Nicki Minaj paints the town pink

MANILA, Philippines- Although it was Nicki Minaj's first time to hold a concert in the Philippines, the 29-year-old hip hop artist seemed like she knew her audience too well the moment she went onstage at the Mall of Asia Arena on Wednesday.

With a small army of dancers and DJ Headache in charge of beat juggling and scratching, Nicki painted the town pink with her hit songs Stupid Hoe, Starships, Pound the Alarm and Super Bass, among others, to the delight of the audience who instantly turned into a sea of wild, glowstick-wielding Barbz and Kenz, as what Nicki calls them.

Nicki's hit songs became a global phenomenon after the release of her debut album, Pink Friday, in November 2010. It peaked at number one on the US Billboard 200 and was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America a month after its release. She became the first female solo artist with seven singles on the Billboard Hot 100 at the same time and her second single, Your Love, reached the top spot at the Billboard Hot Rap Songs chart, making her the first female artist to hit number one alone since 2002. Her second studio album, Roman Reloaded, was released April this year.

Nicki has also successfully collaborated with artists like Mariah Carey, Ludacris, Usher, Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears, Kanye West, Rihanna and David Guetta.

"This is my first time in the Philippines," the Trinidadian-born artist told her Filipino fans, adding that the moment she saw Manila Bay, she remembered her home country known for its busy ports.

Changing into one outlandish costume after another, Nicki, known for her alter-egos, alternately pumped up the beat with her dance hits and toned down a little with her mellow singles. Not letting the chance of partying with her Pinoy fans pass, the New Queen of Hip Hop plucked four girls from the audience and invited them onstage for a dance-off.

"Is it true that Filipino women are the prettiest in the world?" she asked, to which the audience responded with a collective, affirmative scream.

Saving the best for last, Nicki raised the energy to its highest with her phenomenal hit Super Bass, which turned the arena into a wild party with bursting confetti. Her fans might have waited long for her first concert to come, but that Wednesday night was worth all the wait. 

Watch our video of the Nicki Minaj press confererence and concert here: