98 DEGREES LOOKS BACK ON PINOY FANS' ROLE IN RISE TO FAME

MAKING A REFERENCE TO A single from their album "Revelation," 98 Degrees gave Pinoy fans two nights of nostalgia, replete with '90s and 2000s songs and lasting musical memories.

- By JERRY DONATO

Nick Lachey, Jeff Timmons, Drew Lachey and Justin Jeffre and the audience had the time of their lives. The American boy band and vocal group performed in the country for different occasions and was supposed to mount a tour in 2020, but the pandemic stopped it from happening.

And finally, they were in town and successfully treated everyone to a musical walk down memory lane, with a glimpse of the contemporary sound that 98 Degrees has ventured into through songs from the 2025 album, "Full Circle."

They gave the audience an hour and a half of inspired performances—from singing to dancing—along with well-crafted segments, fun banter and lots of sing-along moments at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. Since the show was well-written, the crowd was fully engaged and lost track of time. It truly felt like a "time flies" experience. Many were surprised that the concert had already concluded and wanted to hear more from them.

The 98 Degrees concerts in Manila showed the boy band's passion for music and performing, and gratitude to Filipinos who played a role in helping jumpstart their recording career back in the late '90s.

"I think patience and respect, you know," said Jeff when asked about the secret to the group staying intact and strong through the years. "Well, we're still, it's an ongoing process, right? We have a ton of respect for each other. You know, two guys (Nick and Drew) are brothers. These guys (myself and Justin) grew up together."