Freestyle | MANILA CONCERT SCENE

After numerous sold-out concerts since the relaunching of Freestyle with original frontman and songwriter Top Suzara last year, the iconic OPM band is set to take the big stage with a 25th anniversary concert happening on May 20, 2023 at the Music Museum.

Entitled “Giving It All This Time”, the concert invites the audience to journey through 25 years of Freestyle’s music and officially mark a new chapter of the band with the all-male cast of Ian Tan, Lerod Cailao, Bouy Manalo, and IJ Garcia joining Suzara.

“This is my 25th year in the industry and this show will, one, be the first official show in a concert setting where we will celebrate with all original songs, and, two, be the resurgence of Freestyle as we make good on the promise to continue together where I left off many years ago, when writing and sharing original songs was what drove us. This concert will be a story-telling journey through songs,” explains Suzara.

With hit songs such as “Before I Let You Go”, “So Slow”, “This Time”, “Till I Found You”, “Para Sayo”, their rendition of “Bakit Ngayon Ka Lang?”, and “Once In A Lifetime”, Freestyle intends to bring its unique brand of music to a bigger stage at the Music Museum in San Juan, Metro Manila on May 20 to welcome more fans after a successful string of concerts from last year.

“The past few months have been awesome. The fans really missed Freestyle especially with Top as part of the band. Most of the venues that we’ve performed in were sold out – which we’re so thankful for,” shares Garcia, who performs as keyboardist and music director.

Meanwhile, Freestyle drummer Cailao recounts the excitement of fans who have even booked flights from provinces or from overseas to watch the gigs.

“It’s amazing to see the supporters of Freestyle really showing support for the band. When they hear Top’s voice and their all-time favorite songs, you can really feel their excitement and emotions pouring out. It’s very touching, and it inspires us to work harder to do great shows every night,” said Cailao.

“I believe the top hit songs of Freestyle – “This Time” and “Before I Let You Go” – still touch the audience up to this point. These iconic songs trigger nostalgia. It is a good thing Freestyle music remained to be aired, used in several movies, and has reached a greater demographic,” shares bassist Tan.

Manalo, who performs as guitarist and has been an avid fan of the band, shares that playing with Freestyle is a dream come true, saying, “As a new band member of Freestyle, I’m still overwhelmed with everything. I still pinch myself at every show we do.”

Following the relaunch of the band in October 2022, Freestyle has also been busy sharing new music with audiences.

“The first new song we released is called “Maybe”, a song that talks of what ifs and second chances. We’ve included this song in most of our live gigs and shows and so far people have been receiving it very well,” shares Garcia.

Frontman Suzara has also hinted at future performances and releases in the pipeline, including concert tours around the Philippines and abroad and more new songs Freestyle fans can enjoy.

With this new and exciting chapter in Freestyle’s journey, the band assures its audience that it will continue to stay true to its distinct brand of original Filipino music telling honest and relevant stories that hit close to the heart.

“We’re surprised to see so many younger people appreciating the songs even if they hadn’t been born yet when these became popular. It goes to show how timeless Freestyle’s brand of music is. It spans generations,” says Cailao.

Tickets to “Giving It All This Time” on May 20, 2023 (Saturday) at the Music Museum are available on TicketWorld and Music Museum. For reservations, please text or call PPMPI at 09285106000.

OPM icon Freestyle and Top Suzara grow into new horizons with the announcement of an expanded brand touching on music, advertising, live entertainment, and merchandise following their media launch entitled “Freestyle: Giving It All This Time…And More” on Monday.

Building on the band’s discography of hit songs such as “Before I Let You Go”, “So Slow”, “This Time”, “Till I Found You”, “Para Sayo”, their rendition of “Bakit Ngayon Ka Lang”, and “Once in a Lifetime”, Freestyle is set to connect with fans anew through original music for release this year and a series of concerts in the Philippines and abroad.

“When Freestyle started, the heart of the music really lay in the original songs that we felt our fans connected with and grew up with. This time, we are starting that journey again with new songs to share that we hope will touch our fans and new generations of Pinoy Listeners”, shared Suzara, who served as the band’s vocalist and composer from 1997.

After pursuing a solo career in 2005, Suzara gained renown on his own with classic OPM ballads such as “Sabihin Mo Na”, and has since established himself to be one of the country’s most celebrated singer-songwriters. In recent years, the artist has also made a name in advertising through musical and artistic collaborations with top brands and companies.

“What we hope to share with our fans from today is our undying passion for making and sharing original music, as well as a rekindling of our relationship with fans whom we first connected with through our original songs in the early days of Freestyle. At the same time, we hope to share with them our growth because, today, Freestyle is so much more than its music”, he shared.

During the media launch, Suzara unveiled Freestyle as a brand touching on a wider range of entertainment products such as advertising services leveraging Freestyle’s music and artistry, merchandise, forays into digital media, and other projects in the pipeline.

“We know that Freestyle as a brand has a lot more to offer because we’re passionate about telling stories that touch on people’s feelings and sentiments. We want to take that capacity for storytelling further not just through songs, but also through other products and services. We know that, in the digital era, we’re competing for eyeballs and seconds of attention, but we still believe that good stories can stand out”, Suzara shared, adding:

“Of course, we will always go back to the core, to our music, We’re excited to have upcoming collaborations with other Filipino artists, and we’re thrilled to take the stage again to share these conneted, intimate moments with our fans and audiences.

Nearly three decades since the establishment of the band in 1996, Freestyle is set to kick off this new chapter with a live performance on October 20, 2022 at 19 East.

Upcoming tours, concerts, and other updates will be announced through their official Facebook page at www.facebook.com/freestyle.philippines