Toni Gonzaga’s sweet revenge
The year was 1997. Celestine Gonzaga, a 13-year-old aspiring singer from Taytay, Rizal, joined the Metropop Star Search a year after it was revived.
The music festival became her first biggest break and her first biggest rejection at the same time. Jonard Yanzon was declared the champion, while Carmela Cuneta (aka Faith Cuneta) and Melanie Calumpad (later known as Kyla) placed second and third, respectively.
The loss prompted Celestine to branch out to other aspects of show business and reinvent herself as Toni Gonzaga.
‘True love has a habit of coming back’
The public would get to know her via a soft drinks commercial (screaming the now immortal line, “I love you, Piooooooooolo!”), then co-hosting “Eat Bulaga” and, later, as rom-com movie actress.
When the 30-year-old star stages her anniversary concert called Celestine on October 3 at the Mall of Asia Arena, it returns her to her first love 15 years after she triumphed and eventually lost at the Metropop Star Search festival.
"Ang lagi kong sinasabi, 'True love has a habit of coming back,’” Toni told the media recently. "Kahit na ilang beses kong talikuran ang pag-awit, kahit na 'yun talaga ang first love ko, bumabalik at bumabalik."
Sweet revenge with a price tag to match
Now a box-office star and sought-after product endorser, Celestine’s sweet revenge comes with a price tag to match: P5250 for VIP tickets to see the once-rejected artist command a musical stage.
By the same token, Toni is also under a lot of pressure to pull off a winner at the dauntingly massive venue and with Paolo Valenciano as director.
“Ako, I’m concentrating on Celestine. Mairaos ko lang ‘to, okay na ako. Itong October 3 ang pinakaimportanteng araw sa taon ko,” she said.
Repertoire
Proof of how dedicated Toni is to the show is her planned repertoire, which Direk Paolo is very proud of.
"We can’t just do random songs na walang meaning to Toni or walang meaning sa fans niya,” Paolo said. “Minsan kasi nao-overlook ng concert directors 'yung flow ng concert; kailangan may istorya."
Paolo also considered Toni’s fans.
No covers
"More than anything, we’re doing a show for the fans of Toni. We feel we’ve come up with a show na talagang makaka-relate ‘yung mga supporters ni Toni.”
If you’re expecting covers of Lady Gaga or Taylor Swift, then this concert isn’t for you because Toni has promised to do all-original songs from her album—from start to end.
“Wala kaming covers. We’re really going to showcase original Pilipino music which is in my album na bibigyan ng ibang flavor, collaboration, mashups. Talagang magsho-showcase 'yung musicality and personality ko.”
No death-defying stunts, too
Toni won’t pull off larger-than-life stunts, either (hello, Anne Curtis)—she’ll simply showcase herself as a singer.
"Buwis buhay? Hindi naman tayo dadating sa ganung level. Pero when Pao said na numbers that I’ve never done before, it’s really to showcase what I can do, 'yung music ko and share to everyone' yung music influences ko," she said.
The director himself admitted he was especially nervous, more so than when he directed his dad, because Celestine is going to be Paolo’s first non-Gary V concert.
More bongga than Gary V?
Yet, he holds up his dad’s anniversary concert Arise as his benchmark, a feat he wants to top.
“Since I’ve been working with my father, parang 'yung ginagawa namin ngayon is we’re getting that kind of Gary V level na production, tapos gagawin namin for Celestine. And I think there are even some stuff na we’re trying out na mas bongga pa sa ginawa namin sa Arise,” he said.
Among Toni’s confirmed guests are her “Starting over Again” co-star Piolo Pascual, little sister Alex Gonzaga and fellow Kapamilya host Vice Ganda.
