Apple is celebrating the creativity of five standout Southeast Asian artists, musicians, and innovators through a new initiative titled “Here’s to the Dreamers.” Alongside detailed profiles, Apple has released a free iPhone wallpaper designed to inspire users with vibrant imagery representing the region’s creative spirit.
The lineup includes Malaysian-born film and TV composer Joy Ngiaw, Indonesian singer-songwriter Hindia (Baskara Putra), and Thai rapper TangBadVoice. Each musician has an Apple Music Essentials playlist, giving fans instant access to their work. While Ngiaw’s TV link to her animated series Wondla is currently broken, her music remains available on Apple Music.
Beyond Music: Games and Innovation
Apple’s spotlight extends to the gaming and tech sectors. Riot Games associate art director Nguyen Khanh Duy from Vietnam shares his journey from failing an architecture school entrance exam to creating art for one of the world’s biggest game developers. BandLab CEO and co-founder Kuok Meng Ru also features, representing a music creation platform that has launched artists such as d4vd.
A Subtle Nod to Apple’s Past
The campaign’s “Here’s to the Dreamers” slogan subtly echoes Apple’s iconic 1997 “Here’s to the Crazy Ones” ad, which celebrated groundbreaking artists and thinkers. Unlike past campaigns, this initiative avoids product endorsements—there are no images of the featured creatives holding Apple devices. Instead, the focus remains squarely on their work and achievements.
The Wallpaper That Tells a Story
Apple describes the new wallpaper as capturing “a flourishing and vibrant dreamscape—an abstract realm where imagination nurtures dreams and ignites the growing Southeast Asia creative spirit.” This design joins Apple’s tradition of using wallpapers to mark special occasions, such as the recent opening of Apple Umeda in Japan.
