Kapamilya singer Darren Espanto may have been notably absent from a recent episode of ‘It’s Showtime’—as pointed out by Vice Ganda during Charo Santos’ guest appearance to promote ‘Only We Know’ with Dingdong Dantes—but it’s not without reason.
Espanto is currently in the United States with Asia’s Phoenix, Morissette Amon, for the U.S. leg of their international concert series, ‘Showstoppers’.
Running for two consecutive weekends, this leg of the tour marks the fourth country in the ‘Showstoppers’ series, following successful performances in Frankfurt, Madrid, and Paris. This time, the duo is performing in three U.S. cities: Stafford, Texas (June 14), Temecula, California (June 20), and Rohnert Park, California (June 22).
Unlike earlier legs, the U.S. concerts feature a full live band and more extensive stage productions. It’s also the first time that Darren and Morissette traveled on the same flight, allowing for extended bonding time—from takeoff in Manila to touchdown at LAX.
The concert series, part of The Filipino Channel’s (TFC) 30th anniversary celebration, showcases Espanto and Amon’s vocal prowess and musical chemistry. In every country they’ve visited, the duo has tailored their setlists to reflect the local culture—singing translated song snippets in German, Spanish, and French during their European shows.
In Paris, an impromptu request from the audience even led to an unscripted additional number, showing the performers’ dedication to their fans. Darren, for his part, also includes selections from his D10 concert held in June 2024, adding a personal touch to his performances.
Despite his overseas commitments, Espanto remains one of ABS-CBN’s busiest artists—hosting ‘It’s Showtime’ six days a week and performing on ‘ASAP’ every Sunday, along with other Manila and regional events.
