MANILA, Philippines — “Your money won’t go to waste,” said Mackie Empuerto, the one third of TNT Boys, in the vernacular, during the presscon for their Nov. 30 first major concert titled Listen: The Big Shot Concert at the Araneta Coliseum.
Keifer Sanchez and Francis Concepcion are the other kiddie members of the singing trio, which is perhaps the youngest act that will grace the venue.
“We will show our best. We will also show what we can do,” he added. “Hindi lang po Listen yung kaya naming kantahin. There are other songs we can sing (and there are other performances we can pull off). We have surprises for everyone.”
The showcase is the culmination of their musical journey that saw them performing on the Little Big Shots stage in the US, the UK and Australia. Although they only finished as finalists in It’s Showtime’s talent-show segment, Keifer, Mackie and Francis have come a long way. Looking back, the kids are grateful for those, like Vice Ganda, who have made their dreams come true.
As the Broadway song goes, they only have a heart full of love. Vice broached the idea of Keifer from Davao, Mackie (San Juan) and Francis (Zamboanga) to sing Listen, the Beyoncé hit (from Dreamgirls) in a fierce, fighting stance.
As a wont these days, their video was uploaded and went viral. Since then, the TNT contestants-turned-TNT boys have forayed into the showbiz world.
“We’re proud to say that it was him (Vice) na siya ang gumawa..., who has paved the way for us and is the reason why we went to different countries,” Francis and Keifer said.
In no time, their hard work has paid off. The three recalled the time when they couldn’t easily have the things like clothes and shoes they wanted. Since they continue to perform here and abroad, they can now buy whatever they wish for. Along the way, they have made new friends, including celebrities.
With their love for singing, it’s not surprising that the TNT Boys became the grand winners of Your Face Sounds Familiar Kids and won the Royal Club award of RAWR. Another good news is they will be seen in ASAP starting today. At a young age, they will be performing side by side with the veterans.
Even if they have appeared on TV many times and done live gigs, the TNT Boys are never spared from getting the jitters.
“Lahat nang kinantahan namin may kaba, just like when we performed earlier. We pray (to calm ourselves),” they shared.
Although the TNT boys tried to keep mum on the details of their performances, Francis, Mackie and Keifer said that the public can expect a vocal showdown. Perhaps, concertgoers might see them perform the Jennifer Hudson’s And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going and do KPop dance.
Jed Madela, Vice and K Brosas will grace the show. Joining them are Sheena Belarmino, Krystal Brimmer, Noel Comia Jr., Chun-sa Jung, Marco Masa, Onyok Pineda, Esang de Torres and Xia Vigor.
Asked who among them can hit the high notes, they answered, “All of us can.” However, Keifer and Mackie agreed that it is Francis who does it better. He can do it with ease.
To maintain their vocal power and not strain their voices, the TNT Boys have TNT singer Froilan Canlas as a vocal coach. In another interview, the boys had only good words to say about Froilan. From him, they have learned to keep themselves grounded, and to harmonize their voices and to do riffs and runs. Apart from the show, the TNT Boys will have a Christmas album. During the media call, they sang O Holy Night as a preview to this recording endeavor.
What early Christmas gifts from the TNT Boys!
Tickets are priced at P700 for Box; P400 (Upper Box); and P200 (General Admission). For details, call 911-5555 or visit ticketnet.com.ph.