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Miss Universe Philippines 2024 Chelsea Manalo stars in the music video of Orange & Lemons' song 'La Bulaqueña,' inspired by the painting of National Hero Juan Luna.

On Friday, September 20, Filipino alternative pop outfit Orange & Lemons dropped the music video of “La Bulaqueña,” featuring fellow Bulakenya and Miss Universe Philippines 2024 Chelsea Manalo.

Conceptualized and directed by constant collaborators Everywhere We Shoot, the music video showcases the parallel storylines of O&L and Chelsea and how they were deeply connected together by a turn-of-the-century portraiture called "Una Bulaqueña" ("a woman from Bulacan") in terms of geographic affinity and influence.

The said masterpiece, which was helmed by Juan Luna y Novicio, carries an unassuming naturalness that depicts a Filipina from an elite countryside background, one who is assumed to be from Bulacan.

“The symbolic repetition of the painting deepens the narrative and signifies the theme,” Clem Castro, the group's lead vocalist and guitarist, explains in a statement.

An unexpected collaboration

During her Miss Universe Philippines campaign, Manalo's team used “La Bulaqueña” as the background music for one of her concept photography, which mimics the subject of the Juan Luna painting.

The posts from her team and fans eventually went viral on TikTok and other social media platforms, prompting the band to revive the idea of filming the song's visual narrative, with Chelsea completing the missing piece of the puzzle.

Clem shares, “Working with Chelsea was a breeze. She was a natural behind the lens and a jolly individual. A true beauty queen, both inside and out.”

Aside from Chelsea, Orange & Lemons also collaborated with the National Museum of Fine Arts to turn their vision into a reality. As the first band to film a music video inside the museum, O&L were able to fulfill a dream project: mixing music, culture, arts, architecture, and pageantry in a contemporary setting and theme.

“Our team and label did a couple of inquiries, and the stars aligned,” Clem reveals. “We are grateful that the National Museum of Fine Arts decided to partner with us with this project.”

Watch the music video of "La Bulaqueña" below.

Aside from the release of “La Bulaqueña” MV, Orange & Lemons recently announced their upcoming headline show, aptly titled Now & Then: Orange & Lemons 25th Anniversary Concert, happening on October 18, 2024, 7:00 p.m. at the Metrotent Convention Center in Pasig City.