Singer-actress Maricris Garcia is gearing up for her self-produced first major solo concert on Sept. 28 at Teatrino in Greenhills, San Juan City.
Maricris Garcia
There’s no final title yet but she said the repertoire will certainly showcase her journey so far while tempering the birits.
“Kasi ’di ba parang masyadong usual ’yung birit lang ng birit. So, gusto ko sanang baguhin pero hindi naman super layo. Kasi parang kung kagaya lang din ng dati, what’s new ’di ba? Basta gusto kong mag-try ng bago,” she said.
Maricris will release a new single that day “pero right now naghahanap pa kami ng magandang material or kung anong genre ng kanta ang gusto naming gawin.”
A lot of the prominent local artists whom she had worked with in past years will join her at the concert. They include Regine Velasquez and Nar Cabico.
“Kasi ang magiging istorya po nito, ’yung journey ko simula nu’ng nag-start ako ng contest up to now. So nandu’n lahat. Gagawin ko ’yung mga theme songs na ni-record ko for GMA and siyempre ’yung mga taong nakasama ko na naging part ng journey ko,” she explained.
Recall that Maricris gained prominence by winning the third season of “Pinoy Pop Superstar.” Eventually, she was given the title the “Divine Princess” because her voice is deemed quite similar to Divine Diva Zsa Zsa Padilla’s.
The singer later become a member of pop girl group La Diva along with Jona Viray and Aicelle Santos. They disbanded in 2015.
Maricris hopes the two would watch her concert. But, she understands it won’t happen due to their prior commitments.
Asked to analyze if all of them going solo is good or bad, the singer turned reflective.
“Iba-iba po kasi, parang meron sigurong partly nakabuti at partly hindi rin. Nakabuti siguro kasi this time nagkaroon na kami ng kanya-kanya naming identity, nagagawa na namin ’yung mga kanya-kanya naming style and genre,” she said. “Du’n naman sa hindi nakabuting side, nakaka-miss ’yung tatlo kayo ta’s dito sa Pilipinas meron bang iba pang girl group? Sayang sana nagtuloy pero siguro ganu’n talaga lahat rin naman ng grupo (naghihiwalay).”
The concert also sees her mark her 31st birthday.
Married life
It was in December 2016 that Maricris tied the knot with his non-showbiz boyfriend for five years, TJ Cruz.
She is grateful her husband supports her endeavors.
“Okay naman siya basta siguro hindi mapapabayaan ’yung family tsaka alam niya kasi talaga na gusto ko talaga ’yung kumakanta,” she said.
They are enjoying each other’s company before they start a family soon.
By then, career will be put in the backburner even if it means turning down offers to work abroad.
“Medyo alangan po ako du’n (sa aalis ng ibang bansa) kasi bilang bagong kasal lang siguro mas gusto ko po na dito (sa Pilipinas) na lang para makabuo ng family, ng baby,” she said.
In fact, she revealed receiving recently an invitation to audition to be part of the cast of the UK tour of “Miss Saigon,” where Aicelle was accepted to be the next Gigi Van Tranh.
“Kasi that time parang inisip ko na agad ‘What if matanggap ako tapos ayoko naman din umalis nga so bakit pa ako mag-audition?’ So in-explain ko na lang sa kanila though habang in-explain ko sa kanila parang naiiyak ako kasi sayang eh. Kaso ’yun nga bilang may asawa ka, iba na rin ’yung priorities mo,” she explained.
Maricris is part of the drama-thriller “The Cure.” She recently made waves for doing the “The One That Got Away” theme song “I Know You’re There;” and also by doing on GMA Playlist her version of “Mundo,” a song made popular by OPM band IV of Spades. (With report from Regina Mae Parungao)