Geneva, Kris Lawrence topbill Timeless Love

MANILA, Philippines - Geneva Cruz and Kris Lawrence share centerstage for Timeless Love tomorrow, Feb. 14, 9 p.m. at the Shangri-La Makati Lobby Lounge.

It’s a dream tandem for the two performers who are both making a headway in their careers. Geneva, best remembered for her costumes and dance moves, is treading new ground as composer and instrumentalist.

“Last year was an eye-opener for me,” Geneva shares. “I started playing guitar, writing poems and songs, and also got into painting and sketching. It’s like something inside has been wanting to come out.”

It was love at first strum when Geneva recently rediscovered the quiet sophistication of the acoustic guitar, and despite the callouses and knotty fingerings, she’s on her way to instrumental virtuosity.

Maybe it was in the genes, after all. Geneva’s dad, Boyet Cruz, longtime guitarist of the Cruzettes and 747 Band, always wished that any of his four daughters would carry the torch, which prompted him to gift Geneva with an electric guitar for her 10th birthday.

Geneva penned her first composition at 15. “The first song I did, Love Can Wait, was included in my I Like You album. I did the lyrics and melody and Jimmy Antiporda wrote the bridge and did the arrangement. I’ve always included an original for each of my four solo albums.”

Geneva diligently soaks up the works of Lauryn Hill, Nirvana, Hole, Lifehouse, Rage Against the Machine, Soundgarden, Coldplay and even the country-tinged stylings of Johnny Cash, Garth Brooks, John Denver and Faith Hill. Such elements coalesce into a unique musical voice that’s part-world music and part-chill. With luck on her side, her new album should be out by Earth Day (April 22).

Kris, on the other hand, has been putting the finishing touches on his self-produced second album — a compilation of remakes of well-loved romantic classics such as Careless Whisper, Just Tell Me You Love Me, Right Here Waiting, and Now and Forever, to name a few.

“It’s all done tastefully in that jazzy, adult contemporary vibe,” Kris says. “I grew up singing a lot of these songs, so most of them mark important landmarks in my life.”

Kris played piano for some tracks in the album. “Hopefully, it should be out in two to three weeks. I’m so excited to let my fans hear it,” he says.

For details, call 813-8888.