Surprising onstage chemistry’ brings Ogie, Odette to 9th show together

Many thanks to their “surprising onstage chemistry,” Ogie Alcasid and Odette Quesada are partnering again in a concert. Titled “Q&A,” their ninth show together is happening at the Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena on Nov. 7, 8 p.m.

The STAR asked the veteran singer-songwriters and certified hitmakers what makes them click on stage.

Odette said, “Surprisingly, we have a lot of chemistry onstage and even behind the scenes. I don’t know about you, Ogie, but we have a connection. It’s easy to talk to Ogie, it’s so easy to be onstage with him.

“I never get nervous because I always feel like I’m with my best friend onstage. But I won’t say this if andyan si Fe delos Reyes (laughs).”

“Who’s always present anyway,” Ogie quipped in reaction.

Ogie, for his part, agreed about their comfort level despite the fact that Odette came ahead of him in the industry.

“I’m a fan… but I’ve always been comfortable with her. And you (Odette) can take my silly, corny jokes, and if you watch our concert, we always have a banter — it’s more of kilalanin niya ako but it’s so lighthearted and it’s so cool. I love that she can react to whatever I say; she’s so quick with that.”

“I think it comes with being a songwriter — her mind is always working,” he continued.

“Mauubusan ako ng adjective dito, but she has a really, really great take on life — yung hindi radical, kumbaga (it will make you say), ‘Yeah, that makes sense?’

“I guess may spirit na kindred between us. I think that’s what it is, even though we came from different generations.”

During rehearsals and get-togethers, the concert duo won’t even talk about work or songwriting.

“I love her stories, especially about the family… And the songwriting process — actually, we rarely talk about it. It’s more of life, enjoyment of touring, enjoyment of being a musician,” Ogie explained.

Odette added that when they started doing “Q&A,” it was just like picking up where they left off back in the late ‘80s.

“Maybe this is just me romanticizing the whole thing, but it seems like… because we met in the late ‘80s, very briefly, but when we started doing this show, it’s like we picked up where we left off 35 years before,” she said.

“Same thing that when we came together for a show — we might not have spoken in between, maybe once in almost a year — and then we get on stage, we get to see each other right before the show, it’s like we’ll pick up where we left off.

“I don’t know about you,” she further said, addressing Ogie, “but I feel like you’re one of my closest friends.”

Anyway, given the chance to re-record a song of Odette’s, Ogie said he wouldn’t dare to. “(Odette is) a little older than me, but our high school days were filled with Farewell (one of Odette’s earlier compositions).

“For me, as a fan of her music and as a fan of OPM, it makes my heart happy to join her singing her songs — the songs of our lives. There are so many that I wish I could, but they’re excellent already as recorded. Sa live (performance) na lang.”

Meanwhile, speaking of live performances, Ogie shared that he had a burst of inspiration from the concert of former Beatle Paul McCartney in Las Vegas, US, early this month.

“When I was just about to go inside, I already felt like crying. I said, ‘My God, is this really happening?’ Then my son was laughing at me.

“When we got there, I didn’t realize that the tickets gifted to us were for the ninth row, which was quite far because the venue was huge.

“When he came out, there wasn’t even a grand opening. He just came out and waved. Of course, when he waved, everyone stood up, so I couldn’t see anything because the foreigners were so tall.

“‘Help me if you can, I’m feeling…’ That’s what he sang right away. I said, ‘Oh my God… it’s overwhelming.’”

As a singer-songwriter himself, Ogie said he realized a lot while watching the concert of the music icon.

“The experience was: Here’s a legend right in front of you, and a legend who’s so generous. You could tell he was savoring the moment. He valued every song he played and sang.

“Even though he’s already 83 years old and could retire anytime, he still wants to give more. That’s inspiring for a singer and songwriter — that retirement is never an option in his mind.

“As long as you can, right? As long as there are people who will listen.

“And what I learned was, you don’t need a grand stage, especially for a singer-songwriter like him. It’s really just about the music, the singing and playing.”

(For tickets to “Q&A,” check out smtickets.com. Prices range from P6,850 for SVIP to P950 for general admission.)