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‘Marielle, you’ve got something there, babe. You’ve got to always be ready. You have to be at all my concerts,’ says EGOT nominee and ‘Wicked’ star Cynthia Erivo
MANILA, Philippines – As children, we grow up looking up to people — our parents, our aunts and uncles, older siblings, and even our cousins. But some of us look up to role models we see in the media, and these people can shape our perception of what we want our future to hold.
For Marielle Alcantara, a 26-year-old Filipina singer born and raised in the Philippines, she never thought that she would meet her idol, Cynthia Erivo, when she purchased a ticket to watch her performance at The Mann in Philadelphia — much less be able to sing with her.
On June 21, Alcantara had her chance, but she chalks this up to pure luck.
“Bumili ako ng ticket a couple months ago already. So, I got a good seat. Mag-isa ako. And then, nandoon ako sa first row of my section. Tapos nasa dulo ako. So, ‘sakto, pagbaba ni Cynthia ng stairs, nakita niya agad ako, and nag-eye contact kami,” Alcantara told Rappler.
(I bought a ticket a couple of months ago already. So I got a good seat. I was alone and then I was seated at the end of the first row of my section. So when Cynthia descended the stairs, she saw me immediately and we had eye contact.)
In a video that has since gone viral, Alcantara is seen recording herself singing with the Wicked star, who was handing the mic over to Alcantara. The song they sang? Aretha Franklin’s “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” — a track that’s infamously difficult to sing for the average person.
Erivo was clearly bowled over by her ability to reach all the notes in the Queen of Soul’s iconic song.
Alcantara tells Rappler that before Erivo started singing the track she told the audience that she’d like them to sing with her. She said once they locked eyes, she asked Erivo if she could sing with her.
“I guess she sensed it, and then she shared the mic with me. Tapos, buti alam ko ‘yung kanta, alam ko ‘yung lyrics. And then, ayun, it was only like less than a minute na interaction, pero sobrang memorable and grabe, nakakatuwa na ginawa niya ‘yun with me,” she recounted.
(I guess she sensed it, and then she shared the mic with me. Thankfully, I know the song, I know the lyrics. Then, the interaction was only less than a minute but I was so memorable, and I’m overjoyed that she did that with me.)
‘You’ve got something there, babe’
Following the interaction, Erivo praised Alcantara on stage saying: “My goodness, that was amazing! Marielle, you’ve got something there, babe. You’ve got to always be ready. You have to be at all my concerts.”
This isn’t the first time the Filipina has sung in front of a crowd, though. She said she has been singing since she was a child — joining glee clubs, choirs, and even performing in university as a member of the De La Salle Innersoul.
Despite having a full-time job as an account executive in Philadelphia, Alcantara says singing continues to be an outlet for her. “I really tried to jam with mga live bands sa Pilipinas as much as possible,” Alcantara said. “Even dito sa Amerika, ang uso dito parang piano bar. So, doon ako medyo nakiki-jam, ganyan. Saka, sa church din. So, ‘yun ‘yung outlet ko dito.”
(I really tried to jam with live bands in the Philippines as much as possible. Even here in America, piano bars are in vogue. So, I sometimes go there and jam with them, also at our local church. So that’s my outlet here.)
‘Sobrang kilig’
Alcantara says she posted the video after the performance, and less than 24 hours later, she was flabbergasted that the EGOT nominee reposted her video.
“Nagulat na lang ako na nirepost ni Cynthia tapos tinag niya rin ako. Sobrang kilig. Actually nasa isang parang Filipino community event ako dito sa Philadelphia when that happened. So, sobrang nagulat ako at that time pero very humbled by you know the opportunity to have that platform especially for my idol,” she said.
(I was surprised when Cynthia reposted the video, then she also tagged me. It was such a thrill. I was in a Filipino community event in Philadelphia when that happened. I was really surprised at the time but at the same time very humbled by, you know, the opportunity to have that platform, especially for my idol.)
Asked if Erivo’s team has reached out to her, she said” “Hindi pa, pero if magkaroon ng opportunity, siyempre i-grab natin ‘yan. The fact na nirecognize niya ako, it already meant a lot. So, really thankful.”
(Not yet, but if the opportunity arises, of course, I’ll grab it. The fact that she recognized me, already meant a lot. So, really thankful.) – Rappler.com
