The mere opening songs in “Nina XX: The Repeat” – “I Couldn’t Ask for More” and “There You’ll Be” – easily brought Diamond Soul Siren Nina to tears. She was apparently overwhelmed seeing the full-house crowd that greeted her, the second time around. Three weeks before the concert, tickets were sold out.
“Patapos na, naiyak pa,” Nina smilingly said. “Try ko na pigilan pero ‘di na kinaya.”
“Not long ago, all I had were songs in my heart and a dream to chase,” said Nina. “Hindi ko nga alam kung saan ako dadalhin ng journey na ‘to. I only knew that I want to sing stories that matter – stories about love, heartbreak, healing, hope. May mga gabing puno ng ingay. Meron namang mga sandaling tahimik lang.
“But in every high and every low, there was always something constant – ‘yung kailan man hindi nawala. Alam niyo ba kung ano ‘yun? Kung sino ‘yun? Kayo! Kaya ngayong gabi, hindi lang ito concert, this is my love letter to you. My way of thanking you for every step we have taken together.
“To everyone who has been here since Day One and to everyone who just found their way, this celebration is for you. Let’s reminisce together. Sabayan niyo akong kumanta. Once again, my name is Nina. And here we are. I am where I am right now because of you.”
Photo by Edwin Del Campo
Then she gave the audience familiar tracks from her highest-selling “Nina Live” album – “Colored Kisses,” “Fall for You,” “Sunlight” – which was undoubtedly a commercial success when it was released back in 2005. That made Nina reach the status as Diamond Soul Siren because of the sales.
“Nina Live” was a critical and commercial success, spawning three No. 1 singles — Julia Fordham’s “Love Moves in Mysterious Ways,” Chaka Khan’s “Through the Fire” and Celine Dion’s “I Love You, Goodbye” — all of which returned to the set list for “XX: The Repeat.”
Guest Thor Dulay joined Nina anew and they did a duet of “The Closer I Get To You” and “Wherever You Go.” With Christian Bautista, they relived their duet, Tina Arena’s “Burn” mashed up with “Cool With You,” both from the “Nina Live” album.
“I’m proud that I’m backing up Nina,” said Bautista when he was singled out to do a duet with Nina at that time.
Another guest, Top Suzara, did a duet with Nina of Freestyle’s popular single, “Before I Let You Go,” mashed up with Lia’s “Constantly.”
A popular Barry Manilow tune, “Somewhere Down the Road” and Brenda Russell’s “Piano In the Dark” were also in the line-up. They were followed by Nina’s Diane Warren medley – “I’ll Never Get Over You,” “Love Will Lead You Back,” “Unbreak My Heart,” “I Don’t Want To Be Your Friend.”
Towards the latter part of the concert, Nina thanked her glam team, her production assistant, her “super loved” manager Kathy Avellana, her husband Coy, her daughter Bella, producers Mhae Arenas of Echo Jam Entertainment, Robert Lopez and Roland Lee of Synth X, engineer Benjamin Austria, management of Newport Performing Arts Theater and Newport World Resorts.
Photo by Edwin Del Campo
She also introduced her band – bassist and musical director Soc Mina, drummer Niño Regalado, saxophonist Michael Mark Guevarra, production and music coordinator Eryl Cortes and Rey Pajarillo, violinists Jonty Libiongco and Dino Decena, guitarist Ardie de Guzman, Jay Agustin on first keyboard, Orly de la Cruz on keyboard 2, vocal arranger Marnie Jereza, back-up vocals Mike Luis, back up Sammy Gaddi. Then she thanked her concert director, Calvin Murphy Neria.
“Rehearsals pa lang on my own, sabi ko hindi ako iiyak, pero ‘pag narinig ko ang song live umiiyak na ‘ko,” Nina said. “Thank you so much for making my concert a celebration every time. Hindi magiging maganda ang music without you.”
In a rare moment, Nina gave her audience a Tagalog song and rendered an “extra-special” number, a Rey Valera original, “Kung Kailangan Mo Ako,” the first time she is singing it live.
In keeping with the spirit of Christmas, Nina later crooned Gary Valenciano’s “Pasko Na, Sinta Ko” and Ariel Rivera’s “Sana Ngayong Pasko,” that brought her to tears again.
Then she belted out “I Love You Goodbye” from her “Nina Live” album and more familiar tunes from her set list – “Jealous” from her debut studio album “Heaven,” “Someday,” “Through the Fire,” “Foolish Heart” – and her encore, expectedly, the mega hit, “Love Moves In Mysterious Ways.”
Nina already announced her February 2027 concert, “Nina Sings Valera,” which will hear her singing purely Tagalog songs. That is something to look forward to.