Snoh Aalegra Finds A Second Home On The Manila Stage – Review

One of this year’s best concerts in the Philippines (so far) may very well be one of the most surprising.

When Karpos first announced Snoh Aalegra‘s debut concert in the Philippines, your group of friends with the most eclectic of music tastes probably freaked out at the news that she would be performing on this side of the world. Yet despite the disbelief and awe at the news, it was very much a reality that many Filipinos have dreamed of (such as myself) –– even if we never expected it to happen.

While popular in her own right, the Iranian-Swedish musician hasn’t quite broken through to the mainstream yet — which is why it was quite a welcome surprise to see just how packed the Filinvest Tent in Alabang was on a random weekday evening. From the jam-packed parking line outside the venue to the large congregation of twenty-somethings queueing in line as early as 2:30 PM, it was evident that this was an event that people were really looking forward to.

Trails of couples and friend groups decked out in their best streetwear fits began to trickle inside the venue one by one, eventually building up to a crowd with an estimated amount of 3,000 people inside – all of them anxiously awaiting for Snoh to take the stage. So by the time her live band began to play the opening notes of “Whoa”, you could easily imagine and hear the frenzied screams and jittery cheers that gradually rose as the track played out further.

As Snoh belted out the first lyrics “I’ma tell you this one time, Boy, I want you to be mine” –– her soulful vocals immediately swept away the entire audience at the Filinvest Tent. Her sensual, yet emotive delivery of every word spoken was as clear as day, and perhaps even more powerful than the already impressive studio recordings that propped up her performances to be (special shoutout to Toronto, which may have been one of her best renditions of the night). Effortlessly gliding through the lower registers and higher notes of her tracks, her vocal prowess was just absolutely astounding all throughout the night.

Every succeeding track from the well-curated setlist demonstrated such a fact, like how “Situationship” simultaneously captured the breathy, emotive whispers with a sense of warmth that lingered on across tracks like “IN YOUR EYES” and “Be My Summer.” The jazzy, hip-hop sound of her live rendition to “Nothing Burns Like The Cold” perfectly captured a mix of Amy Winehouse and Sade Adu in all the best ways –– which was complemented by the audience’s ability to rap word per word along the bridge of the track.

It wasn’t limited to just that song though, as the crowd sang along to nearly every lyric of Snoh’s setlist. “Fool For You”, “DYING 4 YOUR LOVE”, and “TANGERINE DREAM” marked a consecutive run of performances wherein the audience was almost as loud as Snoh herself –– which only impressed the Iranian-Swedish singer even further. There was no doubt that everyone within the tent was a genuine fan of the artist, prompting Snoh to comment on the energy in the room. “Is it just me or is it hot in here?”, she remarked with a slight laugh. “Seeing the energy you guys are bringing tonight is crazy.”

To soothe both the crowd and herself down, she performed a series of softer tracks, including her latest singles “Wait A Little Longer” and “Sweet Tea”, which had audiences feeling a profound sense of intimacy across the venue. Yet prior to performing the latter, Snoh opened up to her fans, stating; “In case you didn’t know…the journey to this point has been a long one for me. I’ve always wanted to be an artist [but], I’ve always felt a little misplaced, [like] an outsider. I’ve never felt like I belonged.”

She continued, “Everywhere I go, I felt like an immigrant. This sounds really cheesy, but the one place where I feel really at home and welcomed is the stage. [So tonight], I wanna thank you guys for all your love, and for all of your beautiful energy. Can I just say that you guys are the best crowd [that] I’ve ever had?” –– to which the entire Filinvest Tent cheered for a continuous period of at least three minutes long. Overwhelmed by such fervor and love from the crowd, Snoh herself became emotional as she expressed her gratitude to her fans.

Though it may have seemed like “Sweet Tea” was her final performance of the night, the audience’s synchronized chant of “MORE, MORE, MORE” had Snoh running back on stage in a near instant to perform “Someone Like You.” As she cooed along to the sweet sounds of the track, nearly every couple in the audience was facing one another – mouthing the lyrics along to their respective significant others. “Do 4 Love” marked a softer precursor to the final encore of the night –– which was the viral hit, “I Want You Around.”

By this point, the thousands of people present harmonized along to Snoh’s powerhouse vocals on the track –– making it a memorable finale to close off the night. It was a fitting end to what everyone just experienced, also serving as a double entendre for both the musician and the audience, given how much each of us wanted one another to stick around for just a little bit longer. With the sea of lights and arms held up (with some holding up vinyl albums of hers) moving along to the song’s final words (the echo of “I’ve been waiting my whole life, to find someone like you” still stuck on our minds), there’s no other way we would have wanted the show to have concluded.

In all the entries of Karpos’ Live concert series that I’ve been to, I don’t think there has been any that was as special as Snoh Aalegra’s debut performance in Manila. Aside from her impeccable performance and powerful stage presence, the energy of the audience was a rare demonstration of passion that’s only been similar to that of the dedication of K-pop audiences. From what we’ve seen, Snoh’s presence holds a whole lot of meaning to her Filipino fans, getting us in all the right type of feels –– as we experienced heartbreak, romance, empowerment, and hope –– all in a time span of just a little over an hour.

Should Snoh Aalegra decide to return to the Philippines someday, it’s undeniably a performance that’s not to be missed. Because as she’s proven with her first show in Manila, it’s a transcendent experience that leaves a lasting impression on both herself and her audience –– proving that she will always have a second home on the Manila stage.

Listen to Snoh Aalegra’s 2021 album TEMPORARY HIGHTS IN THE VIOLET SKIES below: