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Pops proves she’s still the Concert Queen

Even concert queen Pops Fernandez herself did not believe she could still pull off a full-length solo concert onstage at this time in her career.


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Leah C. Salterio

MANILA — Even concert queen Pops Fernandez herself did not believe she could still pull off a full-length solo concert onstage at this point of her career.“There was a time I thought tapos na ako in doing concerts.,” Fernandez told her full-house crowd at The Theater at Solaire, where she staged the first night of her “Always Loved” concert on Friday night.<div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-2" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/C3InXsmyiuj/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=596&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fnews-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A2%2C%22os%22%3A708401.4000000004%2C%22ls%22%3A609506.9000000004%2C%22le%22%3A609508.9000000004%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="672" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-2" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="https://www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>She still had to convince herself that she could do it after not performing solo onstage for a long while.Her last solo concert was “Divalicious” at the Araneta Coliseum 12 years ago.She previously joined Kuh Ledesma and Jaya in successful US concerts and even Martin Nievera and The Hitmakers (Hajji Alejandro, Marco Sison, Nonoy Zuñiga and Rey Valera) on the local front, but never by her lonesome. She also bankrolled concerts of local artists.Fernandez proved herself and many otherwise when she successfully staged not just one, but two nights of her “Always Loved” concert.<div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-0" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/C3IozrkSDOa/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=596&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fnews-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A609621.5%2C%22ls%22%3A609506.9000000004%2C%22le%22%3A609508.9000000004%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="747" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-0" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="https://www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>“It took me a long time, but I realized I should celebrate my 40-plus years somehow,” Fernandez said. “Not for me, but for the people, for the fans, for my audience. It was my way of thanking them.”<div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/2024/2/5/pops-fernandez-excited-na-makita-ang-unang-apo-1605" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Pops Fernandez, excited na makita ang unang apo</a></div>Pops gave her “Always Loved” concert audience a veritable treat of her “Concert Queen” title when she performed onstage anew. She dished out not just the songs identified with her, but even dance hits of artists then and now – from Paula Abdul and Cyndi Lauper to Taylor Swift.What Fernandez concert will reel off without Concert King Martin Nievera? The latter joined Fernandez in the last stretch of “Always Loved.”<div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/2024/2/5/pops-fernandez-gears-up-for-comeback-concert-1520" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Pops Fernandez gears up for comeback concert</a></div>Nievera performed his signature hits – “On the Right Track,” “Please Don’t Throw My Love Away,” “Pain,” “Be My Lady,” “Say That You Love Me” and “You Are My Song.”They reminisced and relived with the audience how they fell in love and what happened between their life as a couple and un-couple, most of which the audience already knew.While those times were seriously dealt with then, they simply shrugged them off this time around. They even laughed about it.“I had to leave you for you to become the woman that you are today – fierce, survivor, the Concert Queen,” Nievera told Fernandez.The audience was shrieking with excitement. Apparently, the solid Martin and Pops fans still had not lost hope for the erstwhile couple to be together again.Fernandez and Nievera did a duet of hit ballads that somewhat became associated with their relationship – “Lately,” “Break It To Me Gently,” “You Have No Right (To Ask Me How I Feel),” “If Ever You’re In My Arms Again.”They once became the toast of the local entertainment scene, undoubtedly, until their love was no more. Yet, they became the best of friends that allows them to still perform together.“I’m only 28,” Fernandez teased even after admitting she can’t wait to see her first grandchild by eldest son, Robin, who is now a dad. “Lolli-Pops” is how she wants to be eventually called by her apo.Then Fernandez and Nievera did another medley of duets – “Each Day With You,” “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers,” “King and Queen of Hearts.”“She could have been the Taylor Swift of the eighties,” Nievera described Fernandez. “The woman who set the path for many singers of today. The Concert Queen.”Earlier in “Always Loved,” a handful of guest artists shared the stage with Fernandez. Joey Albert, who was in town, was invited to do a duet of her 1984 song, “Points of View,” with Fernandez.When Randy Santiago carried out his dance medley – “Sunglasses at Night,” “Glamorous Life,” “Let’s Go Baby, Let’s Go Crazy, Come On,” “Break Out” and “Everybody Have Fun Tonight” – the audience was up on their feet.Erik Santos was called onstage from the audience and together with Fernandez, did a duet of haunting ballad, “Bakit Ngayon Ka Lang.”Yet from her opening dance medley – Paula Abdul’s “Straight Up,” “Party Time,” to Jennifer Lopez’s “Let’s Get Loud,” and Swing Out Sister’s “Break Out” – Fernandez set the party mood and performed non-stop.She started with dance hits and enjoined the crowd to party with her. Amazingly, at 58, she still has the energy to sing and dance onstage.Some people from the audience came all the way from Paris (France), as well as some parts of the US (San Diego, Minnesota, New York).“They actually flew here to watch me,” Fernandez proudly beamed.“As long as you guys want me here, I’ll do anything for you,” she told her crowd as she segued to the Gloria Estefan hit.She further gave an overload of dance hits – “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,” “What Have You Done for Me Lately,” “How Will I Know,” “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” segued to Madonna’s “Lucky Star“ and “Borderline,” as well as Laura Branigan’s “Gloria.”Zsa Zsa Padilla, Vina Morales, Ilocos Sur Gov. Chavit Singson, who arrived with chemist Pinky Tobiano and hubby Juancho Robles, were all in the audience to watch Fernandez.Young artist Kanishia Santos did the front act singing Ariana Grande’s “Almost Is Never Enough,” Jessie J’s “Price Tag” and Beyonce’s “Single Ladies.”Fernandez came to a point in her life where she opted to semi-retire and started producing concerts of other artists.“But I realized, I could do concerts again,” she earlier admitted. “When I collaborated with other artists in the US, I got to miss performing live onstage. Once you’re back onstage and you get to sing live again, that was really where I want to be.“I got excited again. I decided I still want to work some more. While I still can. While I still have the energy. Why not? “Fernandez gave her audience a treat when she rendered her latest, Taglish single, “Poppin’.”Just like her previous “Divalicious” concert 12 years ago, “Always Loved” was directed by Rowell Santiago, with Homer Flores as musical director.Fernandez dished out very few ballads in her concert that night. She did her signature hits “Dito,” “Little Star” and “Don’t Say Goodbye” – radiant in her Francis Libiran attire.She ended with another dance medley, Toni Basil’s “Street Beat,” Sheena Easton’s “Telephone,” Cher’s “Do You Believe in Love After Love” and Van Halen’s “Jump,” backed up by G-Force dancers.A seemingly tireless Fernandez returned onstage with her encore, “Shake It Off,” and invited the crowd to help her out in rendering Taylor Swift’s popular dance hit.Looking back after more than 40 years, Fernandez still feels blessed and grateful that she’s still around. “Who would have thought that I will still be in the business more than 40 years? I am very grateful to everything that happened in my life and my career.”“I will do solo concerts again because that has been my trademark,” she stressed.No wonder she still firmly holds her enviable title of Concert Queen.

Even concert queen Pops Fernandez herself did not believe she could still pull off a full-length solo concert onstage at this time in her career.

Even concert queen Pops Fernandez herself did not believe she could still pull off a full-length solo concert onstage at this time in her career.