After a decade-long wait since the Dream K-pop Fantasy Concert in 2013, the Filipino X-BACKs and EXO-Ls were thrilled to see Zhang Yixing gracing the Philippine stage again at a free-of-charge event.
The fan meet and music listening party with the multitalented Chinese superstar, known popularly as Lay Zhang, at the Teatrino at the Promenade in San Juan City on December 4, 2023, was presented by Warner Music Philippines.
Although the most-anticipated intimate event lasted for less than an hour, both the artist and his fans had a great afternoon together.
Manila was Lay's first stop for this month-long campaign, followed by Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur.
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Here are the highlights of the show prepared by PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal):
LAY IN MANILA: LAUGHTER AND ‘KILIG’
Kicking off the fan meet with “Boom” and “Right Back,” Lay warmly greeted his Filipino fans in both English and Filipino.
“Hello Philippines. XBACKs, EXO-L!
“Since I first [came] here,... it has been 10 years… Missed you guys,” he said, which elicited thunderous cheers from the audience.
He also introduced himself, “Kumusta, Philippines? Ako… si Lay!”
Thrilled to hear more Filipino words from their idol, the event-goers asked him to say “pogi ako.”
Helped by the host for the English translation, Lay enthusiastically waved, “Maganda kayo,” which broke the house down with screams of kilig.
LAY’S PROMISES: GRANDLINE IN MANILA, NEW SONGS
Lay promised to squeeze in his busy schedule a return to Manila for the release of his upcoming tracks in 2024.
Responding to the crowd shouting ‘Grandline’ in unison, Lay declared, “Got it… We have to bring my whole system to come to [the] Philippines and make a wonderful [show] to you guys.”
Loving him back, the X-BACKs and EXO-Ls showed a video demonstrating their full support for Lay.
Overwhelmed, Lay conveyed, “You guys are so thoughtful.”
He continued, “I cannot see you guys but you guys [did] a lot of [things] for me…
“I will make you… guys to watch Grandline 3 or maybe 4?
“I fulfilled the promise, right?” he reminded about his vow a decade ago to come back to the Philippines.
To add more excitement, Lay revealed, “So that’s why I’m here today— I bring the song, new tracks, for you guys… you guys are [the] first audience to listen.”
The fan shrieked as they finally got a sneak peak of “Psychic” and “Step.”
When asked about the release date, Lay jokingly replied, “As soon as possible. Tomorrow?”
But, on a serious note, his new songs will be released “in the first… half of… 2024.”
FAN INTERACTION: Q&A WITH LAY
Four out of six questions from fans were selected by Lay himself during the invite-only event, and his first pick was about his 2024 goals.
Will he “get married” next year? Lay playfully responded with “with who?” that made everyone laugh.
In all seriousness, he shared that his 2024 goal is to come to the Philippines "more often.”
The next question was about a genre he wanted to explore in his upcoming releases.
He answered, “I want to try some Afro [beats],” because, “My fans are already so high.”
About what has kept him motivated, Lay said, “I have to say it’s my fans because fans' love and support give me the power, energy to keep [the] passion, keep the motivation, and everything… Also, I love my job.”
He then asked the crowd about loving their jobs, and their answer shocked him, “No? If you don’t love your job, just quit… You have to love your job.”
To wrap up the Q&A, Lay encouraged the audience to suggest Filipino acts he could collaborate with in the future, and names like Sarah Geronimo, Al James, and Lola Amour were mentioned.
LAY IN MANILA: BRIMMING WITH SWEETNESS
Apart from his diverse talents and skills, the 32-year-old artist is known for his gentleness and kindness, making X-BACKs, EXO-Ls, and non-fans adore him.
During the fan meeting and music listening party, Lay asked the host to come closer on stage.
The Chinese artist also spoke about mixing in some Filipino words in his music.
Lay said, “I think, we can put some Chinese [instruments] on the top of the beat or we can put some Chinese elements… on the music or we can put culture…
“And also, we can mix a language, we can use just like you guys… listened before— we have a Chinese, English, and Korean, right?
“Also, in the future… Filipino and Chinese… In the future, I think, culture can cross, country can cross, language can cross and interact.”
When his fans said, “We love you, Lay,” Lay expressed back, “I love you guys,” and when the fans shouted “We love you more,” Lay reminded them, “No, no, no. I love you more.”
Lay capped off the event with a heartfelt message before taking a bow in front of the crowd, “Keep healthy and stay with me, jumping until the end.”
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