Zsa Zsa Padilla promises something different for her next concert

SINGER Zsa Zsa Padilla

VETERAN singer/actress Esperanza “Zsa Zsa” Padilla marks another year in the music industry with a May 16 concert at Resorts World Manila, promising a night where she performs “like never before” by singing hits of the decades in various personas.

“Without giving away too much detail, we’re doing a song with two versions: a classic one and a newer one. We’re merging the old songs with the new in this concert and it’s something I haven’t done before and I have long wanted to do something like this with costumes and everything,” Ms. Padilla told the media during an April 11 press conference in El Calle Food and Music Hall in Resorts World Manila (RWM).

“We have songs that I feel my type of audience would appreciate… I always hear it from my audience, ‘we want to hear songs from our time,’” she added.

The concert, titled Totally Zsa Zsa!, is directed by Floy Quintos with musical direction by Homer Flores.

Concert-goers will see Ms. Padilla as a 1950s Hollywood Star, a swinging It Girl from the ’60s, a disco queen from the ’70s, and an Original Pilipino Music icon from the ’80s and ’90s.

Last May she marked her 35th year in the entertainment industry with a concert called Best Day of My Life in the same venue, RWM’s Newport Performing Arts Theater.

“I think the songs today are also very meaningful, I use a lot of Spotify so I’m very familiar with the new songs — it’s just that there’s already a disconnect [between the audience and me] so when I sing [the newer songs] it feels like it doesn’t fit me,” Ms. Padilla said.

She explained that while British crooner Ed Sheeran has ballads like “Thinking Out Loud” and “Perfect” which can be sung by everyone, she feels that despite enjoying the music of British singer Dua Lipa, her audience wouldn’t appreciate her belting out hits like “IDGAF” or “New Rules” in her concerts.

“That’s where this concept came about, I feel like if I keep singing my songs [the audience] will ask for added flavor. Instead of focusing on Top 40 [songs] which my audience feels don’t suit me, I will tackle songs from the ’50s and ’60s which are also very beautiful,” she said.

Joining her onstage are actor/fledgling singer Stephen Ian Veneracion, her daughter Ana Karylle Tatlonghari-Yuzon, and Pinoy Big Brother alumnus Zeus Collins.

“It’s also like a Mother’s Day concert because it’s in May so Karylle will be singing with me in this concert,” she said.

Totally Zsa Zsa! will be held on May 16, 8 p.m., at the Newport Performing Arts Theater in Resorts World Manila, Pasay City. Ticket prices range from P2,158 to P8,090, and are available at the RWM box office (908-8000 loc. 7700) or via Ticketworld (www.ticketworld.com.ph or 891-9999). — ZBC