Sarah Geronimo’s big moment

On Sept. 30, Sarah Geronimo’s big moment will arrive. On that day, the country’s youngest multi-platinum recording artist will mount her first major solo concert at the Araneta Coliseum, billed as the biggest indoor venue in the country.

Entitled The Other Side, the concert will feature her with special guests Piolo Pascual, Mark Bautista and her latest rumored crush, actor and taekwondo star Japoy Lizardo, with the special participation of Regine Velasquez. Regine has a show of her own on that day, but she will rush to the Araneta Coliseum immediately after her concert just so she can support Sarah on the most important night of her career.

Thrilled by the idea of making her solo concert debut before 17,000 people, Sarah finds it impossible to contain her excitement. Like Regine, she too knows how important the Araneta Coliseum concert is to her career. If she pulls this off, it will go a long way in boosting her stock as today’s most awarded young performer.

Sarah is only 17 – having turned a year older last July 25 – but already, she boasts of a total of five hit albums, including the Star For A Night album (Gold), her quintuple platinum debut album Sarah Geronimo: Popstar, Sing Along With Sarah (Platinum), the Can This Be Love soundtrack (Gold) and her most recent release, Sweet Sixteen, containing her remake of the power ballad, I Wanna Know What Love Is, which is currently dominating the airwaves and radio station playlists.

She has also received a slew of awards and recognition, including the Nickelodeon Kid’s Choice Award in May 2004; Most Promising Female Performer in the 2004 Aliw Awards; Best Performance by a Female Recording Artist in the Awit Awards (September 2004), Most Promising Female Singer at the 9th Tinig Awards of the National Press Club and 2004 KASAMA (Kabataang Sama-Samang Naglilingkod) awardee for being an "Outstanding Female Youth Role Model in the Field of Singing and Dancing." The last award, in particular, means a lot to her, since it signifies that she is a role model for her own generation.

Despite this – and the people who believe she’s ready for a big concert like this – Sarah admits to having occasional attacks of nervousness. Such, she believes, are normal for any performer, especially one preparing to conquer the stage of the Araneta Coliseum for the first time.

"Nakakatakot po, dahil iniisip ko minsan na baka sobrang konti ng manood sa akin," says Sarah. "Beginner pa lang naman po kasi ako. Di ako kagaya ni Ms. Reg (her pet name for Regine) na talagang hasa na sa pag-perform sa malaking venue gaya ng Araneta."

On the contrary, tickets to the show are moving faster than Sarah or her handlers anticipated. Apparently, a lot of people are getting ready to storm the Araneta to support her.

Sarah, meanwhile, can only promise to do her best, since she feels she owes it to her fans to give them a show that’s worth their time and money. To ensure that, she has even scaled back on her commitments – the only show she regularly appears on these days is ASAP Mania, which is only once a week – and other gigs in order to devote all of her time to the concert.

The Other Side will be directed by GM Sampedro. Tickets are available at SM Ticketnet outlets and the Araneta Coliseum box-office and are priced at P1,500 (patron A and B), P1,000 (lower box), P500 (Upper Box A), P250 (Upper Box B) and P150 (General Admission).