Eigenmann clan to hold tribute concert for patriarch
“SING Us Your Song Again,” is the very fitting title of the tribute concert the famed showbiz Eigenmann clan is mounting for their patriarch Eddie Mesa. Dubbed the Elvis Presley of the Philippines, the former matinee idol will return to the stage and perform after 28 years along with his beautiful and talented family.
“Sing Us Your Song Again: The Music & Legacy of Eddie Mesa” is slated on September 23 at the Meralco Theater, and will take the audience on a musical journey of the Filipino icon’s four-decade long career.
Born Eduardo de Mesa Eigenmann in real life, the 79-year-old legend who is now a pastor, acted in movies with the late Fernando Poe Jr. He also became one of the most sought after leading men in the ‘50s and ’60s, paired with the likes of Susan Roces, Helen Gamboa Sotto and Rosemarie Gil who eventually became his wife in 1961.
The couple is blessed with three talented and multi-awarded children, namely Michael Edward (Michael de Mesa), the late Raphael Joseph (Mark Gil) and Evangeline Rose ( Cherie Gil). From their brood, they were given 13 grandchildren, among them Andi, Geoff, Gabby, Max, Ryan Eigenmann and Sid Lucero who have also forged showbiz careers of their own.
It was de Mesa’s unicahija Cherrie Gil who came up with the idea for the concert two Christmases ago.
“We sang at a concert in New York, so when he came home a few months ago (de Mesa is now based in the US) we thought of going ahead with a tribute concert, and it really is a dream come true!” said one of the most noted character actresses in Philippine showbiz.
“It’s been over 25 years since my dad did his last concert in the Philippines, and needless to say, he was my age at that time. Almost three decades later, here is my father, definitely in tiptop shape, and raring to go,” Cherie added laughing.
The proud daughter went on to share how she learned so much about her dad as she researched the material for the show.
“That ’ s when I real i z e d, ‘ Wow! Eddie Mesa has gone through the entire spectrum of the industry from being a recording artist, a matinee idol, a film actor, and a stage performer. And because of that I realized it is a gift to be born out of this gene pool. And aside from the fact that my father is the Elvis Presley of the Philippines, there’s a lot of reasons why we should really come together in this part of our lives because it’s something I felt like our beloved brother Mark Gil will be very happy to see us doing up in heaven,” the actress Eddie Mesa said turning emotional.
It will be remembered that Mark Gil died from liver cancer in 2014.
Stepping in regarding the details of the show, brother Michael said since the concept covers their father’s life and career, there will be segments featuring the members of their family.
“We’ve done shows together, we’ve done concerts before, had projects before, but I can say this particular project is something that has been a dream of everyone in our family, and because of Cherie who did everything to make this possible, we can honor the man who really paved the way for the Eigenmanns to be in show business,” Michael enthused.
Through the years, the siblings said their dad never stopped singing. With music as his passion, Mesa actively serves the music ministry of several Christian churches in California.
“Up until this day, he sings for the Lord and he is an evangelist so his voice never changed. I even believe that he sings more beautifully than he used to and regained his original voice. He vocalizes every day and sings his songs for the glory of the Lord, so I think that is where his strength and adrenaline come from,” Cherie related of her beloved father.
Meanwhile, the man of the moment has nothing but praise for his children who moved heaven and earth to mount the tribute concert.
“This concert is a desire that we’ve had for a long, long time. I’ve never been so excited in my life to really come back and perform. I am more excited now than I was introduced to show business!” he laughed. “I am now preparing, listing down songs I want to sing and practicing. I want people to come and see it because this is a family show. The majority of the Eigenmanns will be there and I am very happy that we all be on one stage.”
Aside from him, the starstudded line up of Pilita Corrales, Christopher de Leon, Edgar Mortiz, Tirso Cruz 3rd, Ciarra Sotto, The Hotlegs and the Eigenmann clan of actors will perform classic songs from the 50s all the way to the current hit songs. For the tribute concert, the Eigenmann clan of actors will perform classic songs from the ‘50s all the way to the current hit songs
OR so pop star Taylor Swift declared in her lyrics as she reinvented herself once again via her latest single, “Look What You Made Me Do,” which came out last week.
The wait is finally over for her much anticipated single since releasing her previous album “1989” in 2014. “Look What You Made Me Do” is part of her brand new album “Reputation” (whose black- and- white look was also revealed on social media) coming out on November 10.
Co-written and co-produced by Jack Antonoff, who worked with her in “1989,” the song includes an interpolation of Right Said Fred’s tongue-in-cheek ‘ 90s hit “I’m Too Sexy” and very different from the usual Swift release.
She razzed her single by wiping out her social media accounts and posted snake-related teasers before revealing her new single will be out the next day. Her last music release was her collaboration with Zayn Malik – “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever” for the “Fifty Shades Darker” soundtrack.
Since she gets inspirations from people (especially her controversial love life), Music Geek is wondering who was she referring to in the bad girl song. Was it for Kanye West with her mention of tilted stage? Likewise, she sings about karma.
“The world moves on another day, another drama-drama, but not for me, not for me, all I think about is karma,” she sings.
But at least this time, “Look What You Made Me Do” did not coincide with her frenemy Katy Perry’s latest music video “Swish Swish” (a song about an apparent swipe about their feud), which she released hours earlier than Swift’s.
Music aficionados remember Swift released her entire catalog on Spotify after an issue with the digital platform the day Perry came out with her latest album, “Witness,” literally eclipsing the latter.
Before the release of the album, which is expected to be full of surprises, the next to watch out is the music video as well as the tour dates which will hopefully include Manila again. Speaking of announcements, another hot pop star Demi Lovato revealed the title of her upcoming album, “Tell Me You Love Me,” which will be out globally on September 29. It will also include the current hit single “Sorry Not Sorry.” With a pop soulful flair, the album features collaborations with a number of notable songwriters and producers including Oak, Sean Douglas, John Hill, Stint and DJ Mustard to name a few. In addition, Lovato released the song “Tell Me You Love Me” which the album was named after, as an instant great track. As People Magazine stated, “Demi Lovato is back with vengeance.” Upon release, the single instantly flew into the Top 5 on the iTunes US charts, where it remains, and has garnered over 1 2 0 m i l lion streams globa l l y. The hit is currently at No. 11 on the Global Spotify chart, in the Top 10 for the US, and was most added at Top 40 radio upon impact.
With nine platinum and multiplatinum singles and over six billion global single streams to her name, Lovato’s last album, “Confident,” was released in 2015.
RollingStone described Confident as “the album she was born to make: a brassy, sleek, dynamic pop production that lets her powerful voice soar to new emotional highs.” Her previous album, 2013’s “Demi,” hit No. 1 on iTunes in over 50 countries around the world. Demi Lovato
Demi is one of the most influential names on social media, engaging a combined following of over 145 million.
Besides Taylor Swift and Demi Lovato, the latest New Music Friday Philippines on Spotify list produced good choices of music that are worthy of listening or be part of one’s playlist: “Don’t Say You Love Me” by Fifth Harmony; “Tadhana” by Regine Velasquez; “Written In The Scars” by The Script; “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy” by Rod Stewart featuring Dnce; “Think Before I Talk” by Astrid S; “The Sky Is A Neighborhood” by Foo Fighters; “You Already Know” by Fergie featuring Nicki Minaj; “Wait” by JP Cooper; “Real Thing” by Stars; and “Attention” by Charlie Puth, which was recorded at Spotify Studio NYC.