Behind The Curtain With Felip: An Exclusive Inside Look At The 7sins Album Concert

Every show is a grand production.

Dozens of people work on bringing an artist’s concert to life –– helping to make it the best show possible for everyone involved. Yet with each endeavor, it comes at no easy task and is often a great challenge (and sometimes a burden) to those who make these things happen.

Yet from what the world has seen of Felip’s 7sins Album Concert, it’s evident that a lot of heart, soul, and effort was put into making this concert a reality. The intricacies of the show and its production were the result of sleepless nights, massive attention to detail, and an innate amount of passion –– most of which the Billboard Philippines team was lucky enough to witness with our very own eyes.

At 8 AM, the majority of the Warner Music Philippines team was already gearing up for the inevitable –– while Felip’s fans began to queue in line in their respective lanes just a few floors below. Groggy yet still determined, a few cups of black coffee were already enough to rejuvenate the team as they prepped for the necessary rehearsals and later soundcheck for the show.

Backstage, the rush and intensity of several crew members going back and forth to different areas of the Space at One Ayala was enthralling to witness, given the sheer size (and length) of its backstage hallways. Guest acts like the members of PLAYERTWO and Cyra Gwynth were seen practicing their vocals in their dressing rooms, while the label’s A&R teams were ensuring that everything was smooth sailing concerning schedules and inventory.

Yet for Felip, he isolated himself for quite some time –– getting into the right groove and headspace, while simultaneously keeping his freshly dyed red hair a secret from the rest of the people out there. Luckily, Billboard Philippines was able to sit down with Felip himself for a few minutes to talk about how it felt to bring his debut album to life in his first-ever solo concert, and what such a grand production means to him personally.

Billboard Philippines: First off, Felip, congratulations on this massive production. How does it feel to finally bring your grand solo concert to life?

Felip: Of course, I’m very happy and I’m very thankful sa mga tao na sumusuporta sa akin until now. One thing that I’m very thankful of is their support, because I know I’m not a perfect artist –– and that’s reality. But still, grabe talaga yung pag-tiis ng mga tao sa akin. So I’m eternally grateful to the point na wala akong masabi. I’m just so lucky na may mga ganitong tao na sumusporta pa rin sa akin talaga.

(Of course, I’m very happy and I’m very thankful to the people who’ve supported me until now. One thing that I’m very thankful of is their support because I know I’m not a perfect artist –– and that’s reality. But still, it’s crazy how much people believe in me. So I’m eternally grateful to the point that I have nothing to say. I’m just so lucky that I have people like them who still continue to support me to this day.)

Well, I absolutely love that. And grabe, kung nakita mo right now ––yung (if you could see the) line of people all the way from the different floors –– it’s insane.

Felip: I’m just giving it back to the people behind it, you know? All these people who are working behind the scenes para magawa namin lahat to, at syempre sa mga fans na nakatulong sa pagtiwala nila sa akin.

(I’m just giving it back to the people behind it, you know? All these people who are working behind the scenes so that we could get to do all of this, and of course the fans who have helped me through their support.)

Yeah, and it’s amazing how with both your team and fans, they’re so enthusiastic to support you and give their all with this [7sins] show. So, given the thematic nature of the album, how were the seven tracks of 7Sins conceptualized and integrated into the show?

Felip: Actually, bigla lang siya eh. Hindi siya yung planado talaga. *laughs* (Actually, it was all done suddenly. Nothing was really planned.)

So, bigla lang pumasok sa isip namin na, eh, what if we make all these songs about sins? Actually hindi siya yung tipong pinag-isipan talagang matagal. It was really just, what if we make songs about sins? 

So, nung naisip namin na about seven sins, gawa kami ng kanta –– tapos mag-rerevolve siya doon yung topic lang talaga sa Seven Sins. And then when I had to write it, parang susulat ka lang ng essay about these topics. So it wasn’t really hard [for me].

(So, it all just came to our minds, like what if we make all these songs about sins? Actually, it wasn’t something that we thought of for a long time. It was really just like, what if we make [these] songs about sins? So when we thought about making these songs about the seven sins –– it was the only topic we wanted to revolve the album around. Then when I had to write it, it’s like writing an essay about these topics. So it wasn’t really hard for me.)

So, parang ang bilis lang ng flow for you, right? (So, it’s like the entire flow was fast for you, right?)

Felip: I would write two songs every night. And then I had to make the beat. Pero minsan kasi sa may beat rin ako kinabahan. *laughs* (I would write two songs every night. And then I had to make the beat. But sometimes, it was the process of finding the beat that I felt nervous working on.)

So, nahalos na sa studio ako nakatira for how many months. But eventually, when I saw what I wrote, nagulat ako na parang may complex realizations siya about these topics, the seven sins, and kung saan siya nagrerelate bilang sa amin mga tao. 

(So, it was like I lived in the studio for how many months. But eventually, when I saw what I wrote, I got shocked that there were these complex realizations about these topics, the seven sins, and how they relate to each of us and our experiences as people.)

I’m glad to hear that. Because for you, you’ve always been such a distinct artist. May vision ka talaga. So, I think that must have come naturally for you, no? Kaya sobrang dali ng flow (Which is why the flow was so fast) and everything.

Felip: You know, siguro dahil din sa mga tao na nakakatrabaho mo talaga. And if you really, you know, nakaka-vibe mo talaga sila and same kayo na interests, then mas mabilis din talaga yung mga bagay-bagay na magagawa. Kahit sa concert na to rin, kaya medyo kinakabahan talaga ako, but in a way I’m also really excited to show my fans what we’ve done here.

(You know, maybe it’s really because of the people that you get to work with on something of this scale. And if you really, you know, get along with them and have the same interests as them, then it’s faster to work and collaborate with them on such things like this. Like, even with this concert –– which is why I’m kind of nervous for [this show], but in a way I’m also really excited to show my fans what we’ve done here.

Ganda, that’s really one way to put it into perspective. So, in bringing these seven songs to life, how were you able to translate such themes and concepts into tonight’s show?

Felip: Hindi ko siya ma-explain [right now], but for me, kailangan lang ng mga fans na i-feel nila talaga. The fans really need to feel it –– you know, to actually experience it, because sometimes there are things that you really can’t understand until the moment when you’re feeling it. Because yung experience na ‘yun, hindi yan maidadala o magagawa ng mga ibang tao kung hindi ikaw. 

(I can’t quite explain it right now, but for me, it’s important that the fans really get to feel it. The fans really need to feel it –– to actually experience it, because sometimes there are things that you can’t really understand until the moment when you’re feeling it. Because with that experience, it’s something that no other person could replicate or bring forth, aside from yourself.)

That’s amazing, and we’re so excited to see that as well. Yet despite the grand scale of this 7sins Album Concert,  what does this show mean to you personally and artistically?

Felip: It honestly means everything to me. This is my very first [solo] concert so definitely, it means the whole world talaga. Minsan kasi yung mga pinakaunang bagay na mangyayari sa buhay mo, yun yung mga hindi mong hindi mong makakalimutan eh. For example, yung first love mo. *laughs*

(It honestly means everything to me. This is my very first [solo] concert so definitely, it really means the whole world. Sometimes it is with the first things that happen in your life that you never get to forget. For example, your first love.)

Tapos, broken-hearted ka. (And, then you get broken-hearted.)

Felip: Yeah. Hindi mo makakalimutan yung mga yan eh. Minsan galit ka dun. Pero minsan hindi mo makakalimutan eh. So the fact that it’s my first concert, that’s the reason why I want it to be the best. I want this to be something na hindi ko talaga makaklimutan, because syempre I’d only want the best for everyone who is involved with the production.

(Yeah. Those are the things you really won’t forget. And sometimes you’re mad about it, but sometimes you really can’t forget it or let it go. So the fact that this is my first concert, that’s the reason why I want it to be the best. I want it to be something that I can’t forget, because of course, I’d only want the best for everyone who is involved with the production.)

That’s why I’m just so thankful to all the people who helped in bringing this to life. It’s really why I can say that this is everything to me. It’s so meaningful. It’s my day –– and it’s definitely everything to me.

So, with it being your day, are there any moments that you’re excited about tonight? Like any surprises?

Felip: Excited talaga akong makita ng fans kung ano yung ipagpakita ko sa kanila. How I will perform the songs, yung vision ko. Kahit na kinakabahan ako, gusto ko lang silang makita.

As an artist kasi, pag nakikita mo na nag-enjoy yung mga fans mo, or nag-enjoy yung mga tao na nasa audience, ibang bahagi talaga yung mga sumusuporta talaga sayo. So, namamotivate ka na talaga na gumawa pa.

Mas ginaganahan ka talaga pag may taong gaganaanin sa mga gawa. Although, andun na yung passion, mas lalo kang gaganahan na na-appreciate ng mga tao yung ginagawa mo –– kaya napaka importante talaga ang ginagawa ko para sa kanila.

(I’m excited for my fans to see what I’ve prepared for them tonight. How I will perform the songs, my vision –– even if I’m nervous, I can’t wait for them to see that.

As an artist, when you see your fans enjoying your work, or even if you see the people in the audience really enjoying themselves, it’s a different aspect when people come out to support you. So it’s like you get even more motivated to keep on working and creating in terms of your craft.

You’ll get more motivated [to create] when there are people who are motivated or moved by your work. Although the passion is already there, you get even more motivated because people appreciate your work –– which is why it’s so important for me to keep on doing what I do for them.)

So, parang may fuel ka pa to keep on going, no? (So, it’s like you have even more fuel to keep on going right?) It’s nice to hear how much your fans mean to you. And speaking of your fans, you’ve developed quite a strong fan base in Japan.

Since you’re going to be heading there soon to bring your 7sins concert there, what are you most excited about bringing the show to that side of the world?

Felip: Definitely, it would be my album itself. Kasi, you know, excited na ako i-perform kahit saan kasi I’m proud of my hard work. All of my hard work doing these songs is the result of the sleepless nights I experienced to bring this record to life.

Parang, Diyos ko, hindi ko masabi kung ano yung sakit ng ulo ko, makapuyat ako sa umaga. So yeah, excited ako na fruitful yung hard work na ginawa ko –– at para maexperience nila kung ano ang pinaghandaan ko to bring this to life.

(Definitely, it would be my album itself. Because you know, I’m excited to perform it wherever I can because I’m so proud of my hard work. All of my hard work doing these songs is the result of the sleepless nights I experienced to bring this record to life.

Like, my God, I can’t even describe how many headaches I experienced bringing this to life, and how restless I was staying up until early morning working on it. So yeah, I’m excited that my hard work was fruitful with the result of this record –– and so that my fans anywhere could experience all that I’ve done to bring this to life.)

So, with that, what do you hope to achieve with this solo concert? How do you want people to remember this in your career, moving forward, and in the present?

Felip: I want to tell them that Felip is different. Ibang level, alam mo yung mga ganun? I want them to say that his concert is so badass, his concert is so cool. his stage is so cool, and his music is so cool. 

Grabe yung vibe niya. Grabe siya magperform. Parang everything. *laughing*  Alam mo yan? Everything about the whole experience is different. So, yun talaga. Gusto ko sana masasabi nila na wow, first time ako naka-experience ng ganitong klaseng concert.

(I want to tell them that Felip is different. Like it’s on a different level, you know? I want them to say that his concert is so badass, his concert is so cool, his stage is so cool, and his music is so cool.

Like wow, his vibe is insane. The way he performs is insane. Like –– everything. You know? Everything about the whole experience is different. So, yeah. I really want them to say, wow, this is the first time I’ve experienced a concert of this caliber or level.)

Oh, for sure.

Felip: It’s different. Alam mo yun, parang…ganun yung impact.

Ilang beses na nila ako nakita, pero parang gusto ko na it’s always a first time experience para sa kanila with my shows. That’s why gusto ko mag bring ng something new to the table. Yung tipong It will feel like it’s always a first-time experience with them.

(It’s different. You know, to have an impact like that.

(I want them to think, that even if they’ve seen me multiple times, it will always feel like a first-time experience for them with my shows. That’s why I want to bring something new to the table. Something that will make an impression, and will feel like it’s always going to be a first-time experience with them.)

From outside his dressing room, the muffled sound of Felip practicing his vocal harmonies could be heard, a testament to his dedication and meticulousness. His voice, though softened by the walls, carried a power and emotion that promised an unforgettable performance. Just before the final call to take the stage, Felip and his team gathered for a short prayer. Heads bowed and hands clasped together, they shared a moment of unity and gratitude, channeling their collective energy towards the impending performance. This ritual was a blend of reverence and readiness, setting the tone for what was to come.

As the prayer concluded, they put their heads and hands together, a symbolic gesture of their shared commitment and camaraderie. This moment of solidarity was one of the last few steps in their backstage preparations –– a final boost of morale and focus before stepping out for a quick shoot — then eventually into the spotlight.

The concert itself was a triumph, a seamless blend of artistry and production that captivated the audience from start to finish. After the show’s encore, as Felip returned backstage, he was greeted with a wave of cheers and applause from his team. The success of his 7sins Album Concert was solidified at that moment –– surrounded by the people who had worked tirelessly to make it happen. Felip’s journey to the stage was complete, marked by a collective sigh of relief and a shared sense of achievement.

For Felip, the 7sins Album Concert was more than just a performance; it was a testament to his growth as an artist and a celebration of his creative vision. For his fans, it was an unforgettable experience, a chance to connect with their idol on a deeper level. For his team, it was the culmination of months of hard work and dedication, a shared victory that underscored the power of collaboration and perseverance. This concert, like every grand production, showcased the intricate dance between passion, precision, and teamwork –– creating a moment that will be cherished by all involved.

Diving deep backstage, check out more photos from Billboard Philippines‘ exclusive, up-close, look at what took place at Felip’s grand 7sins Album Concert below: