Here's to the dreamers

For the third consecutive year, Apple is bringing back the "Here's To The Dreamers" campaign, with a new theme of "Dream Beyond", to celebrate creators, developers, artists and creative minds from Southeast Asia, and inspire the next generation to push the boundaries and embark on their own creative journeys.

As part of the campaign, Apple has chosen five creative trailblazers from Southeast Asia. Through music, art, app development and more, these visionaries dared to dream, defied conventions and left their mark far beyond their communities.

TangBadVoice

TangBadVoice, or Tawanwad Wanavit, is one of Thailand's most distinctive and multi-talented rappers who tackles social issues through his songs. He also designs his own album covers using the Procreate app, directs his own series and takes his own photos.

His work is always about experimenting and finding new avenues. Be inspired by his creative journey as he brings real-world issues into focus through his music, which he combines with his unique style and humour.

Following a set of ear-catching early releases, TangBadVoice defiantly declared himself Not A Rapper on his 2021 debut album, trading coarse-voiced soliloquies, experimental hooks and social satire in dizzying succession -- sprinkling Thai rap, pop and R&B with a whimsical touch of politics.

"To me, it's about getting what's in the head out as fast as possible," he says. And rapping isn't where he stops. "I would love to shoot another feature film. A horror film would be fascinating."

Joy Ngiaw

Joy Ngiaw is a Malaysian film and TV composer known for her emotionally rich and inventive scores.

She first gained recognition for the score of the Apple Original movie Blush, Skydance Animation's inaugural short film, which earned her the Best Music Award from Hollywood Music in Media and an Annie nomination. Ngiaw later received a second Annie nomination for her score on sci-fi adventure trilogy WondLa, also on Apple TV+. She made history as the youngest composer to score a major studio logo for Skydance Animation.

Her upcoming score includes Angel Studios feature film Solo Mio, set for release in February 2026. As a pianist and vocalist, Ngiaw brings a distinct and innovative touch to her music, experimenting with tones, textures and vocal techniques such as breaths, mouth percussion, hums and nature-inspired sounds.

She serves as industry relations chair on the executive board of the Composers Diversity Collective, championing underrepresented voices and advancing diversity in the film scoring world.

Nguyen Khánh Duy

Nguyen Khánh Duy's path to becoming an associate art director at Riot Games wasn't a straight line. In fact, it began with failure.

"I failed the entrance exam for architecture school in Vietnam," Nguyen says. "I applied because I thought it would still allow me to practise art to an extent, but what I've always loved drawing are monsters and robots." Eventually, he found his way to a career that he's passionate about -- art design for games with a focus on characters.

He soon became a 3D artist working on champion skins for League Of Legends. Watching a high-stakes LoL World Championship match, he saw that one of the competing pros was using Storm Dragon Lee Sin, a skin Nguyen helped create.

He has come a long way since designing that first rock prop, having transitioned into the role of associate art director at Riot Game's Singapore office. Although he now takes on more of a mentoring role, he is still an artist at heart.

Hindia

Baskara Putra, also known as Hindia, is a singer and songwriter from Indonesia. He releases chart-topping hits that express deep vulnerability.

Hindia began as lead singer of Feast before transitioning to solo music, using Logic Pro to express his inner voice through songs that reflect his personal life and social issues. He believes that inspiration doesn't have to be complicated, just bold enough to share it openly.

With the pop-adjacent Lomba Sihir, alt-rock storyteller Hindia is all about music that makes an impact. That raw emotional force has translated to more than 1 billion streams on the heels of viral hits like Evaluasi, from his solo debut LP Menari Dengan Bayangan, as well as prestigious accolades,including several Anugerah Musik Indonesia awards.

At their core lies Hindia's flair for turning deeply personal experiences into widely resonant stories, evident on records such as his brilliantly poignant second solo LP Lagipula Hidup Akan Berakhir, while constantly pushing the envelope.

Kuok Meng Ru

Kuok Meng Ru transformed his love of classic rock and blues into a music empire. He is the CEO and co-founder of BandLab Technologies, the company behind music-making platform BandLab.

BandLab is a music-making platform that aims to empower indie musicians with its creation tools and community, and has helped kickstart the careers of artists like d4vd. "We were his instrument," says Kuok. "Honestly, I believe he would've succeeded no matter what tools he used. But we were there when he needed to start."

Kuok has always been an avid music lover. Growing up in Singapore, he studiously played piano and violin. Later on, he juggled his maths studies at Cambridge with playing guitar in a band. His commitment to music solidified after acquiring Swee Lee, a Singaporean guitar retailer he once shopped at as a teen.

Frustrated by the lack of accessible instruments, he modernised the business and began asking bigger questions: "What if a musical instrument wasn't something you bought, but something you already had? What if it's on your phone?" What started with a simple question became a music industry game-changer. For Kuok, software alone wasn't the point. Beyond the tools, users can post their beats to feeds, join communities for feedback or start chats with like-minded creators.

Step into their world on the App Store, Apple Music and Apple TV app, and be inspired by the impact they've made across borders, cultures and creative spaces.

Dreamers Wallpaper

In addition to content, the campaign also features visual design themed "Dream Beyond" by Singaporean creative studio Buro Ufho, which captures the spirit of daring to dream with 3D typography and illustrations that have been transformed into campaign visuals and free iOS wallpapers.

The Dreamers wallpaper is where the design captures a flourishing and vibrant dreamscape -- an abstract realm where imagination nurtures dreams and ignites the growing Southeast Asia creative spirit.