TJ MONTERDE ON HISTORIC 'SARILI NATING MUNDO' CONCERT: 'IT'S REALLY ABOUT GOD'S TIMING'

FOR SINGER-SONGWRITER TJ MONTERDE, THE IDEA OF HEADLINING A concert at the Araneta Coliseum felt surreal. Selling it out for three consecutive nights? Even more unimaginable. But that's exactly what happened with his "Sarili Nating Mundo" concert series happening this Feb. 1, 2 and 3, making the 35-year-old Cornerstone artist the first male local solo act to achieve this feat at the Big Dome.

- By NATHALIE M. TOMADA

"Originally, it was scheduled for one day only, and for me personally, 'di pa ako sure kung gawin ko pa to kasi Araneta na 'to," TJ shared in an exclusive interview with The STAR ahead of his shows that commence tonight at 8. "NFT (New Frontier Theater concert in 2024), medyo kabado na ako nun. Pero nung sinabi na 'Araneta ka na next year,' sige po, sunod nalang ako."

When the concert was announced in October last year, to his shock, the first show sold out in just two hours. "Parang nanlalamig ako nung time na yun. (To hold a show in) Araneta kasi goal ng mga artists talaga. And yet, sell it out in two hours? I couldn't understand how I felt."

Encouraged by the overwhelming demand, a second night was added — and sold out even faster. Then came the prospect of a third one. "When they (Cornerstone) told me about Day 3, I was already hesitant. I asked, 'Are you sure about the three days? 'Di ko alam kung mabebenta pa ba natin yun. Parang enough na yung two days.'"

But a piece of advice from his concert director, John Prats, stuck. "Sabi ni direk Pratty, 'Bro, you will never know kung mauulit natin to.' Ako kasi, andun ako sa mindset that I'll take each day as it comes. Kung ano meron sa akin ngayon, enjoy namin mga ka-banda ko. Thank you, Lord, sold out ang three days."

'Disbelief, pressure, excitement'

TJ, nevertheless, admitted that the pressure was immense. After all, Filipino audiences in more recent years were used to seeing international artists, particularly K-pop acts, as the ones selling out successive shows at major concert venues. "To be honest, kinakabahan po talaga ako nung sinabi na three days. Sabi mo nga, mostly international artists lang ang nakaka-achieve nito, tapos solo pa ako," he told this writer.