Budots pioneer Sherwin Tuna, better known as DJ Love, will return to the stage for Boiler Room’s Hong Kong event on May 3 at the Wan Chai Harbourfront. This comes after he underwent surgery for heart failure last March.
His inclusion marks another significant moment for the genre, as he shares the lineup with an eclectic mix of international artists: Japanese video game composer Soichi Terada, trip-hop artist Poison Girlfriend, Malaysian electronic producer Shehiel, and Thai rapper Thaiboy Digital, a key figure in the Drain Gang collective. The booking signals Boiler Room’s continued interest in spotlighting underground movements, and for Filipino fans, it’s a long-awaited chance to see Tuna perform alongside globally recognized names.
“In God’s will, sa awa ng Diyos, pag kaya ko na, sisiguraduhin mas masaya kesa dati. Budots to the world,” DJ Love posted on Facebook, hinting at both his recovery and his ambitions. If the announcement is any indication, this performance could open new doors for Tuna, whose sound once hyperlocal has steadily gained international curiosity.
In February, DJ Love was hospitalized in Davao City and was diagnosed with heart failure, prompting an urgent fundraiser organized by his manager, Jorge Wieneke. The response was swift, with fans and supporters covering his surgery, medical expenses, and recovery costs. Now, against the odds, he’s preparing to step back behind the decks, a testament to both his resilience and the loyalty of his community. For Tuna, the Boiler Room set isn’t just another gig; it’s a reintroduction.
Tuna is no stranger to the Boiler Room stage. He was part of the second Boiler Room Manila showcase in 2023, where his high-energy stage presence and budots remixes cemented the genre of budots as a force in the global electronic music scene.
