PHOTOS COURTESY OF MARTIN NIEVERA OFFICAL/FACEBOOK
Forty-two years ago, a young man with a booming baritone and boundless energy burst into the gates of Philippine entertainment, unaware that he would one day be hailed as the country's "Concert King." No other artist has succeeded him since, for besides emerging as a prolific hitmaker, he repeatedly made history as a captivating performer. With a singing style all his own and a truly inimitable stage presence, he has not only filled the largest venues across the Philippines in the last four decades but also set the trend for such grand-scale performances while breaking barriers abroad. The proudly Filipino artist holds the record for being the first solo male artist from the country to stage full-length concerts in America's mammoth Walt Disney Concert Hall, John Anson Ford Amphitheatre, and Hollywood Bowl, among others.
It, therefore, comes as a surprise that when asked what the biggest challenge of his storied career has been, the towering figure of Original Pilipino Music (OPM) that is Martin Nievera says it happens to be his upcoming 42nd-anniversary concert at The Smart Araneta Coliseum on September 27.
Besides filling the largest concert venues in the Philippines, Nievera holds the record for being the first solo male artist from the country to stage full-length concerts in America’s mammoth Walt Disney Concert Hall, John Anson Ford Amphitheatre and Hollywood Bowl, among others.