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>Genuine collaboration in ‘Queens On Fire’ >By JOJO P. PANALIGAN > > >Contrary to expectations, last week’s "Queens On Fire" >concert at the Ultra headlined by Asia’s Songbird >Regine Velasquez and Concert Queen Pops Fernandez was >a genuine collaborative effort that cast neither star >in bad light. In truth, the two-night Valentine >concert actually put to rest the seeming rivalry >between them with a repertoire that not only made them >work together but also bring out the best in each >other. > > >First, the expected: Fast tunes remained Pops’ forte >as she sang and danced to the Beyonce ("Naughty Girl," >"Lose My Breath" and "Crazy In Love") and Christina >Aguilera/Britney Spears ("Dirrty" and "My >Prerogative") medleys. Though Filipino’s don’t usually >regard upbeat songs as measure of singers’ >capabilities, doing so actually demands a different >kind of discipline that Pops has mastered and has, in >fact, earned for her the title she has held for years. >Already in her ’40s, the Concert Queen still do those >buttwriggles well, much thanks to her fit and shapely >physique emphasized in costumes that almost always >showed off cleavage and legs. > >As it was not entirely her show, and to stay true to >the concept of symbiotic showcase, the Concert Queen >likewise dipped her toes in slow love songs that >people would normally expect from someone like Regine. >Well-applauded were Pops remake of "You Take My Breath >Away" and a medley of tunes done originally by >Filipino male singers (Wency Cornejo’s "Hanggang," >Richard Reynoso’s "Di Ko Kaya" and South Border’s >"Ikaw Nga") which she (not quite accurately during the >second night) intro-ed as ones that delve on >heartaches. > >Big bad ballads that required belting were Regine’s >bailiwick meanwhile. Though she only did a smattering >here vis-ŕ-vis her solo concerts, the ones she chose >in "Queens On Fire" were marked canvasses of vocal >range. Wisely skipping sung-to-death numbers as >"Minsan Lang Kitang Iibigin" and "Say That you Love >Me," the Songbird settled instead for Fantasia >Barrino’s "I Believe," the Metropop >winnerturned-jingleturned-radio hit "Shine" and South >Border’s "Wherever You Are" (rearranged to include a >rhythm section). > >To complement Pops, Regine paid tribute to new >Filipino female vocalists by doing MYMP’s "A Little >Bit," Session Road’s "Suntok Sa Buwan" and Kitchie >Nadal’s "Wag Na Wag Mong Sasabihin" that stood >testament to artistic vitality and versatility. The >latter, particularly, came as mild surprise >considering its rock orientation but one that, to her >credit, Regine gave justice to. "Wag Na Wag" was the >big sing-along favorite in the show what with "Lovers >In Paris" (where it was used as theme song) phenomenon >still fresh in people’s minds. > >We also saw Regine doing more dancing in "Queens On >Fire" – a rare side of her that we suspect was >encouraged by the Concert Queen’s participation. >Though Regine can never hold a candle to Pops in this >department, she gamely did her part cornball-style >that endeared her even to the latter’s fans. > >The highlights of "Queens On Fire," though, were still >the production numbers. Who can forget their >tongue-incheek, Vegas-version of "Oops I Did It Again" >that ended with them exposing naked upper bodies a >millisecond before the lights went out? Or the "Sana >Maulit Muli" and "Kahit Isang Saglit" duet each did >separately with guest Erik Santos — only with all >three and both songs meeting in the end? Or the >flamenco-tinged "Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman" >that spelt exotic and sensual? > >Or (for those who stayed on) the encore number that >had Regine and Pops throwing all caution to the wind >while doing ’80s favorites "Gloria," "Girls Just Wanna >Have Fun," "What Have You Done For Me Lately," "I’m So >Excited" and "Telephone?" Indeed, these not only >brought back nostalgia but harkened back to a time >when Pops and Regine were still upstarts. Note that >both debuted on the music scene in the early ‘80s with >just a year and a half between them. > >The genuine onstage rapport (cemented by shows they’ve >done together in the U.S., Italy and Japan) the two >had also contributed to the show’s success. Like >regular girls in a pajama party, they bantered over >and ballyhooed subjects ranging from shopping to sex >lives. Both publicly high profile the audience didn’t >miss a beat and instead felt privy to innuendoes the >two good-naturedly gave of each other. > >In the end, "Queens On Fire" not only bore testament >to the adage "two heads are better than one" but to >friendship not even stardom, rivalry and goading >followers could mar.

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