The making of Morissette
Performing at the Araneta Coliseum can be merely a dream for many local performers. But not for 21-year-old Morissette Amon, the diminutive power belter who recently packed the Big Dome with her successful solo concert, Morissette is Made.
Morissette was born and raised in the bustling city of Cebu, where her big dreams started. She wanted to conquer the world with her voice. She was named after her dad’s music idol, Canadian-American singer-songwriter, Alanis Morissette.
Thus, Johanne Morissette Daug Amon. Her first name, Johanne (pronounced as Yohan), was a derivative female name of Johann, taken after German composer, Johann Sebastian Bach, also a music icon.
Today, Morissette’s name is undoubtedly a byword in Philippine entertainment. She has made a name for herself after only five years in the music scene. She is enviably conquering the music world and living her dream.
In Morissette is Made, the young diva ignited the stage singing Destiny’s Child’s I’m a Survivor on video, but she instantly captivated her full-house crowd with her live rendition of her idol, Jessie J’s Burnin’ Up and the crowd was immediately wild. Another upbeat song came, Christina Aguilera’s Come On Over and it was easy to say the audience was in the palm of Morissette’s hand.
“This is a dream-come-true for me,” Morissette excitedly told the crowd. “This is not just my journey, but also the journey of my band.” Then, she dished out her first powerful ballad, her version of Phil Collins’ Against All Odds.
The stage was dwarfed by the gigantic M in the middle, which changed its colors from blue to gold, to green to red. Morissette belted out her powerful contest pieces — Sweet Child of Mine, Dream On, Livin’ On a Prayer. She attested that she was really a veteran of singing contests. “Contesera,” was how she termed it. Christian Bautista joined Morissette onstage and they rendered a duet of Ed Sheeran’s Perfect. “The first time I saw you, I knew you were going to make it,” Christian told Morissette. “The title of this concert, Morissette is Made, is perfect.” The next medley of OPM tunes paid tribute to local divas who popularized the familiar songs — Lea Salonga’s What a Journey, Kuh Ledesma’s Dito Ba?, Jaya’s Wala Na Ba’ng Pag-ibig?, Zsa Zsa Padilla’s Minsan Pa, Sharon Cuneta’s Sana’y Maghintay ang Walang Hanggan, Lani Misalucha’s Bukas Na Lang Kita Mamahalin and Regine Velasquez’s Pangarap Ko ang Ibigin Ka.
The audience screamed their hearts out in delight when Regine Velasquez joined Morissette onstage, as they rendered the latter’s powerful ballad, Akin Ka Na Lang. “You are incredible,” Regine proudly commended Morissette. “You are the new queen,” which made the young diva burst into tears. They closed their portion with Regine’s
You Are My Song, applauded loudly by singer-songwriter Martin Nievera, who penned the hit ballad as he was seated in the audience that night.
Morissette ended her show with her hit version of Little Mix’s Secret Love Song, made popular on Wish 107.5, the producer of her Big Dome concert.
At the helm of Morissette is Made is Paolo Valenciano, undoubtedly the most indemand concert director lately. This recent Valentine season alone, Paolo directed three concerts, including his dad, Gary Valenciano’s Love in Motion last Feb. 14 and #PaMore with Martin, Ogie Alcasid, Regine and Erik Santos last Feb. 10.
Whoever said Morissette couldn’t fill up the Big Dome, she had no drawing power or it was still too premature for her to do a major solo concert in a big concert venue should better zip their mouths by this time. Morissette’s big time concert salvo is a clear testament that Morissette is Made, indeed.