Isabella excited to be directed by mom Kuh in B-day show

MANILA, Philippines — After gracing the pre-Valentine and birthday shows, Hello Love and KuhL Getaway Party, of her mom Kuh Ledesma, Isabella Gonzalez is taking the center stage as the main featured artist, and yes, the celebrator in the presentation titled Isabella, Pls!: A FUNtastic Getaway.

Although she will gladly explain the idea behind the title on April 22 at the Hacienda Isabella, she is poised to share her own brand of musical artistry in the fun B-day concert, with that familiar and familial feel to it.

“I said in one of my first posts when I wrote about this one (the show) on Instagram, ‘You know when your mom throws you a party, and like all her friends come and then, there’s so much good food, there’s so much love… they all have gifts and they all have brought their love.’ I said, ‘That’s what this concert is like,’” Isabella spoke of the upcoming concert’s ambience in a recent virtual chat with The STAR. “So, I’m just there to enjoy.” For her, it means to have fun performing before a crowd and take delight in telling stories through songs.

As for what excites her in headlining a show, Isabella had this to say: “Well, it’s different every time. I’ll say it this way. I used to swim when I was a kid all the time… and then for a long period of time, I didn’t swim… recently again, I jumped back into the pool and I said, ‘Oh, I’m good at this. I can swim…’ I have forgotten how much I love it. This is kinda like that.”

Her participation in the rehearsals and the actual show of Hello Love did ignite her enthusiasm to be on stage and sing live again.

“When I started to do it again on that first show in February, I realized, ‘Oh Lord, you know what’s best for us,’” shared she, who, as you and I know, is now mounting her own show.

In drawing up a solid repertoire for Isabella, Pls!, she considered too many tunes, but as she put it, “we had to whittle them down, which is why I’m so happy that mom is actually our director. She is the mothership.”

You’ve heard it right. The Original Pilipino Music (OPM) icon is the artistic leader and anchor of the musical presentation.

“I’m very excited because you know she’s always been sort of a guiding force in my life, always editing this and that and helping me to refine (this idea), but this time around, it’s even more fun for me, this whole process,” said Isabella of the collaboration between her and mom Kuh.

The music artist in Isabella appreciates “most every genre” but jazz has a special place in her heart as well as big band standards. “I have a decent chunk of the music in the show about that, but then, I’m also gonna be telling a story, like a timeline.”

Aside from being a guest artist, Kuh Ledesma is the artistic leader and anchor of her daughter’s musical presentation.

With the possible narrative or theme that may unfold come show time, Isabella shared: “Should I tell you or should I make it like mysterious? And only the people who’ll come get to know… I’m gonna talk about the song that I believe helped me come to be. There was a song that my dad wrote and my mom sang it and he used it to make her ligaw (in courting her). I think that’s why I’m here today. So, I’m singing that very special song.”

Isabella promised to treat everyone to a fun night with the right amount of music, talk and food to enjoy. Joining her on stage are veteran singer-comedienne-actresses Mitch Valdes and Nanette Inventor, and of course, her mom Kuh.

According to Isabella, she has worked with Nanette many times, which included a US tour, and will share the stage with Mitch for the first time.

“I love these women, they’re so gracious, they’ve been so kind to me,” she said. “I’ve always looked up to them.”

From the piece of information given to this paper by her team, Isabella said, “My main goal is for everyone to enjoy themselves as well as inspire and encourage them with the message found in each song. But most importantly, to just make sure everyone can sit back, relax, and be entertained.”

Asked what are other things that keep her hands full these days?

Isabella said in the one-on-one that she and her team are going back to the studio perhaps to record some compositions. She is also releasing a gospel track and gift book Pray Away, and is into painting.

Before her show commences at 8 p.m., attendees can visit GallerieKUHL and check out some of her select paintings at 4:22 p.m. Then at 6 p.m., they can have a scrumptious dinner.

“Yeah, it’s kind of like the sauce on top of the steak,” replied she when inquired about the complementary nature of music and visual arts. “You know, like when you have beautiful things to look at, (they) come alive when there’s, you know, background music, right?”

The singer-composer-and-lyricist added that a film “becomes all the more dramatic when there’s music that fills the air. Yes, definitely, complimentary. It’s all part of the same meal.”

On her special day, the public will get to see Isabella, the painter and the performer.

(For details on the show and accommodations, call 0960-8850288 or 0920-2868895.)