'As We Are' deserves an encore

Bringing together Shiela Valderrama and Arman Ferrer to perform together onstage is not a tall order.

- LEAH C. SALTERIO

Since they teamed up for the first time in 2017, they were often seen in concerts, musicals and even corporate events as a pair, like two peas in a pod.

While musicals are the most number of times Shiela and Arman share the stage together, they recently decided to perform in a full-length concert, "As We Are," at the Maybank Performing Arts Theater (Globe Auditorium).

An apt title for an ideal concert, "As We Are" showed the real side of Shiela and Arman — no façade, no roles or characters being played, no acting or theatrics to follow — just the two of them onstage singing the songs they love to perform.

There was no band or singers to back them up, just their musical director Ejay Yatco to accompany them on the grand piano.

They were grateful to Ejay who found time to squeeze in their concert despite providing live, original music to "Pingkian: Isang Musikal," a stirring tribute to revolutionary hero Emilio Aguinaldo.

Shiela and Arman opened "As We Are" with a Broadway medley of familiar tunes from popular musicals — Tonight from "West Side Story," I Dreamed A Dream from "Les Miserables," If I Loved You from "Carousel," Corner of the Sky from "Pippin," Take Me As I Am from "Jekyll and Hyde" and Last Night of the World from "Miss Saigon."

That immediately got the concert on cue as everyone appreciated the beautiful songs they rendered. Their voices musically synched and their chemistry onstage was evident right away.

"I am Arman and I am Shiela," started the two artists. "Tonight, we are performing 'As We Are," they stressed.