KAIA, HORI7ON, 1ST ONE’s ‘Sulong’ Celebrates the Rising P-Pop Scene

MANILA, Philippines — In a powerful demonstration of industry solidarity, three of the country’s prominent P-pop forces have integrated their distinct styles to deliver a definitive anthem for the local music movement. P-pop groups KAIA, HORI7ON, and 1ST ONE have joined forces for “Sulong,” a collaborative single serving as the official theme song for the 2026 ROUND Festival (the ASEAN-Korea Music Festival).

The track—released under the special collaboration unit Project P-Pop: Rising—champions the collective philosophy of “P-pop Rise” (P-pop Pataas), transforming what is traditionally a highly competitive industry into a shared international showcase.

“Sulong”—a Filipino term meaning to move forward or progress—served as the official opening number for the 2026 ROUND Festival when the massive regional event mounted its live concert footprint at the Araneta Coliseum in April:

[2026 ROUND Festival at Araneta] ──► Unleashes "Sulong" Opening Live Collaboration
                                               │
                                               ▼ (The Multi-National Platform)
[Regional Cultural Diplomacy]         ◄── Presented by KBS World & Supported by the NCCA

The music festival is strategically designed to tighten cultural and diplomatic bonds between South Korea and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) through creative exchange. The 2026 Manila iteration saw the Big Dome packed with fans cheering not only for local headliners but for a diverse roster of top-tier talent flown in from across the Asian continent.

The collaboration brings together three distinct musical eras and conceptual frameworks within the local ecosystem, proving that disparate artist paths can align seamlessly on stage:

                          [ PROJECT P-POP: RISING ROSTER ]
                                         │
        ┌────────────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────────┐
        ▼                                ▼                                ▼
  [ 1ST ONE ]                      [ KAIA ]                         [ HORI7ON ]
  • Debuted in **2020**.           • ShowBT’s acclaimed quintet.     • MLD Entertainment unit.
  • Veteran anchors of early       • Blends heavy EDM, hip-hop,     • Debuted globally in South 
    modern P-pop staging tracks.     and R&B vocal layers.            Korea in **2023**.

For the members of the girl group KAIA, trading vocal runs and syncing choreography with their male peers felt less like a rigid corporate assignment and more like a natural gathering of friends. “Even though we come from different groups with different styles, concepts, and individual journeys, everyone shared exactly the same goal of representing Filipino music and showing what P-Pop can achieve when we stand together,” the quintet shared in an official press statement.

The festival statement emphasized that “Sulong” is engineered to act as a cultural force, utilizing pop music to dissolve rigid borders and link global listener communities. This year’s festival showcase featured a wide spectrum of genres, from boyhood pop to deep indie ballads, represented by a massive regional lineup:

Following its live arena debut, the official broadcast production of “Sulong” completed its international television rollout, airing back-to-back episodes on KBS World TV and premiering digitally on the network’s global YouTube platforms. By establishing a template where rival pop agencies and distinct fandoms actively root for each other’s global milestones, the tracking unit positions “Sulong” as more than just an infectious festival track—it serves as a definitive case study in how modern Filipino artistry can leverage collective unity to permanently capture international ears.