CEBU, Philippines — During his two-hour concert last January 11, Maki transformed the Grand Ballroom stage of the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel & Casino into his home. A large red door stood at the center of the LED screen, serving as his entry and exit point, while a cozy sofa on the right side emulated the comfort of a living room.
This setup was integral to his concept of creating a “home” for his fans, affectionately called Zushis, inspired by their love for his music.
“So many asked me why we are doing a house concept for this concert,” Maki explained. “It’s because the Zushis told me that whenever they listen to my music, they feel at home. I thought, why not bring our home for them here?”
Indeed, the audience felt right at home that night, thanks to Maki’s magnetic stage presence and genuine interactions with his fans. It was like he was hosting a slumber party at his place after a stressful day in school, and we were all invited.
The singer-songwriter from Quezon City performed a thoughtfully curated setlist featuring songs from his discography.
He opened the show with his second-to-latest single, “Namumula,” and later performed his newest release, “Bughaw,” mid-show. Tracks from his debut 2023 EP, “Tanong”, such as “Sigurado?”, “Siguro…?”, and “Kailan,” were also performed.
Maki treated fans to an array of covers, including a medley of Kitchie Nadal’s “Huwag Na Huwag Mong Sasabihin” and Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer,” as well as renditions of Rey Valera’s “Kahit Maputi Na Ang Buhok Ko” and LANY’s “Out of My League”, the latter of which had screens featuring videos of him performing at the Philippine Arena with LANY during the duo’s 2024 concert.
He brought his friend, fellow Tarsier Records artist Angela Ken to the stage, where they performed their duet “Sikulo” while she performed her latest single, “Kulimlim,” when Maki took a short backstage break.
Meanwhile, Cebu’s own Jericho Streegan, a recently signed labelmate, opened the concert with two Cebuano songs and his latest release, “Shine.”
Maki showcased moments of vulnerability during the concert, performing emotional tracks like “Para sa Buwan” and “Bakit?”, to name a few. An intermission video added depth to the evening when he shared insights about his family, friends, insecurities, and the vital role music plays in his life.
“No matter how tired I am, my heart is still connected with my music. My friends and family are always in my heart,” he said in Tagalog.
Maki saved his biggest hits for last. He performed “Dilaw” as the show’s penultimate song which had the audience singing along to its infectious lyrics. In a special moment, he sang the chorus in Cebuano after previously teasing it on his TikTok days leading up to the concert.
He closed the show with “Saan?”, inviting fans to join him in singing Cebu-specific lyrics he crafted for the event. Instead of mentioning BGC, the chorus went, “Sa QC, sa UP, sa kalsada ng Cebu City.”
Despite vowing not to cry during his Cebu show as he did at his sold-out New Frontier Theater concert last November, Maki couldn’t hold back his tears by the end. He told the crowd earlier that evening, “I cried in my last concert because I never thought I would ever hold a concert like this.”
After previously performing at the Fusion x Cebu Music Festival and a mall show in Ayala Central Bloc last year, Maki delivered a solo concert that was worth every peso.
With its homey concept, a stellar tracklist that reflected his personality, and a heartwarming stage presence, Maki proved himself to be an artist who is young at heart and deeply connected to a crowd that can relate to his stories, regardless of age.