FELIP Puts on One Hell of a Show at First Solo Concert in Manila
“We commit mistakes. And these mistakes will always make us who we are.” – 7sins Concert Intro
The Space at One Ayala was filled with concertgoers dressed in their rock and leather glam in anticipation of FELIP’s first solo concert in Manila last July 27, presented by Warner Music Philippines.
The “ROCKSTA” artist, also known as Ken Suson of world-renowned P-pop group SB19, broke out onto the music scene as a soloist in 2021 with the single “Palayo” and has since been making waves with songs and Extended Plays such us “Bulan” and “Complex,” building up to what everybody has been waiting for. And after almost three years, FELIP finally took to the stage to perform music from his debut solo album, “7sins”, which was released last July 5, 2024.
The album concept revolves around the 7 deadly sins and features 9 genre-bending tracks that explore the singer-rapper’s innermost thoughts and feelings; bearing his truths and desires while also coming to terms with his mistakes and shortcomings through a bold blend of Rock, Metal, R&B, and Hip-Hop sounds.
The stage set at The Space transported fans into a dark and smokey underworld adorned with flashing lights and rocky terrains, while immersing them in a background ambiance mimicking rumbles and thunderclaps.
At exactly 7 PM, the countdown to seven minutes began, setting fans into a frenzy. A booming God-like voice engulfed the concert hall and said, “If we do not know envy, wrath, greed, pride, gluttony, lust, sloth, how could we know the value of forgiveness, peace, gratitude, joy, patience, and love?” The words reflect FELIP’s album concept messaging, and how it isn’t a mere showcase of humans’ wrongdoings, but also a hand reaching out into the dark — which in this case is FELIP’s hand reaching out to his fans and bearing his truths in the hopes of pulling them into the light.
“I write songs about my feelings and observations. Through this album, I just want to say that we are all human — we make mistakes.” FELIP expressed in an interview with Billboard Philippines.
Roaring guitars and loud beats filled The Space as the stage was bathed in red lighting. Dancers rolled in and FELIP appeared onstage clad in black leather atop one of the rocky hills, opening the show with “foes.” The performance was nothing short of thrilling with FELIP’s strong stage presence, blinding lights, and the music’s heavy composition comprised of aggressive beats and the rapper’s signature bass vocals. It was immediately followed by equally strong tracks “envy” and “wrath.”
“Grabe nakakapagod 'yung performance na yun. Nag-enjoy kayo (That performance was unbelievably tiring! But did you enjoy it)?” FELIP joked after his fiery opening act. He then thanked everyone for coming to his concert despite having other personal commitments, as well as some being affected by the recent typhoon, and expressed his gratitude wholeheartedly to them for spending their Saturday night with him.
He then introduced “greed” with a touching message for his fans: “Do not let anyone take advantage of you. Be brave. You guys are beautiful. Know your worth. Be strong.”
After an emotional performance, he brings out his first special guest of the night: Cyra Gwynth. Fans welcomed the Belgian-Filipino artist with loud screams and excited squeals as she sang alongside FELIP in the sensual R&B track, “lust.”
“I had a really great time writing songs with her,” FELIP said after their performance. Cyra wrote and produced “greed,” a heartfelt track about loving the wrong person, on top of co-writing and featuring in the song “lust.” The talented singer-songwriter gave a shoutout to FELIP on the show, thanking him for singing a song that’s “very close to [her] heart.”
Later, FELIP was joined on stage by another special guest featured on the album. He set the stage on fire with PLAYERTWO’s Ivo Impreso, Wave P, and Luke April as they performed “gluttony.”
Afterward, the fans couldn’t seem to get enough of the group and started to chant “Pagdali,” a song FELIP and the rising Hip Hop group from Davao collaborated on. They eventually gave in to their request and sang an impromptu acapella version of the R&B single which was met by deafening cheers.
FELIP also performed “wrath,” “sloth,” and a live debut of “Tokyo” which is included as an exclusive bonus track on the 7sins Japan CD album. Warner Music Japan recently announced #Felip7sinsJapan promotional activities following his Manila show which will include a fan signing event on August 30 and an album concert on September 2.
Towards the end of the show, FELIP expressed his thanks to everyone that made the album and concert possible from his team down to the fans — the “A’Tins” (SB19’s official fandom name) and Fstans (solo stans).
He then sang the melancholic track “ache,” a fitting end to the album as it’s about acknowledgment and redemption, while also sending a message of hope and light at the end of a dark road. The God-like narrator returned with a few wise words including one we believe encompassed what the album is truly trying to say: “May your thoughts be wise and kind. May you resolve anything in your mind that keeps you from being your true self. Listen to your inner voice.”
Like any great artist, FELIPE returned onstage for an encore performance of two of his previous singles, “ROCKSTA” and “MICTEST” — ending the show with a bang (and a stage photo op with everyone in the venue)!
We applaud FELIP’s bravery, vision, and passion which was clearly manifested through his first concert, and we look forward to experiencing more of his hella good music and electrifying performances.
You can listen to FELIP’s “7sins” here and know more about the artist by following him on Instagram.
Be the first to know about thrilling music releases and stay updated on the latest happenings in the music scene by following Warner Music Philippines here.
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