As one of the most anticipated events in Benilde, UNITE 2024: Chromafest featured various performances from notable artists, performers, and homegrown talents, stirring up fun for the Benildean community on May 17 at the Benilde Sports and Dormitory Complex.
UNITE 2024: Chromafest delivered a dynamic line-up of performers to the stage. Previously known to celebrate the old glory that is the Frosh Solidarity Party, this festive event has become an avenue of connection, empowerment, and happiness.
In an interview with The Benildean, ID122 Multimedia Arts student and UNITE 2024 project head Mary Ann Dela Cruz shared, “Aside from it being bigger than our previous UNITE, this year the purpose I had for UNITE was different.” She continued, “I wanted the festival this year to become an avenue of change, a place of celebration, and a moment where all Benildeans can come as one.”
Blasting colors
Kicking off with a suspenseful Open House Countdown, the festival welcomed students, administrators, and guests with a flurry of exciting booths, including snack stalls from its sponsors, photo booths, and stations filled with stickers, glitters, and glow bands to spice up their outfits.
Opening the program were jaw-dropping drag performances by Kunzumi Xion and Popovy Automata. Xion brought a captivating blend of charisma and nerve, transcending her skills in multimedia to ignite the audience’s senses. While for Automata, she whisked audiences away to her alluring world, commanding attention and turning one’s fantasies into reality.
With ID123 Business Management student Andrei “Dima” Dimaranan and ID122 Architecture student Max “Fonsy” Fontanilla as hosts, they painted the event in dazzling hues with their energy, firing up the Benildean crowd for the program to come. Afterward, the Saint Benilde Romancon Dance Company (SBRDC) took over center stage with their electrifying performance.
A spectrum of performances
As everyone heated up with anticipation, four-piece folk-pop band Magiliw Street serenaded the crowd with their heartfelt tunes. Their soulful melodies such as “Irog” and “Marahuyo” were the perfect performances to take the event to the next level, making the UNITE experience more intimate and memorable.
Following the passionate stage were performances by the dynamic indie-rock band and Benildean-grown Definitely! Not January with a sequence of fresh feelings and good vibes with a rendition of the hit song “She Looks So Perfect” by 5 Seconds of Summer and emotional tunes from their original song “Ikaw Pa Ba?”
Saving the best for last, headliner and local OPM band ALYSON closed the night with funk and city pop-infused originals including “Kiliti” and “Summer Nights.”
End of the rainbow
While the chromatic festival may be over, the magic still stays alive in each and every attendee, guest, performer, and organizer.
“UNITE has a way of livening people and the amount of love that UNITE gets each year is unmeasurable. I hope [the community] can continue to carry this love with them and not forget the sole purpose of UNITE,” Dela Cruz expressed.
Missed the show or want to chromatize your everyday life? Find your favorite artists and songs from the show on Spotify and follow Student Trainers on Facebook and Instagram.
