Small but terrible
‘Tiny’ but ‘talented’ singers Morissette and Tanya Manalang set for first major concert
AS THE concert director put it: “They are so tiny, but they have such huge talents.”
It was how Freddie Santos described the two headliners in his upcoming concert, Platinum: World’s
Favorite Hit Songs Live! Morissette and Tanya Manalang may be small, but the two exceptional Filipino artists will be sharing a big stage — that of the Newport Performing Arts Theater — for their first major concert.
The concert will be held on May 6, 8 p.m., at the theater of Resorts World Manila (RWM).
The concert promises a night of chart toppers — from Tagalog ballads to London hits and Hollywood theme songs — with the singers backed by the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Rodel Colmenar. The equally diminutive singer-songwriter Ogie Alcasid will be joining the two as their special guest.
“We are two weeks away from the concert and as we go, I discover more and more [in these two]. I make more adjustments with the repertoire,” Mr. Santos said during a press conference at RWM’s Passion Restaurant on April 19.
Born and raised in Cebu, Morissette first made waves after winning TV5’s Star Factor talent show in 2012. She quickly gained the entertainment industry’s attention, garnering honors from the PMPC Star Awards, the MOR Pinoy Music Awards, the National Consumer Affair Foundation’s Seal of Excellence Awards, and the Wish 107.5 Music Awards.
Online viewers got to know her from her YouTube covers of songs such as “Defying Gravity” from the hit Broadway show Wicked, “Let It Go” from Disney’s immensely popular animated film Frozen, and Heart’s “What About Love.” Her rendition of Little Mix’s “Secret Love Song” already has over 35 million views.
Ms. Manalang, on the other hand, is a West End discovery. She played the role of Kim in Cameron McKintosh’s 2014 revival of Miss Saigon. So impressed with her was he, that Mr. Mackintosh gave her a scholarship to the Arts Educational School in London.
Prior to Miss Saigon, Ms. Manalang honed her talent performing in local
productions such as Godspell, Whistle Down The Wind, Footloose, In The Heights, KAOS, The Sound of Music,
and The King and I. Last year, Ms. Manalang landed the lead female roles in PETA’s Rak of Aegis and 9Works Theatrical’s Tick, Tick... Boom!
“Seeing them perform — my gosh! — I think I should just retire,” Mr. Alcasid quipped during the press conference.
“But what I am trying to say that is the future is just there for you to grab. What you are doing now, enjoy it, your God-given talents,” he told the two headliners.
Ms. Manalang said she always feels more pressure singing in front of a Filipino audience than in a foreign country — especially now as it is her first time to sing pop in a major concert.
“The Filipino audience is much more difficult to please. Filipinos sing and it is part of our culture. They are very particular with a lot of things — which is good, because the challenges make me want to do better,” she said.
The singers gave their assurances that the Platinum concert will be a treat for every musical lover. Mr. Santos said: “Make sure you had dinner before you watch the show because it is very full.” — Camille Anne M. Arcilla
Tickets for Platinum: World’s Favorite Hit Songs Live! are now available at the RWM Box Office and all TicketWorld outlets. Visit www. rwmanila.com or call the Tourist/Visitor Hot line 908-8833 for more details.