Producer Pen de Leon Manahan has thanked fans and concertgoers for the big success of the three shows of OPM artists Bamboo and Arnel Pineda of Journey in the US recently.
"I didn't expect it to be so successful. Tickets were sold out. I can't believe there were foreigners watching the show," said Manahan, during a recent interview online.
Dubbed “First Light,” the three shows were held in three beautiful cities known to love entertainment – Las Vegas (Nevada), Seattle (Washington), and San Jose (California).
Manahan said that she was thrilled to see fans singing along with Bamboo and Arnel during their shows.
"I never had any problems with Bamboo and Arnel. We hope to work again in future projects," she said.
This early, Manahan revealed that she's in talks with other Filipino performers for future shows abroad.
Asked if she would take "First Light" shows to the Philippines, Manahan said: "We will see. But for now, there are still travel restrictions in the Philippines. We are also planning to stage the shows in other countries. Tignan po natin."
She also said that the safety and health protocols of the public were also prioritized during concerts.
“People in the US are still following health protocols. And when the plans for the shows were presented to us, we made sure that the health aspect of the concert was highlighted,” she added. “Before they entered the venue, we sanitized.”
Manahan, also known as Ms. M, believes this is the right time to produce concerts in the US despite the pandemic.
“We have been on lockdown for more than one year and a half, and people are eager to go out now. They are excited to go back to work and watch live shows,” said Ms M, who has been staying in the US for more than 20 years now.
Ms M said: “We have to keep strong and positive during these trying times. We can’t stop doing what we’re passionate about. I’ve always been passionate about bringing great entertainment to everyone while giving opportunities to Filipino artists to showcase their incomparable talents here in the US and growing my business at the same time. It’s the circle of life. We all need to help each other rise, especially during a storm. We all need to keep the faith.”
During the last quarter of 2020, Ms M also gave life to Spotlight Media Magazine to connect the local community, and even the whole world, virtually.
“You can’t go wrong with a multi-media platform (both in print and digital forms). This way, community partners, organizations, and other entrepreneurs may still have a voice using the magazine,” she added.