There is a buzz among the Filipino community as they count the hours until hit songstress Sarah Geronimo hits the stage in Dubai.
On stage when she sings, she captures every emotion. She can be passionate and intense, solemn and melancholic, fun and cute, and pretty much anything you'd like her to be.
Appearing live in Dubai tonight at the Tennis Stadium from 8.30pm and at the Abu Dhabi National Theatre from 8.30pm tomorrow, the 18-year-old star has taken the Philippines by storm, closely followed by the rest of the world.
The Other Side of Sarah comes to us direct from the United States and will move to Japan after a stint in the Middle East.
around the world
And apparently it does exactly what it says on the tin and shows us the other side of Sarah Geronimo – the real her.
Her excellence is affirmed through awards, hit songs, outstanding sales and sell-out concerts.
At a press conference held at Traders Hotel in Deira she talked of her love of music and performing.
"The tour is different no matter where I am. The audiences have been varied and it's always great to meet people from all over the world.
"The reception wherever we have been has been very good. The new addition to this show in the UAE is comedy queen Ai-Ai Delas Alas. We are very excited about the show."
Meet Mark Bautista
Born and raised in Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Occidental, Mark rose to fame with a true rags-to-riches tale. Forced to go out work at a very young age after his father fell ill, Mark joined a band — Voizemale — which performed each night at the local warehouse bar. Mark met Sarah at the auditions for Star for a Night and the rest, as they say, is history.
Not only a singer, he has also appeared in films and television series including Lastikman, Annie B and Sarah the Teen Princess.
Meet Ai-Ai Delas Alas
Supermum, comedy queen, concert diva and blockbuster artist, Ai-Ai has made comedy work in the world of Filipino entertainment. Ai-Ai has supported many famous artists over the years and has now earned a rightful place in a business where survival of the fittest is the inevitable. A doting mother when she's not on stage, she enjoys cooking and spending time with her children including Sarah, whom she treats like her own and is often referred to as the Stepmother. Her comedy songs include Volta, Si Manloloko and Super Papa.
Meet Sarah Geronimo
Known as the teen princess, Sarah is tipped to be the next Sharon Cuneta. Her path to stardom began with her supportive father entering her for talent competitions, community singing programmes and school musicals. She was enrolled at the Centre for Pop Music in the Philippines at the tender age of six. From the age of three she had stints on television in children's shows such as For Kids Only and Pen De Sarapen. In 2002 she won reality television show Star for a Night and is now the host of the Little Big Star weekly musical competition on ABS-CBN.
More music in store
Remember The Pretenders? They're coming to Dubai on February 9 to perform at the Irish Village. Fronted by the charismatic Chrissie Hynde and featuring Martin Chambers, Adam Seymour and Nick Wilkinson, this will be the only Middle East concert on The Pretenders 2007 tour.
The Pretenders' career spans more than three decades, with hits such as Chain Gang, Talk of the Town, Kid, I'll stand by you etc. Tickets for the all-standing show, brought by Mirage Promotions, are priced at Dh165. They're currently available online at www.itptickets.com and www.boxofficeme.com. Offline ticket sales will start on January 20 at various stores across the UAE.
Later in the same month, Roger Waters will perform at Dubai Media City. Hear the creative genius of Pink Floyd play all the Floyd classics and The Dark Side of The Moon on February 21.
Tickets for the show, brought by The Talent Brokers, are priced at Dh265 and Dh595 (VIP seated). They go on sale today at Spinneys outlets, Virgin Megastores and select DMC outlets. Also available online at www.boxofficeme.com.
