There were hardly any similarities between the two acts featured in the I Love OPM concert on Sunday, Sept. 22, in San Diego, California.
Kuh Ledesma represented the Filipina diva, emerging in splendor during the golden age of Philippine music when Manila Sound was at its peak. She had the major hits, the classy figure, and the humor that earned her the title of OPM’s Pop Chanteuse. Her voice sounded as charming and sexy as ever, proving she was still in remarkable shape. Watching and listening to her would make you believe that age is just a number. She joked about being 59, one of her punchlines for the night.
The other featured act, 4th Impact, embodied the modern girl group – young, powerful vocalists, dancing with energy, and a product of reality TV. The four biological sisters, formerly known as the Cercado Sisters, emphasized their grounded nature and proudly mentioned their humble beginnings in Santiago, Isabela, exclaiming, “from Santiago to San Diego.”
Yet, both Kuh and 4th Impact fit seamlessly into the show’s concept and complemented each other.
The mostly Filipino crowd at the Mater Dei School Theater in Chula Vista, a city in San Diego County, appreciated what the performers brought to the theme of the night: love for Filipino music – songs written and popularized by Filipino artists, in both Tagalog and English.
The concert lasted three and a half hours, including guest performances such as Felson Palad, whose witty joke about being “popularly known as the husband of Donita Rose” matched his commendable performance.
That runtime is comparable to a Martin Scorsese gangster film, where you’d lose count of tuxedoed victims. But here, no one noticed the time passing as the audience was thoroughly entertained.
Kuh paid tribute to Cecile Azarcon, performing many of the prolific songwriter’s hits. She didn’t sing George Canseco’s “Ako Ay Pilipino,” but delivered a lesser-known patriotic song, also by Azarcon, with equal fervor.
Following 4th Impact’s performance of a foreign classic, Kuh, who received the Awit Awards’ “Dangal ng Musikang Pilipino,” sang her rendition of John Legend’s “All of Me.” She apologized for the difficulty of the song, having had only three hours of sleep the previous night.
She didn’t need to. Her emotional delivery, despite the struggle, matched the intensity the song demands, similar to Heart’s Nancy Wilson recording “These Dreams” with a cold, which resonated with listeners and became a massive hit.
“When a husband and wife work together, God is pleased. God brings success to those who are faithful to each other because of the sacred vow,” Kuh said during one of her lesson-filled spiels, sprinkled with humor.
“I’m not preaching, ha. Nag-she-share lang ako,” she added with a smile.
That’s what you get from a Kuh Ledesma concert – great singing, spiritually charged insights, and punchlines that hard-working, gossip-loving Pinoys enjoy.
As for Almira, Irene, Mylene, and Celina of 4th Impact, whose first audition in The X Factor prompted Simon Cowell to say it was “probably one of the best,” they were forgiven for performing “Bohemian Rhapsody” in a concert titled “I Love OPM” due to the sheer strength of their vocal harmonies. They also performed Freddie Aguilar’s “Anak,” which appeared unrehearsed but was a fitting tribute.
“This is a dream come true for us po,” one of the sisters said.
Whether they were referring to sharing the stage with Kuh Ledesma, performing in San Diego, or securing work visas that allowed them to stay in the U.S. for more shows – or all of the above – was unclear.
For the Filipino-Americans in the audience, delighted to be reminded of their homeland for a few hours without a dull moment, Kuh and 4th Impact had one thing in common: they delivered a damn good show.
