“Here’s to the Dreamers”: Apple Celebrates Southeast Asian Innovators
Apple has officially launched the third edition of its “Here’s to the Dreamers” campaign, with this year’s theme “Dream Beyond.” The initiative, which goes live today, celebrates the creative and ambitious talent of Southeast Asia, featuring developers, musicians, and artists who are pushing boundaries and inspiring others. The stories of these innovators will be featured across the App Store, Apple Music, and Apple TV+.
The “Here’s to the Dreamers” campaign’s striking visuals and complementary iOS wallpapers were designed by Singapore-based 3D illustration and typography studio, Buro Ufho, and are available for free download. The App Store has also curated a list of recommended apps for aspiring creators to begin their “Dream Beyond” journey.
“Southeast Asia is rich with creative talent waiting to be discovered,” a representative from Apple stated. The campaign aims to shine a light on the stories of “pure grit and passion” behind popular media, which serve as “lighthouse stories” for future generations of creators in the region.
“Here’s to the Dreamers” Featured Creators
Joy Ngiaw (Malaysia)
A composer who made history as the youngest to write the logo music for Skydance Animation and won an award for her score in the Apple Original short film Blush. Ngiaw is a passionate advocate for greater diversity in the film and TV scoring world, and her advice for aspiring creators is to “own your voice and embrace your identity.”
Kuok Meng Ru (Singapore)
The co-founder of BandLab, a platform that democratizes music creation by turning mobile phones into musical instruments. The all-in-one platform has helped launch the global careers of musicians like d4vd, and Kuok’s advice is to “be authentic” and “pick something that aligns with who you are.”
Nguyễn Khánh Duy (Vietnam)
An associate art director at Riot Games who relentlessly pursued his passion for art after a failed architecture application. His work creating skins for League of Legends heroes has been seen by millions of players worldwide, and he advises aspiring creators to “treat every little thing you do… with full respect.”
TangBadVoice (Thailand)
Also known as Tawanwad Wanavit, this distinctive rapper and director of photography uses his music to address real-world issues, creates his own album art, and has served as the director of photography for the hit series Gelboys. His mantra is to “experiment with everything” and see failure as “just another path.”
Hindia (Indonesia)
The solo project of singer/songwriter Baskara Putra, who first gained prominence as the frontman of alternative rock band Feast. Raised as an artist using Logic Pro, his solo work is critically acclaimed for its vulnerability and deep exploration of personal and social issues, and the best advice he ever received was to “wear your references and inspiration on your sleeves.”
The “Here’s to the Dreamers” campaign officially went live on Friday, 8 August, at 10 AM, with content available on the App Store and the dedicated campaign link.
