CONCERT REVIEW: The Elusive Chanteuse Show

This is Part 2 of 2.

October 28, 2014 - Mariah Mania In Manila Part Deux!

The Elusive Chanteuse Show - Mall of Asia Arena | Photo taken by me :)

Mariah was perfect. The venue wasn't. Let's just say MOA Arena was a disappointment. Let's just leave it at that and focus on Mariah's greatness as a singer, songwriter and artist.

This was Mariah Carey's second concert in the Philippines. The first one was at The Fort open field--the first concert I've seen in my entire life. To see her again was a blessing. She is a magnificent singer and her songs will live forever.

Similar to her previous Chanteuse shows, she opened the show with Fantasy and the crowd just went loud and wild. And, I mean, LOUD and WILD. We just love her and every minute of Fantasy was nostalgic. SHE. WAS. HAVING. FUN. It's probably because of the crowd. Ha!

Emotions was another crowd favorite. This was the first time she sang this song here in the Philippines. Every bit of it was amazing. Sure, her voice changed a bit but she can certainly hit those high whistle notes just like before. Hearing it live is one of the most amazing concert experiences ever. Her voice is one of a kind. The crowd's reaction was epic. Every time she whistles, they screamed with great appreciation. It was simply amazing. Too bad there aren't a lot of videos with great audio, or it was probably just MOA Arena's bad audio. lol. (Singapore's venue was just THAT good, so, yeah, that says a lot).

Mariah's soulful and sultry voice was put to test with My All, which she sang so beautifully. It may be one of my least favorite songs of hers, but when she sings it live, it becomes a favorite. My All  has always been the test of whether her voice is in shape or not. In this case, as in her previous concerts in China, Singapore, and Malaysia, Mariah sang My All with ease and so much soul and it was perfect. Again, her ad libs were flawless.

One of my personal favorites is Shake It Off. I never thought the song would sound really good live, but it did. The introduction to the song was a great addition to it. Fits perfectly with the song. Plus, the harmonies were spot on. A perfect singer with amazing backup singers, perfect match. It was another shining urban moment. I love, love, love Shake It Off. 

Uh, you're thirsty...The video is HERE. (If you're interested. I have yet to upload it on YT.) The clarity of Mariah's voice in Thirsty was one of the best moments during the show. If only the crowd really went on to sing with her, it would have been magical. Never thought Thirsty had the gospel feel. It was dark, magical and mystical. Well-played, Mimi.

My personal favorite and for me, the highlight of the night was Fly Like A Bird. I've said it before and I will say it again. The Fly Like A Bird performance was worth every peso. It was the performance of the night. The emotions, the vocal acrobatics, the high notes--everything was there. I feel you, Mariah. We feel you. It was simply A+MAZING. Mariah at her finest. BEAUTIFUL. I had to record the performance again. Same song, different venue. Here's my recording of Fly Like A Bird.

This, on the other hand, was uploaded by one William Mercado. Thank you, sir! :)


The crowd's response is everything. They know. They know what's coming. INCREDIBLE! MARIAH TOOK US TO CHURCH! ABSOLUTE SLAY-AGE, EVERYONE. Mariah sure knows how to silence her haters.

Mariah's concert would not be complete without the fan favorites, old or new. She sang Honey,  Heartbreaker (Remix)/#Beautiful, I'm That Chick, Cry, and Supernatural.

Her performance of Supernatural was not as memorable as the Singapore concert. There was no special participation of 'dembabies' here, but it was still good. Again, the bond she has with her children is every mother's dream. We can see how great she is as a mother and how hands-on she can be with her kids. She juggles career and family quite well.

Another crowd favorite is her duet with Trey Lorenz. I'll Be There never gets old. There are more banters in this show than the Singapore show. Great vocals as well. Excuse my cam-cording skills and just enjoy this awesome performance of this classic song.


Another memorable moment is that "Mahal kita, Manila" moment. That was priceless. It was from "Mabuhay" to "Mahal Kita". And, she was very particular with the pronunciation. You did great, Mariah! Epic moment. ♥ Oh, let's not forget that Mariah Carey Philippines 'ringtone' she did, which I failed to get on camera, but the lambs know what I mean. A local fan group being acknowledged by the artist herself is quite an accomplishment for that group. She knows we exist. Thank you, Mariah. Mahal ka namin! (We love you!).

Now, we have the big ones--Hero, We Belong Together and Always Be My Baby.

Hero is a fan favorite the way a fan favorite is defined. It is a song that inspires people. It inspires people to be strong and hopeful. It teaches us to see the good in ourselves and the good in people. It is probably one of those songs that fans would want to see and hear live. I'm glad Mariah included it in her setlist. She sang it oh so beautifully. Goosebumps all over. These trying times made the song more meaningful than ever. Mariah's strength is evident and that's what I admire about her. That beauty queen moment 'tho, it was awesome! Let's all be heroes and make the world a better place.

Here's Hero. Video uploaded by William Mercado.


EXCITEMENT NEVER ENDS!

Indeed.

We finally got to see and hear We Belong Together live. The song of the decade, everybody. This was beautiful. The climax has always been my favorite part. Heeeeh. I mean, that was perfect! Amazing Mariah! This song is not just about belting. It's about technique and when you talk about vocal technique, Mariah has it all. Ha! Plus, this particular song is one of the best songs of all time. Talk about song of the decade. That's undeniable.

Again, here's another video by William Mercado.  

We Belong Togetheeerrrrr!


Finally, the song everyone knows. You just have to end the night with this song. It is kinda mellow, but festive at the same time. "Just relax, just relax", she says. Mariah, we can't relax! Haha. (Forgive the unevenness of the audio. The fault is attributable to me. LMAO.)


Throughout the tour, I was wondering why Always Be My Baby became the encore song and I think the crowd's reaction says a lot. It's the song people would sing-a-long to. Evidently. Most importantly, EVERYONE LOVES IT. EVEN THE NON-FANS. So, yeah, it was a great move. The Butterfly Outro was lovely. Every time she sings that song or that part alone makes me smile. It was simply beautiful. No tears, all smiles. There may be tears, but it's because it was a great night. Epic night. Again, thank you, Mariah. We love you.

Looking forward to the future shows in the Philippines. Or, in Vegas! Haaaa!

Mariah's my Queen Artist. Always.

IN PICTURES: The Elusive Chanteuse Show - Singapore!

A memorable moment like this deserves lots of pictures no matter how bad the shots or angles are. Luckily, I did have some good shots from the Singapore leg of The Elusive Chanteuse Show. First VIP ticket ever. First trip abroad ever. You gotta document every moment of it, right? So, here are some of the pictures taken (by me and my older brother) from my first VIP concert experience ever.

Photos in video.

Best Photos.

Hooooray! Here are some of the photos I took from the Singapore concert last October 2014.

Ohhh, the light. Opening ensemble!

Moving towards the front. 'Always Be My Baby' moment.

The mermaid dress.

The best and my favorite. ♥

The last photo's my favorite and the best one, I believe. I remember that moment clearly. I was walking towards the stage to take the best photo I could and to actaully get a closer glimpse of Mariah. I was initially recording the Always Be My Baby performance on my phone and everyone was calmly waking towards the stage and so was I. Being able to see Mariah that close was a dream come true. Wish it were closer, but there were a lot of people standing right in front of me. Good thing is, I'm tall. Hence, the awesome photo.

Again, thank you for an amazing show, Mariah!

Mariah, you are such a beauty! ♥

CONCERT REVIEW: The Elusive Chanteuse Show

This is Part 1 of 2.

The first concert I’ve been to my entire life was Mariah Carey’s first ever concert in the Philippines. That was in 2003. Mariah Carey Live in Manila. It was during the Charmbracelet World Tour. VIP tickets back then didn’t cost too much. Unfortunately, I  still couldn’t afford to buy one.  Well, at least I got to see her live and experience her greatness. I remember every moment of it still. It remains to be one of the best shows I’ve seen to date. That voice, those songs, the banters, the crowd, the ad libs (WE LIVE FOR THE AD LIBS, MARIAH! You are the QUEEN OF AD LIBS!), the everything—unforgettable. She is that artist I will forever look up to and respect no matter what—not only as an artist, but also as a person. 

Since then, I’ve been wishing for her to come back and have a concert here (again). Or, a concert in Hong Kong or Singapore and I'd fly to see her. Finally, all these happened. The Singapore and Manila legs were going to happen as part of her world tour, which was properly named: The Elusive Chanteuse Show. It was an opportunity I had to grab.

October 2014, evidently, was the Mariah Carey Month her fans (lambs), like me looked forward to. It was the most festive month of the year.

Having watched Mariah Carey live has always been a privilege and an honor. Being able to see her again, not just once, but twice in one week is beyond privilege and honor. It is a blessing that I’ve never imagined could happen. Thankfully, it did.  

The rest, as they say, is history.

October 24, 2014 – Singapore National Stadium

Mariah Carey has always been known for her range. The voice that she has is one of a kind. No one can sing like her. She’s proven it for decades. Mariah continues to prove the naysayers wrong despite a few hiccups blown out of proportion. Mariah Carey will forever be the voice. That’s what she had been showcasing night after night during the whole month of October 2014. 

The first night was a minor hiccup. Her voice was in full form since then (In particular, the 2nd show and most definitely during the 4th, 5th, 6th and so on). See, Mariah gets better over time. So, expect one hell of a come back, haters.

Singapore was the 10th leg of The Elusive Chanteuse Show. While some people expect her to fail in every way, the real fans know that she’ll put up a great show for us. Indeed, she did. As she always does. Mariah was in high spirits. She opened up the show with one of her biggest hits, Fantasy. This is definitely ‘for the nostalgia’! Such a crowd-pleaser. Plus, the beat really got the show going. We had the opportunity to hear Mariah do a sing-a-long of the ODB verses live as well! Sweet, sweet fantasy! It was actually a great way to start the concert. Awesome job, MC!

Of all the songs she sang during the first set, Emotions was definitely the highlight. It was my first time to hear her sing that song live, in person. And, I mean LIVE. It was a dream come true. When people say she can’t sing anymore, slap this video on their face! The high notes are simply incredible! When Mariah feels it, you feel it, 'nuff said! Shake It Off is another favorite from this set. The new intro is perfection! The entire performance did not disappoint either. Here you go, the best Shake It Off there is (This YT video uploaded by LepakTV).

 

Another favorite of mine and, for me, the best performance from the concert is Fly Like A Bird. You can watch the video of that amazing performance here. That song has always been a favorite. In fact, it is my favorite song from The Emancipation of Mimi. That performance alone was worth everything. Seeing Mariah perform Fly Like A Bird is the best thing ever. The crowd's reaction says it all. Goosebumps all over. Jesus surely carries her higher every time she sings it. Words can't express how lucky we were to be able to experience this live performance. It was amazing. Her brilliance as a songwriter and singer is clearly evident here. A+MAZING.

The favorites never end! It's time for the mother of all treats, Lullaby of Birdland. I was lucky enough to be in Singapore and watch Mariah do jazz, covering 'Birdland', made popular by Ella Fitzgerald. Mariah freestyles really well. That's a mark of a great singer. The ad libs and the speak-sings? Gorgeous. A jazz album is a great idea, actually. ;)

Mariah's not only the queen of the charts, she's also the queen of banters and speak-singing when she's in the mood. At this concert, she clearly was in the mood. I wasn't able to film everything, but at least I got a couple in-song and intro-to-song banters. Too bad I wasn't able to record the full Grammy shade. That was epic, by the way. Then again, there's the classic Mariah and Trey banters and speak-singing during I'll Be There. Sure, some fans are tired of this duet but not me. It will always be a duet that I look forward to every now and then. Here you go, Mariah and Trey and my awesome camcording skill lol.

This one's too cute not to be in this post! The hands-on-mommy with dembabies is definitely the highlight during Supernatural. It's an awwwww moment. There's so much love.


The last three songs she sang summed up almost everything the fans want--the inspiring fan favorite, her biggest song ever and the song everyone loves. That's Hero, We Belong Together, and  Always Be My Baby. Let's begin with Hero. It isn't one of my top favorite Mariah songs, but it is definitely one of the songs I'd want to hear live. Hero is different when sung live. It means something and Mariah makes sure we feel every word she sings. I was lucky enough to have seen her sing this song the second time and even got to film this beautiful performance. You inspire us, Mariah.


We Beong Together is the song we all wanted to hear live--for the first time! Too bad, I wasn't able to record the performance in full. Only got 27 seconds of it. Haaaa! Uhm, it's what we call the "memory card is full" moment. lol. Good thing is, there's YouTube. So, here's a video uploaded by LepakTV. The great Mariah Carey singing the song of the decade, We Belong Together. This is definitely a magical moment. ;)


Finally, the encore. Well, I didn't expect this song to be the encore. Always Be My Baby is clearly a fan favorite, but it usually is a prelude to the final songs and the encore, not the encore itself. I think I came to realize why it has become the encore song. Always Be My Baby has that festive feel. Everyone knows the song. The crowd is into it. When the crowd is still into the final song, that says a lot about the show and how great it's been. So, for me, it was a great way to end the The Elusive Chanteuse Show. It's fun. It keeps the energy going until the last note. It was definitely a night to be remembered. Always.

The funny thing is, I got to record the encore performance on my phone and you can clearly hear her amazing voice, but I decided not to upload it yet. It's not worth sharing in the sense that I was busy moving towards the front to get the best photo of Mariah. So, yeah, I got to film people's heads, their shirts, the floor, etc. I am sharing LepakTV's video instead. Here's Always Be My Baby.



Other highlights from the concert include My All, which is one of my least favorite songs, yet one of her best vocal moments during concerts. You can watch a clip here. My All remains to be amazing live. The intro to Thirsty is a vocal showcase. Mariah's soulful voice clearly heard in the stadium was amazing! The Yours moment was priceless. Being able to capture a few seconds of it on camera is awesome. It was nice hearing Touch My Body, Heartbreaker, #Beautiful, I'm That Chick, and Cry live as well.

Mariah's artistry is unparalleled, crossing all genres and generations. She is the greatest singer of all time and one of the best artists in the history of music. Haters gonna hate. They, however, cannot deny amazing talent. You can never bring a good person down. Mariah is a fighter. And, she's quite good at being one. The Elusive Chanteuse Show proved it. Mariah Carey is here to stay.

TO BE CONTINUED.

Part 2 is coming: 'Mariah Mania in Manila Part Deux!'

‘Elusive’ Round-up!

This isn’t a real time blog. If it were, I would have had flooded you with lots of ‘Elusiveness’. Let’s just say this is about a chanteuse—an Elusive Chanteuse.

There are so many things that happened in the past month and even the months before that past month. It’s been great despite a worrisome (hopefully) final semester. A family outing. My first trip abroad. My first-ever-VIP-concert-ticket-ever. A kind of back-to-back evening with Mariah Carey. A happy fangirl heart. And, everything in between.

The semester that was. It was a a rollercoaster ride. A lot of downs more than ups, academic-wise. The ups came mostly because I was excited about a news that was not yet news but I knew that it was going to be news. Heh.

‘Mariah Carey is coming back to Manila’. I had that coming. I just knew it. I knew it. She just can’t skip the Philippines, you know. So, yes, as a fan, I knew. Still, no announcements were made. Singapore had it first. ‘She is coming to Singapore’. Ahhh, the excitement! And, I was excited. The excitement, however, was halted by my dreadful last semester. Decisions had to be made. Darn, mid-terms had yet to come during those exciting times. Do I book now? Buy tickets? Or, do I wait for the final exam schedule? The ‘good student’ in me said, “Wait for the exam sched,” but the fangirl in me silently screamed, “BUY THE TICKET! VIP!!!”. lol. Yes, tell kuya to buy the ticket. Good thing, I have a brother who’s in SG. He bought 2. One for him. One for me. Haaaaa! Excited. Halted. Excited. Halted. Halted. Halted. Book a flight later.

Then came the Manila leg announcement. Ah, the announcement I knew even before it became one. Hahaha. Mark the date. October 28. It was a chance to see her again for the third time. (First was in 2003. Second, the SG leg of the Elusive Chanteuse Show. And, now, in Manila, after 11 years). Happy ‘lamb’! No VIP for me here though. 26K? What!!!! With that 26K, I could go to SG, get VIP tickets and a Gen Ad ticket for the MOA concert, which is exactly what I did. lol. I’m kind of practical in my own little way. Of course I would have wanted a front row seat in the Philippines but it would cost too much and my parents wouldn’t allow it. So, it was time to make these things happen—first trip abroad, visit my kuya and watch Mariah twice.

Time to book that SG flight. Oh, this was the worst part. I just had to be sure that the 24th of October is exam-blocked. You pay thousands for crying out loud. You have to be sure you’ll fly on that day. I needed to be sure, but in this life, you can’t be sure. The universe surely knows how to mess up with life. Still, I was hopeful. I knew that if ever there would be an exam, it would be scheduled in the morning. So, a flight in the afternoon was the best option. Decisions, decisions, decision. Hunted by it. Finally, the decision was made. To cut the long story short, with all the negativities and the Manila traffic, we managed to be at the airport an hour or two early before the flight. Yes, I had a final exam on that day as well. When that exam was over, I felt that excitement once again. “I am going to Singapore. I am going to see Mariah Carey live!” AAAAHHHHH!!!

Let’s just say, EVERYTHING was worth it. Worth the halt, halt, halt. Worth all the emotions and the mental stuffs.

Singapore was a lot of fun. I hate flying though.

Changi. Mariah. MRT. LRT. Bus. Taxi. Gardens by the Bay. Universal. Sentosa. Food. Family. Three days full of joy and love.

There were two exams left though. Excitement for the Manila leg, halted. It was an exam-concert-exam kind of thing. Head is spinning. Then again, I managed. It was quite a ride, those times. Quite a ride.

October, I enjoyed you. I enjoyed you a lot.

Family outing, Singapore Adventures and the Concert Reviews coming right at you in the coming days, weeks, or months. Expect a full review of the concert soon. I just enjoyed it a lot. A LOT. Mariah Carey will forever have the greatest voice ever! ♥