Sarah Geronimo cranks it up

From a gawky 15-year-old contest champion who sang with the vocal affectations of her idol Celine Dion, Sarah Geronimo, now 25, has grown into a performer more willing to venture outside the music genres she has been … well, boxed in. It showed in the repertoire for her concert, “Perfect 10,” held Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

For more than two hours, the artist dubbed the country’s “Popstar Princess,” dabbled in sexy dance ditties, R&B-flavored numbers, her usual fare of power ballads and even a little bit of alternative rock. In her decade-long journey in show biz, Sarah said, coming up with something fresh has always been the biggest and constant challenge. “And I’m embracing it,” she emphatically said.

Emerging onstage in a sparkly, body-hugging jumpsuit, Sarah kicked things off with Alicia Key’s “Brand New Me” and the whipping “That Power” by will.i.am and Justin Bieber. She followed these up with her old hits “Ikaw” and “Sa Iyo,” spruced up with synths and electronica.  Through this first salvo, Sarah demonstrated that she’s not only a good singer; she’s also a competent dancer. Her moves were alternately punchy and sensual, with the wind machine sending her perfect curls every which way as she worked the stage.

In a previous interview, Sarah told   the Inquirer that, through the years, she had learned that singing—more than its technical aspects and hitting those high notes—was all about expressing the right emotions. She injected soul in her impassioned performance of her new single, the urban-vibed “Ikot-Ikot,” then displayed tenderness in the indie-folk-inspired piano ballad “Eyes on Fire.” Every time she sang a line that hit too close to home, the audience started cheering and teasing, sending Sarah into fits of girlish giggles.

For old times’ sake, she performed “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now” and “To Love You More”—two Dion hits that fueled her through the TV search “Star for a Night.”

After a production number with guests Mark Bautista, Christian Bautista and Rachelle Ann Go, Sarah jokingly asked the crowd to pray for her. “This next one’s tough. Mamahalin niyo pa rin ako kahit pumiyok ako, ha?” she said, taking a sip of water. “Araw-araw, may nagpaparamdam sa ’kin nito” she began, then launched into the first line, “When you were here before…” from Radiohead’s “Creep,” an unexpected choice.

Anguished cry

She sang seated on the stairs and hunched over, head bowed, elbows resting on her thighs. As the song surged into a maddened crescendo, Sarah lifted her head ever so slightly—and, with an air of nonchalance, let out a piercing high note that sounded like a cry of anguish. She hit it again—this time more powerfully than the last one—banging her head and kicking furiously like a child throwing a tantrum.

The performance was surprisingly haunting and affecting—certainly her best that night. After a well-deserved round of applause, Sarah addressed naysayers: “I love you for loving me … in a different way.”

At this point, Sarah’s hair had gone disheveled—which, unwittingly, went well with her next song: “Sino ang Baliw?” The number started with a video of herself, 4 years old and singing the classic hit in theatric fashion at a prayer rally. She picked up from where the video left off; the new arrangement had a slight rock edge to it, and she attacked it with just enough grit.

She dedicated the concert to “Yolanda” survivors and announced that she would donate the concert proceeds to them. “This is not something I need to announce, but I just want to say

that I’m doing this for them. We’re all so lucky to be alive and well; I hope we all help in … whatever way.”

Before offering a moving rendition of “Light of a Million Mornings,” the singer said, “Amid pain and loss, may we not lose our hope. May we see the light that will guide, heal and make us whole again.”

The night’s glitziest guests were Sarah’s friends and mentors Regine Velasquez (“Star for a Night”) and Lea Salonga (“The Voice of the Philippines”), who performed duets with Sarah—a Bruno Mars and a “Wicked” mashup, respectively. Both numbers were nerve-wracking, the young singer admitted. But though she didn’t have Lea’s diction and vocal clarity or Regine’s effortless power, Sarah held her own alongside the more experienced artists.

Spine-tingling

All together, they brought the house down with a rousing, spine-tingling series of Barbra Streisand hits—“People,” “The Way We Were,” “A Piece of Sky,” “Tell Him” and “Somewhere.” Before the three ladies could even finish the final glorious note, the crowd was on its feet, roaring and applauding. Even the Big Dome couldn’t contain such an explosion of talent.

Sarah’s quite the trouper, we also found out. After more than two hours of singing, she had enough energy to end the show with a lengthy dance solo which had the firecracker performer evoking Michael Jackson, Beyonce and Rihanna.

Throughout the concert, Sarah intermittently, anxiously, asked everyone whether or not they were enjoying themselves. And were they happy with her singing and dancing? Each time, the crowd shot back with a resounding “Yes!”

Presented by Viva, “Perfect 10” will have a repeat on Nov. 30 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

(E-mail apolicarpio@inquirer.com.ph)