Kitchie Nadal held her sold-out 20th Anniversary Concert titled Same Ground at the New Frontier Theater on June 2. Presented by Gabi Na Naman Productions, the two-hour show featured her diverse musicality over the years with special guest appearances of her colleagues in the industry. The concert marked Kitchie’s first ever solo major concert. It was as much a celebration as it was a rediscovery of her artistry.

In 2004, Kitchie Nadal released her debut eponymous album, containing the tracks “Huwag na Huwag Mong Sasabihin”, “Same Ground” and “Bulong !!!”. While the 3 songs are now collectively known as the “8334 Kitchie Nadal Medley” in karaoke machines at every Filipino party, not everyone knows the depth of her discography. Seeing her shine during her concert that night reminded us what an icon Kitchie Nadal really is. 

We’ll take you down the highlights of her 2024 homecoming anniversary concert one by one. 

1. A trip down memory lane

Kitchie Nadal gave the audience a colorful trip down memory lane.  It goes without saying that she played her best hits, but she also gave the same love for her well-crafted B-sides. The first song for the evening was “Breathe” which was interestingly also listed as the first song in her first album. This was followed by “Fire” and her debut single “Run”.

“Malaya”, a song released in 2013, also got its spotlight as it featured an eclectic mix of violins and beatboxing, a diversion from her usual guitar-driven music. Violinist Jie Song Zhang of the Stone Forest Ensemble performed the song with her. 

She introduced her latest single “Lahat” which she wrote in reference to the life she built with her family in Spain. She dedicated the song to her children and said that motherhood was one of the best things that happened to her. 

2. Teleserye soundtracks

In 2007, Kitchie released the album Drama Queen which contained songs that were soundtracks of popular teleseryes during the time. She paid homage to these tracks during the concert. As snippets of the shows flashed on the screen, she performed a medley of “Makulay na Buhay” (I Luv NY), “Huwag na Huwag Mong Sasabihin” (Lovers in Paris) and “Majika”. 

3. Kitchie Nadal was also an actress!

Unbeknownst to many, Kitchie  starred in a movie called The Muses in 2013. She also wrote songs for the movie.

The story revolved around two sisters who were pursuing a career in music. She was the younger sister in the movie. Janelle Jamer, who played the role of her older sister in the movie, went on stage to perform tracks from the movie. As an important part of her career, she made it a point to introduce the movie to the crowd, showing snippets here and there. 

4. The Tanaw Squad showed their love and support.

We would never listen to Imago’s “Sundo” in the same way ever again after the show. When the queens of OPM rock bands – composed of Acel Bisa (formerly of Moonstar 88), Aia De Leon (formerly of Imago), Barbie Almalbis (Hungry Young Poets, Barbie’s Cradle), Hannah Romawac (Session Road) and Lougee Basabas (Mojofly) – performed the song with Kitchie, it was like pieces of the puzzle came together to form one beautiful picture, or in this case, one beautiful piece. 

Trivia: Together, the six of them held an awesome sold-out concert titled Tanaw in 2022 hence the squad name. 

5. Special guests

As much as the show celebrated Kitchie Nadal’s music, it also showcased her colleagues’ talents. In between costume changes, certain artists took the helm for a bit.

Barbie Almalbis played “Torpe”. Zild, who was introduced as the future of OPM, performed “T.L. Ako Sayo” with Kitchie. Monty Macalino of Mayonnaise performed a cover of Eraserheads’ “Ligaya” followed by “Jopay” . 

6. The ties that bind

She paid tribute to her family and friends, not just verbally, but by featuring them on stage. Her mother played the piano as she sang a stirring rendition of “I’ll Be There”. Later on, her siblings joined her in singing. Kitchie shared that she sang the song to her father who was on his deathbed.

Her high school friends whom she jammed with long ago were also present. Together, they played The Cranberries’ “Linger”.

7. Kitchie Nadal-Core Outfits

Not only is Kitchie an alt-rock music icon, she is also a fashion icon to many. The term “Kitchie Nadal-core” has recently become a trending topic for Gen Z’s on TikTok. The star, of course, lived up to her reputation by donning gorgeous sets of outfits during her show. It began with the modernized burgundy and black baro’t saya matched with fishnet stockings, followed by the white fringe/layered lace top with the elegantly embellished white shorts. For the encore, she wore the sequined black top and pants which sparkled wonderfully. 

8. 8334 a.k.a. Kitchie Nadal Medley. 

Before the encore, a Karaoke-style video with moving lyrics backed by the minus-one recording of her songs played. Members of the audience were quick to sing along loudly with some even reaching out for the microphones to show their singing skills, Pinoy party style. 

Still, no one sings it better than the original. The crowd stood up and sang along to “Same Ground”, “Huwag na Huwag Mong Sasabihin” and “Bulong !!!” with none other than Kitchie Nadal, a festive end to a colorful evening.

It’s amazing that 20 years later, we finally got to see Kitchie Nadal on the same ground, owning the stage by herself. As a fan who has known her since her first single, it was not only a nostalgic trip to the past, but it was also a rediscovery of her music. Twenty years on and I still got to learn new things about her as a person and as an artist, and for that, I’m grateful.

Honestly, it seems unbelievable that this was only her first major solo show, ever. At the start of the concert, she revealed that she was afraid of doing it before. “Ngayon lang nawala takot ko dahil sa pagmamahal niyo. Totoo nga na ‘There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear’,” she said, quoting a bible verse. She repeatedly thanked the crowd for coming to the show. 

Special thanks to Gabi Na Naman Productions!

by Sandra Mae Laureano