ManilaStar Events, the group that produced Pin@ypalooza 2011, appropriately has the motto “Believe In The Dream”. The dream to show that Pilipino and Asian artists in Chicago have noteworthy talent, and fans who cannot be ignored. While the first Pin@ypalooza may have been viewed as a fluke or a one-and-done event by some, ManilaStar’s continued events throughout the year culminating in the second Pin@ypalooza proves that this is one dream that has become reality.
Further proving that idea, ManilaStar challenged themselves by ensuring this year's event would be just as entertaining as last year's star-studded show, but without a single repeat act. The night began with several Chicago-based acts, including emcees Brent “LP” Abas and Excel Cruz (the latter performing partly with headliner Kierra Folsom) and dance crew The Puzzle League. Local musicians also had their chance to show off their talents as the House of Blues-experienced Robert Tolledo and Francis Perfecto with his band The RisQ (who placed second in AJ Rafael’s Music Speaks Competition) rocked Portage Theater.
Kat Badar stunned the Portage Theater audience with soulful and powerful vocals, and she was stunned by a devoted fan who wanted a souvenir honey packet she had used and the request for an impromptu encore. The random track that came up for her was Usher's “DJ Got Us Falling In Love Again”, which led to an on-stage party with her, Lydia Paek, and the entire Manilastar staff. Kierra Folsom shone in her debut public performance, staying collected in the face of a rowdy audience while singing some radio hits and jamming on her guitar and ukelele. Excel also returned the favor from earlier, performing once again with Kierra.
Closing out the night was Design, winners of the Prelude Midwest Urban Dance Competition, and a couple other dancers who are also known for their musical talents – Quest Crew members Victor Kim and Lydia Paek. Clad in a newly-bought Sherpa hat to fight the Chicago cold, Victor started off with a very personal performance of “The Only Exception” before bringing Lydia on stage to join him. The pair covered a few hits including “Grenade” and “Forget You” before Victor closed out the show with a quick dance exhibition that brought the crowd to its feet.
Prior to the finale, ManilaStar founder and executive director Jeff DeGuia took the stage and humbly thanked all his friends and family who have helped make ManilaStar a reality. In only a short couple of years, ManilaStar has firmly established itself as a motivated group of people hustling to achieve their mission of bringing visibility to Pilipino and Asian artists and, maybe more importantly, establish a community while doing so. Judging by the fresh playlist and the fans who gathered despite the recent snowpocalypse, they may already be there.
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