Sa Ibang Mundo, Nadine and Kean’s 2015 PhilPop Finals Night Performance Review

• Should Nadine Lustre be the Next Darna? Why or why not?

I prefer a singer who sings passionately but not technically perfect over a singer who is perfection technically but lacks the heart needed most in a song. This pretty much sums up what I thought of Nadine Lustre’s performance of Sa Ibang Mundo(SIM) with Kean Cipriano.

Let’s get to the facts first. Nadine is not just a singer… she’s a performer. As a dancer, she can definitely break down on the dance floor. On the other hand, as a singer, she’s not the type who belts out high notes (i.e. Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, etc) as evident in her songs. She’s not known as biritera. Yet, she still has that kind of voice that is pleasing to listen… smooth and not too strong. Sometimes we need music that is kindly toned down and doesn’t have to sound too high for us to sing along to. That’s what we are used to with Nadine… but not until Sa Ibang Mundo.

I was kind of surprised that Nadine would be in this type of song. I know that she’s boyish but I never really imagined she’d get to sing non-pop. I guess, I was not the only one. Everybody was like shocked that she actually has that range in her voice… something that is very well suited to rock music. What’s even amazing are the compliments and positive reviews the song had received. The official lyric video released for SIM became a hit. It has been the most viewed video among the 12 finalists for PhilPop 2015. There was also a high expectation for the official music video. Eventually, even if the quality of the music video was way below par, it is still the most viewed, again, among the music videos of the 12 entries. I just can’t get over that the music video SUCKS so much… the only good things in it is, of course, the song and surprisingly Nadine’s undeniable beauty, sexiness, gorgeousness, hotness, you name it… DAMN those two hair flips.

The song itself is just so GREAT. The lyrics, the music….. the feels… it’s very relatable and easy to love. I guess the right term would be the LSS vibe it gives to its listeners that’s why many are so hooked with SIM. And of course, the icing on the cake is Nadine and Kean’s interpretation of the song.

We were aware that the 12 songs will be performed LIVE during the finals night… so personally, I was quite worried but excited for SIM and Nadine’s performance particularly. Worried because like what I already mentioned above, this is quite a FEAT for Nadine… to hit the high notes. Imagine if she would mess up… this will create such a buzz in the media. But as a supporter, I do not mind that consequence… I am more on Nadine proving her bashers and critics that well, Watch me sing it LIVE. I don’t need to lip sync. I can certainly hit the high notes. As we play that performance over and over again, I couldn’t help but feel proud. She definitely made a STATEMENT. If you’re the emotional type, you probably cried. And yes, we have something that we can use as IN YOUR FACE to all of those haters. Nasaan ang auto-tune or lip sync? Baka naman yung idolo niyo ang ganun.

Their performance left me speechless and out of breath. I needed some minutes to sink it all in. You can feel the passion… I got carried away. Nadine’s vocals is not technically perfect… there were flaws but she can work on those… but overall, at least she didn’t pumiyok especially when she hit the high notes, and this is such a testament that this lady is f****** AWESOME. I also noticed the concept of the stage. The fire and ice in the background is much better than the very literal Sa Ibang Mundo effect in the music video. I am also amazed at how there is such chemistry with Nadine and Kean even if he can already be Nadine’s older brother (he’s six years older). And Nadine’s outfit… is darn short but I thought she carried it well. Lastly, she looked f****** AMAZING.  

They ended up winning the People’s Choice Award (which is already quite expected and a no-brainer), which they really deserve. BUT the 2^nd Runner-up is, I admit, lower than what it deserves. I mean, I can totally accept that it’s not the grand winner (which is also deserves) but 1^st Runner-up is A LOT more acceptable and suitable for SIM than the 2^nd Runner-up finish. Nevertheless, I am happy that it received two awards even though it could also have won Best Music Video if only it wasn’t messed up so much. I guess, that was meant to be because if that happened, SIM could have swept the awards. #justsayin

Congratulations to Nadine, Kean and to Mark Villar! Great job guys!

*P.S. I read at least three or four comments dissing Anja Aguilar especially since she was also there. With Nadine winning that night, I guess, they just had to make her aware of things. It’s actually uncalled for. They don’t have to do that. We have to leave her alone because dissing her is not right. Maybe we can just hope that Nadine’s triumph in this event would make her realize of her mistake. I hope she can admit it and own up to her action. I will admire her if she will lower her pride and take the initiative. After all, it was her fault. Make the first step and approach Nadine… apologize for what she did. I’m sure Nadine would forgive her but I don’t think things will go back the way it was before. If Anja can’t or will not do that, then it’s not Nadine’s lost. It’s hers.