Actor and singer Alden Richards tonight makes his first visit to the Emirates with a concert at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium.
One of the most popular celebrities in the Philippines, Richards plays one half of the supercouple AlDub, the biggest cultural sensation the country has seen in years. AlDub – a combination of the duo's names, Alden and Yaya Dub (played by actress Maine Mendoza) – appear in a romantic-comedy segment on the daily noontime programme Eat Bulaga!
Thanks to his newfound fame, Richards’s debut album, released in 2013, enjoyed a surge in sales and recently shot up to Billboard’s top 10 world albums chart.
He is only the third Filipino singer to make it to the charts.
Last week, Google Philippines released a ranking of last year’s most-searched topics, which placed Richards second in the list of top-trending male personalities. Pope Francis, who visited the Philippines last January, topped the list.
Richards and Mendoza released their first feature film, My Bebe Love, a rom-com directed by Jose Javier Reyes, at Christmas.
The film broke the record for the highest opening box-office gross in Philippine film history, earning 60.5 million Philippine pesos (Dh4.7m) on its first day.
My Bebe Love is set to open in UAE cinemas next Thursday.
Tickets to Richards’s concert, cost from Dh125 to Dh295 at www.platinumlist.ae. Gates open at 7pm.
Jessica Sanchez talks about new record deal
The new year is already looking good for Filipino-American pop singer Jessica Sanchez, who hinted last weekend that her second album is in the works – and that she is considering touring.
“We’re talking to a couple of major labels,” Sanchez, 20, told Popdust. “This year, I might jump on some tours. I’m very, very excited.”
Sanchez was catapulted to fame after appearing on American Idol in 2012, when she was just 16 years old. After finishing as the competition's runner-up, she released her debut album – Me, You and the Music – in 2013
“I’m also working with a couple of producers for new music,” she added. “I’m just ready for the new year.”
Last month, Sanchez surprised her fans by dropping a holiday album, Christmas with Jessica. Recorded in just two days, the record features seasonal standards including Santa Baby, Silent Night and Joy to the World.
“That EP was so crazy last- minute,” Sanchez said. “I’m really happy it came out the way it did. My fans have been waiting very, very patiently. I thought, I have to do something for them. I have to give them some kind of Christmas gift.”
This week, Sanchez also launched her first merchandise store online – featuring a selection of clothing and accessories.
She told Billboard magazine: “I personally hand-picked what I wanted. I have always wanted to do clothing because I’m a typical girl – and I love clothes and shoes.”
American Idol returned for its 15th and final season yesterday in the US. The first two episodes will be screened in the UAE tonight and tomorrow at 8pm on OSN First HD.
Rom-com tops Metro Manila Film Festival
The romantic comedy Walang Forever, directed by Dan Villegas, took home five trophies from the Metro Manila Film Festival last week. It won Best Picture, Best Screenplay, Best Original Story and the top acting awards for stars Jennylyn Mercado and Jericho Rosales.
It marked a back-to-back win for Mercado, who won the same Best Actress award last year for English Only, Please, which was also helmed by Villegas.
“Thank you very much to Direk Dan Villegas for his overflowing encouragement,” Mercado said in her acceptance speech. “Thank you for casting me year after year. This is for all of us. This is such a beautiful Christmas gift.”
The action-horror film Nilalang also bagged five awards, for Cinematography, Editing, Visual Effects, Musical Score and Sound Engineering. Directed by Pedring Lopez, the film stars Cesar Montano and Japanese actress Maria Ozawa.
Crime thriller Honor Thy Father won the Best Director prize for Erik Matti. The win came after the film was disqualified from the Best Picture race because it did not disclose its appearances at festivals, according to the MMFF committee.
Starring John Lloyd Cruz, the film was screened in the Contemporary World Cinema section of the Toronto International Film Festival last year. It was also shown at the Hawaii International Film Festival and the local CinemaOne Originals Festival.
Matti did not attend the awards ceremony, but a representative read a message from the director, who urged the Filipino public to “demand better films” and “better choices in the cinemas”.
“You deserve better,” Matti added.
artslife@thenational.ae
