MANILA, Philippines — “We were very happy with the turnout of the Valentine’s (show) here and so, I said, ‘Why not make a birthday concert?’ but it’s a post (event).”
That was Kuh Ledesma speaking about her successful and intimate pre-Valentine show, Hello Love, also headlined by daughter Isabella, and her upcoming birthday presentation, KuhL Getaway Party, on March 18 in a recent virtual chat with The STAR. The Original Pilipino Music (OPM) icon’s birthday is today, the 16th of the month.
The venue for the performance remains the same — at the sprawling Hacienda Isabella, near Tagaytay City, where visitors and concert-goers “commune” with nature and enjoy the cool breeze.
“This is very exciting for me because it is the first time that I am celebrating my birthday on stage. And I want to be able to share with my audience, you know, my real-life experiences through songs,” added she. “I know that there’s a lot of people who can relate to what I’ve experienced and also the joy of, you know, finding the kind of life that I’m experiencing now through faith and my relationship with our Lord.”
Asked about the repertoire of her latest show as compared to Hello Love, which carried a collection of tunes that told the faces and facets of love, Kuh said, “This time, I’m actually doing my hits and some recorded songs from the K album, ang ga-ganda kasi ng areglo nun sa kundiman album ko (it has beautiful arrangements)… It’s very lush.” These are complemented with OPM songs.
Joining Kuh on stage are Isabella and Ray-An Fuentes, an OPM singer-songwriter, who is known for Umagang Kay Ganda tune (performed with Tillie Moreno) and Paano, sung by Gary Valenciano. “Yes, it’s gonna be an OPM night,” said she.
Yes, attendees have the choice to have dinner and watch the show or the option to dine, enjoy the concert and stay overnight. But the party doesn’t end there, there’s a dance, with a DJ, that awaits all.
Speaking of dance and upbeat music, Kuh shared her plan to come up with a dance album, Pinoy-style.
“Para masaya naman, you know, mabilis na songs, upbeat naman (For a fun vibe, we will have fast and upbeat songs). I’ve been recording so many romantic, slow songs and minsan makabagbag damdamin (tunes),” added she.
Considering the trend these days, and if ever she joins it, she will definitely give her signature stamp on it. Kuh might surprise everyone to release a song similar to Flowers of Miley Cyrus. Expect her to work with a popular songwriter.
As for Hacienda Isabella, who also happens to be her home, she would like to see it become a venue for singers and concerts, and a go-to-place for a more conceptualized performance. In fact, the place is a getaway that also allows visitors to make a side trip to Tagaytay. Hello Love had followers and music enthusiasts from Cavite, Laguna, Bulacan and Pampanga.
“Hopefully, instead of just one concert a month, in April and May, we may make two. We will see how it progresses (from there),” said Kuh, who successfully headlined 3 Divas with Pops Fernandez and Jaya in the US.
“It was very well-received. We’re very excited to do a bigger tour in June,” said she, who is also developing a new concept that will feature her and a set of composers next year.
“Basically, I think of concepts,” shared Kuh, who collaborates with other creatives to mount one-of-a-kind shows such as Mga Pinoy Nga Naman, Ako’y Pilipino, Inspired Madness, Diva 2 Diva and Power of 2. “We all conceptualized that in our office... we like to conceptualize… just sitting down and (taking in) new ideas.”
Such creative endeavor is part of an artist’s life.
“I guess like every artist should be, you know, creative and (should) conceptualize. If you’re a true artist, you cannot stop, you know, the gift that God has given you, talagang manganganak at manganganak (it will really give birth to creative works),” said she. “When I hear a very beautiful, new song on the radio, it’s enough for me to go and sing on stage. I get easily inspired (by it) to sing that song.”
Kuh also reiterated what she said in a previous interview that she likes performing live because it enhances her talent and that’s where she started as a singer. She was very glad and grateful, too, for all the songs that were given to her to record.
Those recordings that became hits, along with select OPM songs, will be revisited by the Pop Diva on Saturday as, again, she shares her life experiences.
(For details, call 0960-8850288 or 0920-2868895.)