IN PHOTOS: Little Mix in high-energy Manila concert

I’m far from what appears to be Little Mix’s target demographic, so I headed in, prepared to tough it out for the show – think the Spice Girls meets the Snapchat generation. I had done my research, and two particular factoids stood out for me.

Little Mix, who won the 8th season of X-Factor UK, was the brainchild of Simon Cowell (of American Idol fame) so there must be something here. Whether you love him or hate him (I think, generally, that there’s no middle ground with Simon), he’s got the knack for recognizing and assembling talent.

And even more impressive was they had made a recording with legendary producer Steve Lillywhite, who has collaborated with a variety of musicians: The Rolling Stones, U2, Dave Matthews Band, Peter Gabriel, Talking Heads, Morrissey, The Killers, XTC, the list goes on and on. Needless to say, he’s a living legend in the recorded music world.

Little Mix started the show descending a staircase, stepping towards a sea of flashing bunny ears, glow-sticks, and loud shrieking from the crowd at the Kia Theater last Friday, May 20th.

As the opening chords of “Grown” resounded across the theater, fans erupted simultaneously, immediately rushing to the stage from all angles.

The accompanying male dancers, dressed in an bondage-inspired look, then tore away an overcoat especially designed for the stage, to reveal the girls in their stage outfits.

The show was on. These ladies were clearly in great shape, it takes a surprising amount of stamina to dance for 90 minutes, with moves that would give Beyoncé a run for her money.

“If you’ve got it, flaunt it,” seems to be the norm, there’s not much of an envelope left to push these days. Quite often though, this fanfare is just hype, a smokescreen used to disguise a less than skilled vocalist, but this was not the case here. These ladies could sing the phone book and it would sound fantastic.

A four-piece hailing from the UK, they were all solo artists at one time, and Jesy Nelson, Jade Thirlwall, Perrie Edwards, and Leigh-Anne Pinnock boast individually impressive voices. But together, they take it to a whole other level. It’s not a simple task keeping 4 vocals in time, on pitch, and in harmony with such complicated choreography.

It really takes a special performer to be able to pull off the sensational dancing and still sing without missing a beat. Their vocal performance – for much of the night –  was something closer to the quality that you might hear coming from a studio recording. It was a spectacle, really, and remarkably, they never let the energy dip, other than a few quick, well-deserved water breaks. At one point, they even threw a sweaty towel into the crowd, fortuitously caught by an enthusiastic young man.

They seemed taken aback by such a warm and enthusiastic welcome from the Manila crowd. Jessy did most of the talking in between songs. “We’ve been here only one day, and I think this is our favorite place in the world!” she enthusiastically announced.

I was still impressed with the overall performance, they nailed the choreography song after song, with a barrage of never-ending, well-staged movements. They also addressed the crowd at perfectly timed intervals in between songs, and playfully clowned around, keeping the crowd entertained.

For me, the strongest portions of the event was when the ladies slowed things down and you appreciated just how good they really were, like with the ballads “Little Me” or “Secret Love Song.” Just them singing, no spectacular production or dazzling lighting arrays, just the music sung with heartfelt emotion.

Another standout was “Salute” with its steady melodic beat – or more of a cadence – along with their impressive towering voices. There were also a few moments on various tracks that stood out when Perrie busted out some powerful high notes, which rose above the others.

They closed their set with a strong song, “Black Magic.”

The front act hailing from Singapore, a 4-piece band called The Sam Willows, was also a special treat for the night. They had more of a alternative folk pop style – think Bon Iver meets The Naked and Famous.

After all has been said and done, I was pleasantly surprised. Even if you’re not a pop music fan, it was tough not to like this show. With enough energy to power a small city, super tight harmonies, and drop-dead gorgeous looks, it’s readily apparent why they have garnered so much attention in the music world. They have a simple message: to just be yourself – sound advice.

This group of gifted young ladies delivered an uplifting performance. With a combination of pop brilliance and their ability to execute a complex stage show, keep an eye out for more from these women. – Rappler.com