MANILA, Philippines - La Diva proved they are slowly but surely claiming their stake on the concert scene via the successful Valentine show Intimately La Diva at One Esplanade on Feb. 13.
Despite other shows vying for music lovers’ patronage that night, La Diva’s was amply filled. Their fans came in full force and enjoyed a repertoire that chronicled feelings of love.
As with their first major concert held at the Music Museum last December, Jonalyn Viray, Aicelle Santos and Maricris Garcia had people under their spell with singing prowess that took on favorite OPM tunes (Forevermore, Sana’y Wala Nang Wakas), country pop (You Belong With Me), pop rock (Because Of You, Hurt), R&B (Sweet Love), Motown (I’ll Be There), diva songs (Stand Up For Love, Through The Fire) and everything else in between.
By the time the show ended, people were wondering, “What can’t these girls do?” Each of the ladies can growl, blend, hit the high and low notes, join forces to create a wall of sound and sing tenderly when they choose to do so.
The La Diva ladies also know how to adapt their singing style to a genre. In You Belong With Me, for example, the trio used their playful voices instead of their big, full ones. In the first part of Can You Read My Mind, they used a lot of chest tones and falsettos so as not to preempt the swell of the arrangement in the latter part.
In Nobody and Sweet Escape, their phrasing was right on the money in that their voices conveyed energy as required by the songs. Other singers will have sung these as if essaying a ballad.
More, the girls not only have to master their lyrics and melodies, but harmonize and take note of their blocking as well. They did just that.
If most divas are panned for lack of expression, the La Diva members ensured that they understand their songs which they translate not only vocally but through movement and facial expressions. They were in pain when they essayed Broken Vow and Hurt, celebratory in Dreamgirls, certain and hopeful in Long And Winding Road, etc.