Pinoy rock queens Acel Bisa, Aia de Leon, Barbie Almalbis, Hannah Romawac, Kitchie Nadal, and Lougee Basabas will come together for TANAW, a concert that celebrates Filipino music, rekindles past loves, and welcomes newfound inspiration.

READ: TANAW Concert Puts a Spotlight on the Reigning Queens of Pinoy Rock

Prior to taking the stage at The Theatre at Solaire on November 26 for a one-night-only concert, OPM icons Hannah Romawac, Acel Bisa, Aia De Leon, and Lougee Basabas granted Philippine Concerts an exclusive interview where they talked about the upcoming show, OPM, and so much more.

Philippine Concerts: For a one-night-only performance at The Theatre at Solaire, TANAW brings you together. How do you feel about getting together for this unique concert?

Hannah Romawac: So many feelings but what really shines through is gratefulness.

Acel Bisa: I feel excited, thrilled, and honestly so honored to share the stage again with Aia, Barbie, Hannah, Lougee, and Kitchie.

Aia De Leon: Feels like a beautiful resurrection. On the heels of a jarring pandemic, there was a shift in the way I saw the time, quality, and the things that remain to be the most important things in life. The fellowship with these ladies is one of them. There is no other group of people who will have understood the fullness of my life, in every aspect, except for these ladies.

We grew up in an era together, we paid our dues together. We share a profound joy in making music, writing songs, and performing them in front of a live audience.

We’ve never braved a celebration on this scale together before, and I feel very blessed to be a part of this.

PC: What does TANAW signify to you?

Hannah: The word itself means to either look back or look forward. The word has fluidity. It’s not stagnant which is something I could say the same about the women in this show. 

Acel: To me “Tanaw” signifies a deep hope. It is looking from afar, reflecting and enjoying the nostalgia of the past, yet more than just merely looking into an unknown future, a state of living in the present, still vibrant, full of energy, aspiration, and hope.

Aia: It could’ve been BALIK TANAW. But it isn’t. TANAW is to build further from what we’ve sown.

PC: What can your fans expect from the concert and what kinds of performances can we look forward to on November 26?

Hannah: Will definitely play the music that will make you feel like it was 2004, but also have lovely collaborations with the ladies.

Acel: For sure we will reminisce and enjoy each other’s solo performances – The hits of way back, and also for my slot, I will share a new song I wrote that is very special to me. There will also be some collaborations that we’ve been practicing. The evening will be something we all dreamt of doing and so happy that it will finally become a reality.

Aia: 3 hours, to celebrate YOUR best life. 

PC: You have demonstrated your enduring power with sold-out tours and concerts, chart-topping songs and albums, and a devoted fanbase, starting from your early days as lead vocalists of the late ‘90s/early 2000s bands to forging your identity as individual artists. How would you sum up your musical and professional development throughout the years?

Hannah: It’s hard to sum up something that’s ever-changing. Music to me has been the longest relationship I’ve ever been in. We’ve had a lot of ups and downs. I’ve fallen in and out of love with it but somehow still find my way back. Through the years it has taught me resilience, courage, kindness, and love. For that, I will always be grateful. 

Acel: To be honest, and more than what people remember from nearly two decades ago, from an artistic point-of-view I never really “left” making music. I’d like to think my music has always been incrementally growing. When I transitioned and became a solo artist in 2008, it was a bit challenging for me to start, but through the years I learned to enjoy working with different musicians, arrangers, and producers.

For sure – more than the hit songs, I’ve continued to write new songs, continued to collaborate, and never really stopped recording and producing. What thrills me the most is that, over the years, the musicians I get to work with are getting younger and younger – and the technology to execute the sounds is more available and so much more impressive than ever before.

To sum it up: I’d like to think of my music as “multi-generational”. I don’t think I’ll ever stop, really.

Aia: The ebb and tide revealed to me who I was and who I should work to become. The path has not always been clear, impostor syndrome can eat up a good woman sometimes. But a significant realization for me was that I have my community (at different eras in my life) to thank, of whom without, none of any amount of success I had would’ve happened to me.

PC: How would you characterize the current situation of Filipino music, particularly Filipino rock?

Hannah: In general, Filipinos listen to Western music more than their own. Pre-pandemic, that demand is fed by an influx of international acts coming to the country. That gave Filipinos more access and connection to the artist and their music.

Somehow the pandemic changed that. With Live music taking a break, borders closing, and no international artist access, Filipinos started to look inward and appreciate the uniqueness and ability of OPM artists to experiment with various styles and genres. Looking at the charts now, most of them are new OPM artists. The pandemic ushered in a rebirth of the 90s OPM golden age—2.0.

Filipino Rock is the cornerstone of OPM. One of the, if not the, most dynamic and vibrant categories of the local music scene. It’s incredible how there are a lot of very young talented artists just making their music the way they want to. So unique and creative.

Back in our time, there was a mold you follow whether you were rock, pop, ballads, etc. But these days, since kids have more access to new technology, they experiment with a lot of different sounds/styles and make their own version of rock and it’s amazing!

Acel: Right now it’s at levels we’d never imagined. It’s so wonderful to see home-grown Filipino musicians getting international attention even. I’m not too updated with the “rock” scene itself. I don’t think there is much of a distinction anymore when it comes to a musical genre. I believe the lines are somewhat blurred and people don’t really talk about the underground purity of “rock” or “alternative rock” as they used to before. It seems that today, pretty much everybody is a “rockstar”… and while that could be a funny thing. It is also a serious thing. Sometimes we all need to be reminded to stay true and to stay humble.

Aia: Many doors have been opened, and many ears are tuned in. I celebrate how far the scene has gone and the stretch of greatness it’s headed towards. 

Lougee Basabas: The pandemic has brought about a collaborative spirit and a strong sense of solidarity among artists. The Philippine band scene is slowly setting its wheels in motion, opening its gates to live events once again. The energy that both performers and audience have clamored for in the past years has brought back a great sense of nostalgia, a familiar sense of belonging. It’s exciting to witness the band scene coming to life again.

PC: What steps do you believe need to be taken for OPM to grow even more?

Hannah: I think this doesn’t just apply to OPM or music. Whatever endeavor we all take in life, if we try our best to be kind to one another, we can all move through life with a bit more empathy for others. When we encourage and support, then we can all thrive.

Acel: There’s plenty of room for growth but in order to grow: I think the very first step, I believe, as artists, is to recognize that we are not “in competition” with each other.

Especially in this day and age when there are pressures in so-called metrics like view counts or stream counts – It is so tempting to compare and feel discouraged or depressed when there are comparisons being made. We forget that these are not a reflection of each other’s true artistic value.

As Filipino musicians, we all have a beautiful song worth listening to and there will always be someone on the other end of their headset, wherever in the world they may be, from whatever background they may come from, whose life will be moved when they listen and sing-along to our songs.

Aia: To not stop? I think this is the only pressure one should carry on their shoulders. 

PC: What advice do you have for aspiring Filipino musicians?

Hannah: Be brave. A lot of things might not go the way you plan them out but just push through. Keep being creative and collaborate with people that inspire you. 

Acel: Know your own voice –be inspired but do not imitate. Go deep into your heart to find your biggest ‘why’ in making music. Doing it for fame and money would just kill the life in you. Do it because the art gives you joy and do it with a purpose that would echo in eternity, for that purpose, is the fuel that makes the passion burn. Steward this gift with care, love, and responsibility. Your song has the power that can bring healing and hope.

Aia: Forget the fame, grow the love for music. 

PC: What is your final message to your fans?

Hannah: A big thank you to all of you out there. Your support through the years is something I will forever cherish.

Acel: Thank you for your continuous support of my music. It gives me the joy to know that my music and the songs I work on together with my musician friends continue to bring comfort and hope.

Aia: This is not my final message, but it is a message of gratitude. Many many times you have been a godsend; you who took the time to brave a gig alone and led to braving more gigs alone, you who walked up to me and said, “You made songs that talked me out of suicide”, you who seized me by the shoulders saying, “DON’T STOP”

Your voices agitated the dying hope I have at certain moments in my life, your encouragement stomped out the fires of doubt, and you listened when no one else would. And even now you still wait for things to be written and sung. By me. 

Thank you for the life you breathe in me. May your belief repower my courage.

TANAW with Acel Bisa, Aia de Leon, Barbie Almalbis, Hannah Romawac, Kitchie Nadal, and Lougee Basabas

TANAW will mark the first time that six of the most iconic names in Pinoy rock will perform together on one stage, happening on November 26 at The Theatre at Solaire. Tickets to TANAW are available for purchase via Ticket World.

This event is produced by GNN Entertainment and co-presented by The Theatre at Solaire.