Not even tropical storm “Isang” could stop fans of Ariana Grande from trooping to the Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena in Pasay City Monday night to witness the American pop superstar’s second concert in the Philippines.
Extremely tight security and long lines that easily meant an hour of waiting also failed to dampen the spirits of Filipino fans—mostly millennials—who came out for the sold-out “Dangerous Woman Tour” in Manila, presented by Smart Communications.
Even those who had to leave their bags at the gates looked far from inconvenienced. They clearly understood that extra security measures had to be put in
place following the terror attack at Grande’s Manchester Arena concert back in May, where 23 lives were lost. They were grateful enough that the artist carried on with her world tour even if most others would have already cancelled the rest of the stops.
Meanwhile, inside MOA, the Arianators—the moniker of Grande’s fans around the world—could hardly contain their excitement, especially since there was nothing in the news or social media that confirmed their idol had already landed in the Philippines.
Finally, the 10-minute countdown ensued, with Grande bursting on stage with her opening song, “Be All Right.”
For the next hour and a half, the 24-year-old sang, danced and wowed her fans with hits “One Last Time,” “Bang Bang,” “Love Me Harder,” “Break Free” and “Problem”—the songs from her sophomore album, “My Everything,” which catapulted the name Ariana Grande to global fame in 2014.
The rest of her set list was dedicated to the songs from her third studio album “Dangerous Woman,” after which the tour is named.
The entire show was a roller-coaster ride as fans were treated to danceable tunes for a stretch, followed by vocally charged numbers the next. In both instances, Grande’s singing prowess was at its best, easily hitting diva-high notes that left fans in awe.
To her fans’ surprise, Grande confessed she was a little under the weather that night. She said: “Mahal kita Manila! I’m really sick today but you guys make me feel so much better.” She was rewarded with thunderous cheers.
The most touching moment of the night, however, Grande’s cover of “Over the Rainbow,” a song she has included in her tour since the tragic Manchester bombing. It served as a reminder that despite reaching out to Arianators around the globe, a piece of her will always be with the innocent victims.
With a more sophisticated choice of wardrobe, ditching the bunny ears she constantly paraded for her Honeymoon Tour, Grande looked fabulous in each of her five-outfit changes.
Her finale song “Dangerous Woman” was the perfect ending to an evening of high-powered music.
The crowds then found it such a hassle to claim their bags from the gate on their way out.