Fans braved the traffic and tight security, as international pop star Britney Spears performed in Manila at the Mall of Asia Arena for the first time last Thursday night.
People of all ages came in Britney-inspired outfits complete with wigs and high heels. Most of them have waited for Britney to come to the Philippines since they were teenagers.
Britney opened the show with “Work B*tch”, one of the hits from her eighth studio album Britney Jean, which was released in 2013.
She then continued through a string of more of her hits, such as “Toxic”, “…Baby One More Time”, and “Oops!… I Did It Again”. She also sang her new songs “Make Me…” and “Slumber Party” from her newest album Glory.
All her performances were matched with amazing choreography, outfit changes, backup dancers and set changes.
One of our favorite songs was “Toxic”. The background had the image of a forest. There was a ballet performance at the beginning of the song with the first few lines starting slow and mellow, then moving toward a more upbeat sound.
We also loved “I’m a Slave 4 U”, where Britney danced on a pole in the middle of the stage. It was straight out her Las Vegas residency back in 2010.
One of the most-awaited moments of the concert was when Britney performed “Freakshow” and picked a random person from the audience. The person chosen was fitted with a harness and made to get on the floor on all floors and guide Britney to centerstage while she held onto the leash. At the end of the performance, the person was given a T-shirt that Britney autographed onstage.
One of the highlights of the night was when almost everyone in the crowd sang along with “Piece of Me”, which included the lyrics “Don’t matter if I step on the scene, or sneak away to the Philippines”.
The concert, sponsored by Smart Communications, was a visual and musical feast for Britney fans. We would’ve wanted to see her more animated and interact more with fans. But we were just happy to see her finally make it to the Philippines and, maybe, look forward to another performance next year.
Image credits: @Livesmart on Instagram