GOT7 lead singer wows barking fans
Jay B thought he knew his Filipino fans until they started barking at him. The GOT7 leader and solo artist raised his eyebrows in surprise, smiled, and then said, “This is the first time I’ve heard this kind of cheer. I think I should write this in my diary.”
It was a statement that resulted in more barking. He asked the crowd again if this was a cheer they had made for him during his first concert in Manila almost three years ago. After a resounding scream of “No!” he inquired, “What happened to you guys?”
The crowd laughed. He listened to a cacophony of responses before arriving at a conclusion: “It’s because I came back so hot. This is the reaction I get after exercising and going on a diet.”
Manila was the second Asian stop of “Tape: Re Load,” an event promoted by Wish Us Luck Entertainment. Jay B kept saying the darndest things in Manila, such as, “We are not GOT7. We are HOT7.”
He first stepped onto the stage in a blue denim jacket over a white shirt and black distressed jeans. His dark eyeliner added intensity to his gaze as he ran it over the crowd at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay on March 3. It was a striking contrast to his earlier, more relaxed appearance during soundcheck, where he had gone barefaced and worn the “Seven or Never” tee—a shirt designed by a local Ahgase (GOT7’s fandom name) for GOT7.
Velvety vocals
Gripping the microphone stand, he let his smooth, velvety vocals flow effortlessly as he opened the show with “Present,” immediately drawing the audience into a world where his voice wrapped around them like a warm embrace. In the last minute of the song, another gift was revealed: Jay B’s words flashed on the LED screen behind him in both Korean and Filipino.
“Walang ibang dahilan/ Sadyang nagpapasalamat lang ako/ Gustong ialay itong kanta na ‘to/ na puno ng sinseridad para sa iyo.”
He continued his storytelling through “Fountain of Youth,” bouncing across the stage as he reassured his fans that they would never grow up or grow old. One thing about Jay B—he can dance effortlessly on stage, following the choreography while singing, yet his voice remained steady, never wavering or cracking.
This energy carried through into “B.T.W,” “Fame,” “Livin’,” and “The Way We Are,” as he encouraged the crowd to sing along with him.
His showmanship extended to his interaction with fans. In one of his “ments” (talking segments), the crowd chanted “pogi,” and instead of just saying “Thank you,” he answered, “I know, right?” For nearly three hours, he maintained a rhythm of flirtation, singing, relentless teasing, and wit.
The R&B serenading continued with “If You,” “Chosen,” “Make Me Right,” and “Take It Easy.” Ahgases were quick to notice that he had changed a word in the lyrics of “Make Me Right” from “You’ll be on my side/And I love you every night” to “F*ck you every night.”
Loyal fandom
His trust in his fandom was such that he knew they would not misread his intentions and would instead just enjoy the switch-up. Such was his trust that he also opened up about his worries.
“I thought this tour would be too much for me. I’m very curious about how I would have been if I hadn’t come here. I’m going to think a lot about how I’m going to perform in the future,” he said. “If you’re having a happy time while we perform on stage, I think that would be the most rewarding thing for me.”
At the press conference the previous day, he had said that his favorite track from his first studio album, “Archive 1: [Road Runner],” was the song “Crash” because he had a lot of fun making it. During the concert, “Crash” featured more body rolls and sexy choreography.
He wore a wrap crop top when he came out for “In To You,” exposing his smooth abs and back. At one point, the ties kept getting loose, so he turned around and fixed them onstage—knowing it would drive the audience wild.
He complained that the shirt was too big for him because he had lost weight, adding that he was going to retire the shirt in Manila. When he left the stage after performing “Sunrise,” he waited backstage for the audience to chant “Encore!” But when he heard no chanting, he mentioned that he would put something on the screen to prompt them.
“I almost didn’t come up!” he teased.
He returned wearing a denim jacket for “Go Up,” but this time, he wasn’t wearing a shirt underneath. During the “Crash” remix, he belted out the highest falsetto notes while dancers poured water onto his face. The man created his own “Waterbomb” moment. And to use up the remaining energy of his fans, he chose to perform “Page” and “Go Higher” before finally and perfectly ending the night with GOT7’s “Before The Full Moon Rises.”
If Jay B had forgotten what Manila was like, last Sunday served as a reminder. Manila hyped him up the entire night. The city called him handsome and hot. And Manila was the city that barked at him to hype him up.
