and that [felt] really good.”

(“It was really nice to see them react to our songs. They didn’t know us, but they still really jammed along to the songs, and that felt really good.”)

Even while scheduled for Sunday and were the second to act on the Empire stage, Ram adds that he felt nervous about it. But that feeling quickly faded as soon as the crowd began to flock to the stage.

“It’s fun that the crowd was super responsive and, like, even if they’re all delegates and you know. So, yeah, satisfying. That’s the word,” Luke adds.

With their AXEAN performance checked off the list, the band is now gearing up to release an EPEPShort for extended play, a collection of songs longer than a single but shorter than a full album, typically containing three to six tracks. Artists use EPs to introduce theirGo to EP Glossary. Actually, tatapusin namin ‘yung EP namin dito sa Bali kasi may time pa kami […] Since nandito na kaming lahat sa Bali, parang ito na ‘yung timing na magkakasama kami,” Henz reveals.

(“Actually, we’re going to finish our EPEPShort for extended play, a collection of songs longer than a single but shorter than a full album, typically containing three to six tracks. Artists use EPs to introduce theirGo to EP Glossary here in Bali since we still have some time. Since we’re all here in Bali, it feels like the perfect time for us to work on it together.”)

But when it comes to performing outside the Philippines, our conversation with Novocrane ended with a tease of an upcoming show in another country — one that has yet to be officially announced.

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Ralph Regis

Lifestyle and Culture Writer

Ralph Regis is a Lifestyle and Culture Writer at Billboard Philippines, where he bridges the worlds of film, television, fashion, art, food, and cultural trends with both the local and international music scene.

He has written extensively about artist collaborations, brand partnerships, and pop culture moments that connect back to music. He also brings stories to life through in-depth interviews with musicians and personalities, drawing on their diverse perspectives, opinions, and reflections on the human condition.

In addition, Ralph also writes about music releases across a wide range of genres, including pop, hip-hop, P-pop, and rock, highlighting both rising and established artists. With a passion for storytelling that goes beyond trends, he explores how music is part of our daily lives in one form or another, connecting culture, experiences, and everything in between.

See more stories by Ralph Regis