May 3, 2017 (Abu Dhabi, Middle East) – Composed of four of the grandest voices in the Philippine music industry, Angeline Quinto, Jona, Klarisse and Morissette, known as “ASAP Birit Queens” continue to prove that they are the ensemble to beat as they brought their musical collaboration to their first performance outside the Philippines to a full-house National Theater of Abu Dhabi on April 7 while a North America tour is in the offing.
Like a prelude to the day that was to come, as early as the day before, thousands of fans trooped to the Khalidiya Mall to pay homage to their musical queens for the very first public press conference staged by premier network The Filipino Channel (TFC). The Queens gamely sang acapella to provide a sneak peek into their powerhouse of a show. On concert day, about 3,000 fans from Abu Dhabi and as far as other emirates travelled to witness the musical brilliance that is “ASAP Birit Queens.”
The admiration was felt even on social media. According to IG user @markrambo03 “I can easily tell that they LOVE what they do and do what they love. Long live the Queens!”
Together, the “ASAP Birit Queens” were dynamite. Exploding vocal powers in their “Emotions” and “Problem” mash-up were Jona and Morissette. Jona impressed as she whistled Mariah Carrey style while Morissette combined singing and rapping in Arianna Grande form.
Meantime, Angeline Quinto and Morisette Almon raised the excitement level to the roof as they performed some of Adele’s most memorable pieces such as “Hello.”
Oohs and aahs met the duet of Angeline and Klarisse as they brought the house down with their rendition of “If You Believe” theme from the movie “Prince of Egypt” and “I Believe I Can Fly” from the movie “Space Jam.”
But what moved the audience to their feet was their medley of male pop rock hits: “Stairway To Heaven” by Led Zepellin; “I Would Do Anything For Love” by Meatloaf; “Help” by Beatles and “What About Love” by Heart.
Another memorable string was their medley of inspirational hits: “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” by Klarisse; “Impossible Dream” by Morissette; “Somewhere” by Jona and “You’ll Never Walk Alone” by Angeline.
Individually, each musical queen held her own with her unique musicality and style. But in spite of their immense popularity and success, “ASAP Birit Queens” in Abu Dhabi included, the Queens’ feet stay glued to the ground. For each of their solo performances, they dedicated their music pieces to important people in their lives who played a huge role in their successes.
Angeline Quinto, from countless auditions, to the “Star Power: Sharon’s Search for the Next Female Pop Superstar” and now as the “Teleserye Theme Queen,” Quinto has truly come a long way. On the night of “ASAP Birit Queens,” Quinto did not disappoint as she performed iconic Original Pilipino Music such as “Anak” which she dedicated to her pseudo mom and lola Mama Bob and that left the audience yearning for their mothers and the homeland.
Jona, dubbed Fearless Diva for a reason, made kabayans feel that her long time in the industry has not gone to waste as she performed iconic musical pieces with the highest of decibels. Most memorable was her winning piece “Through the Rain” which she dedicated to her former fan and now Production Assistant Mau Mauricio who has been with her through the years.
Klarisse, first season of “The Voice’s” 1st runner up, definitely proved herself worthy of the frontlines as she sang in her powerful alto-soprano. Highlight of her performance was OPM single “Tila” by Lani Misalucha which she dedicated to her best friend Majella Di Rocco who has been with her good times and bad.
Morissette, The Next Big Diva, proved that she truly is what people say she is. She brought the house down with “Flashlight” by Australian singer Sia which she dedicated to family friend Gene Concepcion.
Inspiring other Filipinos to also reach out for their dreams, TFC conducted a Birit King and Queen contest to put the spotlight on kabayans who can perform as well as the Birit Queens.
The winners of Birit King and Queen did not fail to deliver. After an intense showdown, Gelo Bernal, and Queen Kitty Barrocan of United Arab Emirates (UAE) emerged winners. Bernal and Barrocan won cash prizes, one year subscription to TFC via OSN, plus the chance to represent UAE to a global singing competition.
From ASAP to the Philippine concert scene and now to the world, the “ASAP Birit Queens” continue not only to impress but also to inspire that Filipino talent can certainly proliferate wherever Pinoys are in the world. The next “ASAP Birit Queens” happens May 26 in Reno, Nevada, May 28 in LA, California and June 3 in San Jose, California sa June 3. For tickets, contact, www.silverlegacyreno.com, www.musiccenter.org, www.sanjosetheaters.org. For more details, visit facebook.com/KapamilyaTFC or connect with fellow global Filipinos and follow KapamilyaTFC on Twitter or IG.
