It’s a new era for Melanie Martinez, such as the fact that she’s holding her first concert in the Philippines this January.
Related: All The Concerts, Live Shows, Fanmeets and More Coming To The Philippines This 2024
Reinvention is a word you can find in the vocabularies of many female musicians. Whether it be to introduce a new era, show growth, or move with the whims of the industry, artists are no strangers to revealing new facets of themselves. It’s an aspect Melanie Martinez is quite familiar with. For years, Melanie has presented her music through her alter ego, Crybaby. But 2023 saw a big shift for the musician.
Following a two-year hiatus from making music, she teased Crybaby’s death and the birth of a new alter ego, a pink fairy-like creature with four eyes. This, as we all know now, served as her transformation and became the new face of Melanie’s artistry with the release of her latest album, PORTALS. The LP, and the era as a whole, served as her way of expressing the idea of death and how new things can be born from the cycle.
PORTALS COMES TO MANILA
It’s a message she’s been taking on the road for months now with the Portals Tour, which is set to continue this 2024. And in a win for her Filipino fans, the tour is making a stop in the Philippines on January 23 at the World Trade Center.
As her first-ever concert in the country, Melanie is understandably excited about traveling to the archipelago. “The fact that this will be my first time meeting you guys is so special to me, and I am looking forward to singing with you,” she shares in an interview with NYLON Manila. The excitement from her Filipino fans is palpable as well as they will soon get to experience the magic of the Portals Tour. The whole show is a visual treat, though Melanie has a soft spot for SPIDER WEB and THE CONTORTIONIST as her favorites.
Ahead of her Manila concert, we got the chance to speak with Melanie as she chatted about her Philippines debut, the Portals era, the importance of artists using their platform, and more. Read on below for what she had to say.
How are you feeling that you’re coming to the Philippines this January for the Portals Tour?
I’m so excited!! It’s going to be an unforgettable experience!
What can your Filipino fans expect from the concert?
A beautiful show filled with magic and love! And a safe space to meet like-minded people who share a love for music, art and storytelling.
Personally, what is your favorite part of the show?
The whole show is so special to me but the SPIDER WEB choreography and set design is so beautiful, and THE CONTORTIONIST sparks a really loud and passionate response from the crowd that makes the song so fun to perform!
If you describe the Portals Tour in three words, what would those be?
Alchemy, surrealism, connectivity
As you were preparing for the release of Portals and the birth of a new persona, what were you hoping to achieve in this new era?
People have messaged me saying that listening to Portals has made them less anxious about death, and has lifted some of the weight of loss and grief in their life. The goal was to help people transform their feelings toward something society has been so uneasy about. Death can be metaphorical too.
We don’t like change naturally although everything in our life is about change. If we can learn to accept change and be fluid with life we can have a more positive experience while we’re here. Life is short, it’s important to see the beauty in it rather than spending each day fearing what you can’t control.
You’ve been on the road for over half a year now with the Portals tour. How has it been like being able to bring the show to different parts of the world?
It’s been so beautiful, and truly life changing. I feel the most aligned with this album and I get excited to perform it. I love singing with each crowd together in unison. It brings tears to my eyes being able to bring people together in this way.
What’s the most underrated thing about being on a world tour?
Food, meeting new people, collecting tiny treasures in each city to hold onto forever.
One thing many fans have praised you for is your vocal support for Palestine, especially during your shows. Why do you think it’s important for artists to use their platform to talk about such topics?
Art has always reflected the times so I feel artists also should speak on what’s happening in the world. A genocide isn’t something you can just scroll past and ignore. As an American artist who is fully aware that our tax money goes toward the bombing and killing of innocent people in Palestine, my heart is filled with rage. We need new world leaders. They are all failing us. They are killing many innocent people and killing our planet.
It shouldn’t be considered political or radical to just want all people to have equal rights and the same amount of resources and protection as anybody else. To just want the Palestinian people to be free from occupation, and to want the children of Gaza to be able to grow up happy and safe in their homeland. It makes no sense to me how anyone can try to justify ethnic cleansing and genocide of an entire people. It shows a complete lack of empathy.
What message do you have for your Filipino fan
I love you so much and am so excited to share this experience with you. The fact that this will be my first time meeting you guys is so special to me and I am looking forward to singing with you!!
Melanie Martinez’s concert at the World Trade Center on January 23 is presented by Live Nation Philippines. You can still get your tickets now here.
Continue Reading: Bringing the House Down: 5 Reasons Why Filipinos Are The Best Concert Crowds
