When Odette Quesada and Ogie Alcasid share a stage, something remarkable happens — time slows down, melodies feel familiar yet alive again, and generations of listeners suddenly remember who they were when they first fell in love.
On November 7, the two icons of Original Pilipino Music will reunite anew at the SM Mall of Asia Arena for “Q & A,” their ninth joint concert, and one that promises to be more than a night of nostalgia. It’s a homecoming and not just for the artists, but for the songs that helped shape the emotional DNA of Filipino music.
Odette’s legacy is etched in the country’s romantic consciousness. Her ballads, like “Till I Met You,” “A Friend of Mine,” “Farewell,” “Growing Up,” “I Need You Back,” and “Don’t Know What To Say (Don’t Know What To Do),” are the soundtrack of countless love stories. With every line, she captured both the ache and sweetness of being young and in love, writing songs that outlived the decades that birthed them.
Ogie, on the other hand, is the rare artist who bridges generations. A singer, actor, and songwriter, many of his works, including karaoke staples “Nandito Ako,” “Kailangan Kita,” “Bakit Ngayon Ka Lang,” and “Ikaw Lamang,” speak to the vulnerability of men in love, their longing, joy, and heartbreak rendered in melody.
Though they create differently, they are kindred spirits.
Odette writes from inspiration, often sparked by fleeting human moments. “Till I Met You” was born from overhearing a girl tell her partner she didn’t know what love was until she met him.
Ogie draws from life itself. “My songs are autobiographical,” he says. “It’s hard sometimes, because you’re being too vulnerable. But that’s what gives it truth.”
With Marvin Querido as musical director, Paolo Bustamante staging the show, and the APO Hiking Society joining as special guests, “Q & A” promises to be more than a concert: It’s going to be a rare musical conversation between two storytellers whose songs taught us what love sounds like.
