Post by sugarsnspice on Mar 25, 2005 11:39:26 GMT -5
‘Backstage with Queens On Fire’
Diff’rent strokes, diff’rent folks
Manila Bulletin
February 11, 2005
By ANTONETTE R. VALDEZ
Clad in white T-shirt under her designer label Pipay, loose black pants and a pair of Puma sneakers, Pops Fernandez reaches out for her cup of tea as she asks Director Rowell Santiago who stands beside her, "Can I start from the top of the stairs?" Pops was pertaining to the stairs positioned at the center of ULTRA’s stage, the venue of "Queens on Fire," a Valentine concert that she shares topbilling with Regine Velasquez.
We were there during rehearsals for their two-night concert set at the Ultra, and we’ll be the first to tell you that there’s a lot of hard work involved behind the final product that was first staged last night.
Tonight at 8 p.m., both stunning ladies are going back to ULTRA’s stage to fill the place with the heat that will emit from each number they’ve prepared. However, before the clock strikes eight, here’s giving you a little peek at what really took place backstage during Pops and Regine’s rehearsals for "Queens on Fire."
This will only serve as an appetizer for tonight’s main course.
Last Thursday, everybody from the performers, director, and production crew, agreed to meet at 4 p.m. for the rehearsal at Ultra in Pasig City. Pops arrived an hour early.
"I always arrive earlier than the time agreed upon. It gives me time to relax and that way I’m more comfortable when rehearsals begin," says Pops.
Eyes focused on stage as the Hotlegs run through their dance number countless times, Pops suddenly calls one of her assistants and instructs her to record the dance steps of the dancers.
"I have to review the dance steps at home. The in–betweens naman that I tape are for senti reasons na lang," shares Pops.
Every now and then Pops’s attention will be stolen away from the stage by the arrival of friends. Her hands will suddenly wave in the air and she’d call them over to give them a kiss and a hug. Then she sits back on her monoblock chair again, pulls another chair in front of her so she could rest her feet atop it then starts taking pictures of the stage with her cell phone that was obviously designed with a camera.
"Please forgive me, I can’t really talk loud because I have to save my voice for the show," says a very apologetic Pops. Assuring her that it’s ok, she adds, "The real cure for a bad voice is rest and lots of sleep. I hope it comes out in the show," then smiles sweetly.
As she focuses once more on the Hotlegs, Pops reveals that she’s really happy about "Queens on Fire" because it’s the first time that she’s performing with Regine in the Philippines.
"I’ve performed with Regine many times abroad. First in Japan, then we went to Europe. But this is the first time that we’re performing together here in the country. I know this is really going to be a different treat for a lot of Regine’s fans and my followers. You’ve seen a lot of back to back concerts but majority of it show both artists doing solo acts pa din. In our show, it’s really going to be Regine and me together most of the time," tells Pops.
Traces of excitement suddenly appeared on Pops’s face as she waved to someone approaching this direction. It’s fashion designer Rajo Laurel. He’s designing the clothes that Pops and Regine are going to wear in their duets. They head to the dressing room and Rajo lays three sets of clothes on the table as he discusses with Rowell the time that the latter is giving for the outfit change of Pops and Regine during the show.
"I can do it in 30 seconds on stage. No need to go to the dressing room, that way we can save time," says a very calm Pops while Rajo and Rowell seemed very nervous and worried.
"I love her! She’s so calm. Look at us, we’re all like very tensed and here she is so relaxed na parang wala lang. She’s so relaxed," Rajo says of Pops.
After Rajo left, promising to be back at 9 p.m. with the other concert clothes, Pops used this opportunity to just laze around and relax.
Regine arrives at 5:30 p.m. She looks tired because she had a show at EDSA Shangril–la the night before which lasted until 1 a.m. that day. Obviously lacking in sleep, we were told that Regine had to come from Bulacan where she spent the night over.
Regine enters the dressing room, gives Pops a peck on the cheek and after sharing what just happened to her that evening, they sit down and go through their Beyonce medley.
Afterwards, Regine puts out a flashy pink Christian Dior shoes with heels measuring to four inches.
"Nakakatakot ang stairs. And I have a thing with stairs," Regine whispers to Rowell. She’s talking about the narrow steps of the iron stairs that they’re using for the Beyonce medley.
At 6:35 p.m., after Direk Rowell and the musicians have adjusted and tuned up their instruments, Pops and Regine (still in her Christian Dior shoes) finally set foot on stage for the run through of their first number in the concert. Looking around, we find Fanny Serrano there.
"I’m doing Pops’s make–up, I’m always the one who does it because I know the look that fits her. It has to be glamorous and clean. Kahit pawisan siya , her makeup doesn’t fade if I’m the one who did it. I use my own cosmetic line, Fanny Serrano Cosmetics and all my products are waterproof kaya they doesn’t smudge," explains Fanny.
When asked if he’s also doing Regine’s makeup, Fanny blurts, "Mas mahusay pa magmakeup sa akin si Regine. You know what? If she’s not a singer, siya ang tatalbog sa akin sa trabaho ko."
Also present now on one of the bleachers is Star In A Million champ Erik Santos. He’s the only guest that Pops and Regine have for this show.
"I’m really excited and overwhelmed because I get to join two of the best performers that our country has," praises Erik as he looks to Pops and Regine who were then rehearsing their Beyonce medley for a number of times already.
It was apparent to us that these two artists are called queens for a very good reason. Both are so intense about their craft. The excitement just rubbed off on us.
Although this is just a rehearsal, thus leaves a lot wanting as far as impact to the onlooker is concerned, we were surprised with the effect that it had on us. It is just a rehearsal we know, but we were practically awed by what we saw. Regine and Pops’s passion for the stage comes out and it’s evident on the energy that they gave out in this four–hour rehearsal.
Diff’rent strokes, diff’rent folks
Manila Bulletin
February 11, 2005
By ANTONETTE R. VALDEZ
Clad in white T-shirt under her designer label Pipay, loose black pants and a pair of Puma sneakers, Pops Fernandez reaches out for her cup of tea as she asks Director Rowell Santiago who stands beside her, "Can I start from the top of the stairs?" Pops was pertaining to the stairs positioned at the center of ULTRA’s stage, the venue of "Queens on Fire," a Valentine concert that she shares topbilling with Regine Velasquez.
We were there during rehearsals for their two-night concert set at the Ultra, and we’ll be the first to tell you that there’s a lot of hard work involved behind the final product that was first staged last night.
Tonight at 8 p.m., both stunning ladies are going back to ULTRA’s stage to fill the place with the heat that will emit from each number they’ve prepared. However, before the clock strikes eight, here’s giving you a little peek at what really took place backstage during Pops and Regine’s rehearsals for "Queens on Fire."
This will only serve as an appetizer for tonight’s main course.
Last Thursday, everybody from the performers, director, and production crew, agreed to meet at 4 p.m. for the rehearsal at Ultra in Pasig City. Pops arrived an hour early.
"I always arrive earlier than the time agreed upon. It gives me time to relax and that way I’m more comfortable when rehearsals begin," says Pops.
Eyes focused on stage as the Hotlegs run through their dance number countless times, Pops suddenly calls one of her assistants and instructs her to record the dance steps of the dancers.
"I have to review the dance steps at home. The in–betweens naman that I tape are for senti reasons na lang," shares Pops.
Every now and then Pops’s attention will be stolen away from the stage by the arrival of friends. Her hands will suddenly wave in the air and she’d call them over to give them a kiss and a hug. Then she sits back on her monoblock chair again, pulls another chair in front of her so she could rest her feet atop it then starts taking pictures of the stage with her cell phone that was obviously designed with a camera.
"Please forgive me, I can’t really talk loud because I have to save my voice for the show," says a very apologetic Pops. Assuring her that it’s ok, she adds, "The real cure for a bad voice is rest and lots of sleep. I hope it comes out in the show," then smiles sweetly.
As she focuses once more on the Hotlegs, Pops reveals that she’s really happy about "Queens on Fire" because it’s the first time that she’s performing with Regine in the Philippines.
"I’ve performed with Regine many times abroad. First in Japan, then we went to Europe. But this is the first time that we’re performing together here in the country. I know this is really going to be a different treat for a lot of Regine’s fans and my followers. You’ve seen a lot of back to back concerts but majority of it show both artists doing solo acts pa din. In our show, it’s really going to be Regine and me together most of the time," tells Pops.
Traces of excitement suddenly appeared on Pops’s face as she waved to someone approaching this direction. It’s fashion designer Rajo Laurel. He’s designing the clothes that Pops and Regine are going to wear in their duets. They head to the dressing room and Rajo lays three sets of clothes on the table as he discusses with Rowell the time that the latter is giving for the outfit change of Pops and Regine during the show.
"I can do it in 30 seconds on stage. No need to go to the dressing room, that way we can save time," says a very calm Pops while Rajo and Rowell seemed very nervous and worried.
"I love her! She’s so calm. Look at us, we’re all like very tensed and here she is so relaxed na parang wala lang. She’s so relaxed," Rajo says of Pops.
After Rajo left, promising to be back at 9 p.m. with the other concert clothes, Pops used this opportunity to just laze around and relax.
Regine arrives at 5:30 p.m. She looks tired because she had a show at EDSA Shangril–la the night before which lasted until 1 a.m. that day. Obviously lacking in sleep, we were told that Regine had to come from Bulacan where she spent the night over.
Regine enters the dressing room, gives Pops a peck on the cheek and after sharing what just happened to her that evening, they sit down and go through their Beyonce medley.
Afterwards, Regine puts out a flashy pink Christian Dior shoes with heels measuring to four inches.
"Nakakatakot ang stairs. And I have a thing with stairs," Regine whispers to Rowell. She’s talking about the narrow steps of the iron stairs that they’re using for the Beyonce medley.
At 6:35 p.m., after Direk Rowell and the musicians have adjusted and tuned up their instruments, Pops and Regine (still in her Christian Dior shoes) finally set foot on stage for the run through of their first number in the concert. Looking around, we find Fanny Serrano there.
"I’m doing Pops’s make–up, I’m always the one who does it because I know the look that fits her. It has to be glamorous and clean. Kahit pawisan siya , her makeup doesn’t fade if I’m the one who did it. I use my own cosmetic line, Fanny Serrano Cosmetics and all my products are waterproof kaya they doesn’t smudge," explains Fanny.
When asked if he’s also doing Regine’s makeup, Fanny blurts, "Mas mahusay pa magmakeup sa akin si Regine. You know what? If she’s not a singer, siya ang tatalbog sa akin sa trabaho ko."
Also present now on one of the bleachers is Star In A Million champ Erik Santos. He’s the only guest that Pops and Regine have for this show.
"I’m really excited and overwhelmed because I get to join two of the best performers that our country has," praises Erik as he looks to Pops and Regine who were then rehearsing their Beyonce medley for a number of times already.
It was apparent to us that these two artists are called queens for a very good reason. Both are so intense about their craft. The excitement just rubbed off on us.
Although this is just a rehearsal, thus leaves a lot wanting as far as impact to the onlooker is concerned, we were surprised with the effect that it had on us. It is just a rehearsal we know, but we were practically awed by what we saw. Regine and Pops’s passion for the stage comes out and it’s evident on the energy that they gave out in this four–hour rehearsal.