ACTOR and music producer James Reid is preparing for a busy year of collaborations, both in the Philippines and internationally. He recently collaborated with Steffi Lucero and the Skatebomb Girls, a local roller skating club, on a documentary titled Rhythm & Roll.
The project, which is a collaboration between Johnnie Walker and VICE Asia, tells more about the roller skating culture that has been trending recently.
Pepe Diokno directed and VICE Asia produced the documentary, which is now accessible on YouTube. It includes interviews with Reid, the Skatebomb Girls, and other roller skating enthusiasts who utilize the sport to express their creativity, connect with their community, and defy gender standards.
The documentary delves into roller skating’s rising popularity in the Philippines. The video follows the Skatebomb Girls, a group of roller skaters devoted to promoting the sport and breaking down gender stereotypes.
“What really got me into roller skating was the community that’s around it. It’s really fun. It’s so carefree and very expressive,” Reid told Manila Standard Life in an interview.
“There’s no real goal other than to just have fun and express yourselves. And I think that’s what I really got from Steffi and the Skatebomb Girls. It’s just a good time. And I don’t think you need to sell that to anybody.”
In addition to the documentary, Reid has hinted at potential collaborations with musicians from South Korea, Singapore, and other Southeast Asian countries. He stated that he is enthusiastic to explore foreign partnerships and promote his music to a larger audience.
“I’ve never done collaborations like this before, definitely the biggest I’ve had. It’s very exciting,” Reid said but refused to provide more details about the collab.
Reid’s latest single “so fire” will drop its music video with the actor performing while wearing roller skates, together with Lucero and her girl group Skatebomb Girls.