REVIEW: FELIP’s ‘7Sins’ concert is a world-building treat for both the angsty and vulnerable
"You guys are beautiful,” FELIP, sporting his returning red hair, Balenciaga bomber jacket, and overall no-holds-barred ensemble, talked to the crowd in the first hour of 7Sins, his first solo concert bringing his debut album to life on July 27.
The ear-splitting scream that followed was expected, and so were his words of affirmation in the first place. But while compliments like those are usually thrown by artists in between performances to keep the audience in the zone, what makes FELIP’s words stand out may point to the show’s subtext.
When he told this message to the fans—a mix of SB19 fanbase A’TIN, plus Ken/FELIP-focused “Sisiws” and “Fstans”—it didn’t appear as if he was plucking a random adjective out of thin air for plain fanfare. Rather, more weight was added to “beauty” as this meant despite imperfections. After all, 7Sins references the seven deadly sins originating from Christianity.
This atmosphere would already begin as one journeyed to the entrance. The newly unveiled Space at One Ayala added to the intrigue about how things would unfold. The way was easy to navigate, yes, but it was also fun to imagine being lost and realizing that you only need to follow an accidental trail, a.k.a. attendees clad in black.
This conscious effort to dress up according to the album’s thematics is just the tip of the iceberg of how FELIP’s fans have been fervent supporters of the 27-year-old’s musical journey. From a singer-songwriter spitting bars as SB19’s Ken Suson to an artist known for seamlessly combining rap and rock, FELIP is now leading his fans more intentionally to his creative ethos. And it would start with a murky voice wrapping the room.
“If we do not know envy, wrath, greed, pride, gluttony, lust, sloth… how could we know the value of forgiveness, peace, gratitude, joy, patience, love, among other beautiful things and feelings?” the omniscient narrator said. The anticipation was further built with a pseudo thunderstorm in lights and sounds, plus an inviting guitar solo that raised rock-and-roll hand signs in the air. “Only with understanding all these can we have acceptance.”
The gates of hell seemed to open once the dimly lit stage transformed to bloody red. Through heavy vibrations and a rising column, FELIP made his grand entrance, a clever way to plant his reign in the show as there were other elements playing around the stage—and for good reason. From his team’s conceptual choreography to avant-garde elements, the production would take risks to write an enticing story.
FELIP shifted from villain arc anthem-like foes to the aggressive envy seamlessly, that they almost didn’t feel like separate tracks. Moreover, the artist did not need to invite the crowd to sing along to wrath as they automatically chanted, “Roll up with the gang, paandara akong rover,” with all the energy they had left.
The concert, however, did not overkill in the angst department. As 7Sins is a genre-bending album after all, the show made room for a softer, more introspective side of FELIP, where his vocals shone brighter.
Greed was a good break after the high-energy opening, while ache took the vulnerability aspect up a notch at the show’s latter part with FELIP’s almost-weeping vocals. Flanked by his dance team drenched in white from head to toe, the artist performing the fan-favorite became a form of catharsis after a night of heavy reflection on each sin. The performance clued me in further on why this is people’s emotional support song, as seen on TikTok edits.
The show weaved these sins together in a continuous narrative, but it made sure that the audience would get a different experience per track—may it be through color schemes, strobe lights, effects, FELIP’s communication with his audience, or the unpredictability in what the viewers’ eyes would need to follow.
For one, his live performance of pride—which was a revelation versus its studio version—was peppered with snazzy and petty energy. There’s a blinding outfit, a big spotlight, and FELIP’s gestures that spell towering pride in human form. His collaborators also knew the assignment when it came to delivering each sin’s concept.
For lust, FELIP pulled in Belgium-based artist Cyra Gwynth, their intimate vocals complementing each other for the song’s sensual delivery. A few members of the audience quipped that FELIP might have had a tinge of shyness approaching the singer-songwriter (who also did her solo set with songs 1+1 and cut the bs) during their performance, but this one-step-forward-two-steps-back lingering might have just added to the show’s thrill. Well, the lyrics revolve around an open-ended invite, anyway.
The event transformed into a house party when members of R&B-soul-hip hop quintet PLAYERTWO joined the stage. Linking up with FELIP was all about spontaneity and chaos—which could reflect the helplessness in their collaborative track gluttony. This was also where the audience witnessed one of the most unique elements of the show: An eerie-looking human soaked in mud, sending mysterious signals to FELIP. Or was this a representation of an alter ego?
Nonetheless, the ironed-out avant-garde elements did not mean the absence of authenticity. FELIP’s personality would take the spotlight in his between-song chats with the fans. “Kumain na ba kayo?” he would quip. In the middle of banters, he also granted a song request (Pagdali) with PLAYERTWO. And although he refused to do it again, he treated his fans to a once-in-a-lifetime “uwu” expression.
FELIP also knew every fan’s love language—a surprise. After promoting his 7Sins physical album to be exclusively available in Japan, he performed a bonus song called Tokyo for the first time. In the lyrics—that also capture his Bisaya roots—his signature wit emanates from the “Tokyo” wordplay, resulting in “talk your shit”.
There were moments, however, when FELIP’s quick chats seemed inaudible. This would disrupt the audience’s focus as a few would have to ask the person beside them what they missed.
@philstarlife #FELIP rocked the stage at his '7sins' concert last July 27, 2024! #sb19 #sb19_ken #ppop #ppoprise #entertainmentnewsph ♬ original sound - philstarlife
Another thing that could have been improved was the use of the teleprompter. It was so accessible that attendees in the VIP area were able to anticipate what was coming next—even the actual pre-show countdown itself—reaching spoiler territory. There was also one time when the screen showed “GAP - Kanako (Piano Version),” and I sensed that some were initially mistaking it for an actual performance and waited for FELIP to return for the real encore.
Good thing, though, FELIP did return for two final songs: ROCKSTA and MICTEST. Although the transition felt a little jarring as it quickly came from the tearjerker Kanako, the audience eventually got hyped up also thanks to every performer gracing the stage once more—the dance team, Cyra Gwynth, and PLAYERTWO.
As his eargasmic single Fake Faces blasted through the hall’s speakers, fans happily sang every word while leaving the venue, the concert high making its grand spillover. During a ride home many hours later, I’d hear Fake Faces again on the radio.
If you’re part of the biggest P-pop boy group today, success can feel as brittle as it can feel firm. Every next move is a make-or-break act, but this fear doesn’t seem to permeate FELIP’s space, which aced at world-building in his first solo concert. His versatility, confidence, and creative vision will make you curious about what else is brewing in his arsenal—and you don’t need to repent if you’ve just started digging through.