In an industry where last week’s sensation can quickly become this week’s has-been, longevity is not easy.
The question is always there when you enter show business: How long can you last?
And once you have lasted, how do you keep going when there is always someone new waiting to take your place?
Pops Fernandez has been in Philippine show business for 40 years.
Four decades in show business is a long time by any measure. Pops has seen trends come and go, watched new stars arrive and, at certain points, stepped away from the spotlight herself.
So what is the secret?
“I really don’t know. Maybe there’s a formula but I don’t know,” she said.
Pops does have one thing figured out, though. She does not put too much pressure on herself.
“I think the reason I’ve managed to stay this long is I don’t pressure myself. But I’m quite aware of what’s happening and what’s in. I’m aware that there will always be someone new. Those are the realities of the business.”
She has also never been afraid to disappear for a while.
“I just consider myself blessed because sometimes I’d disappear for a while. And when I feel like doing a concert again, I’d resurface and, thank God, tinatanggap pa din ako ng tao.”
She is returning to the stage on Nov. 26 at the Newport Performing Arts Theater for a concert.
The show comes just weeks before her 60th birthday on Dec. 12. It will bring together music, memories and special guests.
But for all the talk about age and four decades in show business, Pops is not treating the concert like a look back at everything she has done.
She is still very much interested in what happens when she gets onstage.
“Every performance is different. You can be singing the same songs, but it’s never the same. The viewers are different, they react differently.”
And for Pops, one thing remains non-negotiable.
“Lip-syncing is a big no-no for me.”
She wants the performance to be live. She wants to hear the audience and feel their reaction. That is part of what keeps performing interesting for her.
She is turning 60, but Pops does not sound like someone particularly bothered by the number.
“Age is really just a number. It's how you feel about yourself. It's how you take care of yourself,” she said.
“And I never felt young the way I feel now.”
And that is what makes this stage of her career interesting. Pops is not trying to convince anyone that she is still the same performer she was decades ago.
She has changed. The industry has changed, too, and so has her audience.
But she still loves being onstage.
“I will keep doing it for as long as I can,” she said.
For her upcoming concert, Homer Flores is handling the musical arrangements, while Calvin Neria oversees the creative direction and stage presentation.
The concert is produced through the collaboration of DSL, EchoJham and Nexus Collaboration.
Tickets and inquiries are available through Gretch at 0932 404 9551.