Hwasa, Bini, Rain make for unlikely but fun mix
Hwasa knew that her compatriot and K-pop icon Rain—an industry “senior” she’s “very respectful” of—wouldn’t take the stage until much later in the evening.
But that didn’t mean, she teased the crowd, that they had to keep all their energy to themselves while waiting.
“You can still enjoy this moment, right?” she told the fans who packed the SM Mall of Asia Arena for “His7ory,” the recent seventh anniversary celebration-concert of the wellness brand IAM Worldwide that also featured the P-pop girl group Bini.
They didn’t need reminding. The singer-songwriter drew wild cheers as she performed a set of flirty dance bops and sultry, R&B mid-tempos, including “I Love My Body,” “Na” and “Twit.”
In between songs, Hwasa carried herself in an unhurried manner. But amid the thumping beats, she—together with her dancers—heated up the stage with her choreography; there was the slow hip shaking in “Don’t,” the body undulating floor work in “Maria.”
And by the time the festive moombahton-inspired track “Chili” came on, her once coiffed hair had gotten disheveled from all the dancing.
Hwasa, who rose to fame as part of the girl group Mamamoo, made this trip to Manila as a solo artist. But she knew that, either way, she could always count on Filipino fans to bring their loudest screams.
“Kumusta po? Have you guys been doing well? The last time I visited here for a Mamamoo concert (back in February 2023), I remember crying even before the opening number. I remember you guys gave us lots of good memories,” she said.
“That’s why every time I come to the Philippines, it makes me very excited,” she added.
Mamamoo
Of course, she wouldn’t leave the crowd without an encore of some of Mamamoo’s well-loved hits, like “Hip,” “Egotistic,” “Starry Night” and “Dingga.”
At first glance, Hwasa, Bini, and Rain seemed to be an unlikely lineup for this concert (presented by Wilbros Live). But as it turned out, they made for an interesting mix of genres that catered to a diverse crowd with varying tastes in music.
After Hwasa’s sexy performances, Bini, like a cherry on top of a cake, served a short but delightfully sweet set of joyous pop music.
Aiah, Colet, Maloi, Gwen, Stacey, Mikha, Jhoanna and Sheena emerged onstage to deafening screams, which only grew louder when the opening strains of the group’s latest hit, “Cherry on Top,” blared from the speakers.
Despite their hectic schedule, the girls were their usual cheery and indefatigable selves, eliciting resounding sing-alongs with their performances of “Karera” and “Salamin, Salamin.” “The fans’ energy, it makes us super happy … it’s encouraging,” Stacey said.
In “Pantropiko,” the girls urged everyone to stand up and just let loose. The group was accompanied by live musicians, creating fuller, more dynamic instrumentations. But even then, you could still hear the girls’ vocals—Jhoanna’s and Maloi’s ad libs, in particular—rise above the collision of sounds.
The sight of fans grooving happily to their music will never get old for Bini, which saw this appearance as a preparation of sorts for their upcoming major concert in November. “Seeing you all down there… Grabe, thank you so much for singing and dancing with us,” Colet said.
Swagger
Rain delivered everything you would expect from him: the natural swagger, the explosive dance moves, the come-hither gestures and hisses, and the piercing head tones that typically signal the climax of his early-2000s R&B fare.
But over and above his music and showmanship, nothing screamed “seasoned performer” more than the way he worked the crowd.
After opening his set with “Gang,” Rain wasted no time and quickly went down the stage, sending fans into a frenzy. As he belted out and hit the sweet falsettos of “How to Avoid the Sun,” he waded through throngs of clamoring fans trying to touch him or take photos with him.
For his numbers, Rain wouldn’t take anything less than bedlam for a reaction. So, when the decibels didn’t quite reach the level he was expecting in “LA Song,” he stopped, took his sunglasses off, and teased the crowd, saying he wouldn’t sing until they gave him the kind of energy he wanted.
Like a teacher starting a recitation roll call for those who wouldn’t participate, Rain started pointing at seated fans, imploring them to stand up. And he refused to let them off the hook until the entire audience was on their feet, jumping up and down, singing their hearts out. He succeeded.
“I’m happy to be here. It feels amazing to be here for you all,” said the pop star, who became a household name in the Philippines after the successful local run of his romantic comedy series “Full House,” with Song Hye-kyo.
Every so often, Rain would raise his shirt for a split second—just enough time for the fans to catch a glimpse of his famous abs. But in his encore to his dance hit, “Rainism,” the singer, amid pops of confetti, peeled his shirt off—the better to flaunt his sinewy muscles as he put on a high-octane dance break. The fans, the titas especially, lost it.
“The energy tonight is amazing. You guys are incredible,” he said. “Thank you for making the night so special. The Philippines will always be in my heart.”
