For many Madonna fans (myself included), the Queen of Pop’s two-day concert in Manila is something not to be missed. For those who have followed Madge since she started her career in 1979, it was a much-awaited arrival. I consider myself lucky because I only had to wait 11 years to see her.
But for Shahani Gania, he did not only get to see Madonna. He got to dance with her.
For her Rebel Heart concert, Madonna usually asks fans or celebrities to go on stage with her to become her unapologetic bitch while she sings her song “Unapologetic Bitch.” In her past stops, she has asked Katy Perry, Ariana Grande, Nelly Furtado, and Stella McCartney to dance with her on stage.
In Manila’s day 1 concert of Rebel Heart, she asked my friend, the stylist Shahani Gania.
Shahani, who dressed up as Madonna in the Blonde Ambition Tour, recounts his experience seeing (and hugging) Madonna on Facebook:
When I got to my seat at the upper box, I knew I didn’t like it. I really felt disappointed that I wouldn’t be able to see Madonna up close. It didn’t feel right. So I started walking around outside, found friends to smoke with (Kenji and Karlo), went back to my seat, still felt the bugging disappointment, so I went downstairs to the main lobby to smoke with my friend Homer who was seated in the VIP area.
While I was downstairs, I was spotted by 2 white girls and asked me if I wanted better seat. I said yes, and they gave me a SVIP ticket. I CRIED!!!! I hugged both of them, and in between sobs I explained to them that I’m such a huge fan and that I organized this Madonna exhibit. It was an Oprah moment!! I immediately ran to where Jujiin was (patron VIP) and just cried! Denise found me and took me to my new area— RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE [redacted] HEART!!! I swear, I couldn’t stop crying!!! It was the dream view of everything! Front and center! Seryoso, my dream came true, yun yung feeling!!! (Seriously, my dream came true. That was the feeling!!!)
When Madonna came out for the next segment, Shahani was starstruck:
Then Madonna came out— EYE CONTACT KAAGAD! From there, hindi ko na siya binitawan. I knew all the songs! I sang with her in all of them. I danced to everything, never sat down at all!! I screamed out the names of all the dancers. She looked at me directly sa isang buong chorus ng “Who’s That Girl”!! HEAVEN!!! (Then Madonna came out— WE EYE CONTACT RIGHT AWAY! From there, I didn’t let go. I knew all the songs! I sang with her in all of them. I danced to everything, never sat down at all!! I screamed out the names of all the dancers. She looked at me directly in one whole chorus of “Who’s That Girl”!! HEAVEN!!!)
Then he was asked to become the night’s unapologetic bitch:
When the last segment came (the 20s), one of the two girls who gave me my new ticket took me aside and asked me if I wanted to be the Unapologetic Bitch for the night. [Redacted] YES!!! [Redacted] YES!!!! [Redacted] YESSS!!! So sabi niya balik daw uli ako sa likod at the start of “La Vie En Rose.”
AND YUN NA! Dinala na ako sa gilid ng stage, but I could still see Madonna checking me out from where I was. And then I had my four minutes with her. She called me brave. Her eyes were soooo beautiful!!! I made her laugh! EVERYTHING WAS TOO MUCH TO HANDLE! Naka-sayaw ko si Madonna! Inakbayan niya ako. Pinatong niya ulo niya sa akin. Sinabi niya ang pangalan ko paulit-ulit: Super Starlet!
(When the last segment came (the 20s), one of the two girls who gave me my new ticket took me aside and asked me if I wanted to be the Unapologetic Bitch for the night. [Redacted] YES!!! [Redacted] YES!!!! [Redacted] YESSS!!! So sabi niya balik daw uli ako sa likod at the start of “La Vie En Rose.”
AND THAT WAS IT! I was brought to the side of the stage, but I could still see Madonna checking me out from where I was. And then I had my four minutes with her. She called me brave. Her eyes were soooo beautiful!!! I made her laugh! EVERYTHING WAS TOO MUCH TO HANDLE! I danced with Madonna! She put her arm around me. She lay her head on me. She said my name so many times: Super Starlet!)
Shahani then wrapped up his post by saying how happy he felt about the experience:
ANG SAYA-SAYA KO RIGHT NOW!!! Feeling ko lahat ng ginawa ko tama… Mula sa exhibit at pagmemorize ng buong concert, hanggang sa last-minute decision na mag-drag. Everything just came together. The universe gave me my moment with Madonna… The one thing I’ve been wishing for ever since I found out she was coming to Manila.
(I’M SO HAPPY RIGHT NOW!!! I felt like I did everything right… From setting up a Madonna exhibit to memorizing the whole concert, even my last-minute decision to go drag. Everything just came together. The universe gave me my moment with Madonna… The one thing I’ve been wishing for ever since I found out she was coming to Manila.)
Did you watch the concert? What did you think? Read our review/recap here!
