Ice Seguerra is in the spotlight recently after becoming viral with his rendition of the popular Cebuano love song Usahay, which has now garnered four million views and over hundred thousand reactions as of early this week on Facebook.

With many fans from the Visayas commenting on the post to express support, Ice has nothing but growing anticipation to perform for the Cebuano crowd. “I am so excited to bring Becoming Ice to Cebu. Sa totoo lang, I love performing for the Cebuanos. Yes, medyo nakakakaba kasi in my many years of performing there, makikita mo na they really know what they want out of a performance.

They really listen, kaya pag nagkamali, lagot. Pero kapag na-appreciate nila ‘yung music and performance, sobrang all out din sila para ipakita ‘yung enjoyment nila.”

Aside from getting his first guitar from a visit to Cebu many years ago, a fond memory with his mother when he was still a child performer also inspired the singer-songwriter to include the well-loved songs in the evening’s repertoire.

He shares, “Itong Usahay, kasama ng Matud Nila, ang mga una kong natutuhang kanta nu’ng bata pa ako. Naaalala ko, nu’ng mga six years old ako, nag-show kami sa Cebu.”

“Medyo nabaluktot talaga ang dila ko nu’ng inaaral ko ‘yung lyrics … pero nu’ng narinig ko ‘yung music, sobrang nagustuhan ko na ‘yung mga kanta. Since hindi ko siya maintindihan, tinanong ko ‘yung mga kaibigan kong Bisaya kung anong meaning. Nu’ng nalaman ko, lalo akong na in-love. Mas masarap nang kantahin.”

Aside from being known for its pristine beaches, majestic waterfalls and sumptuous cuisine, Cebu is also a treasure trove of entertainment talent.

Asia’s Queen of Songs Pilita Corales is from Cebu, and so is the toast of the town from the international hit Nocebo, Chai Fonacier.

Pinoy showbiz’ Kim Chiu and Morissette Amon also hail from the Queen City of the South.

For Becoming Ice, the versatile performer will be sharing the stage with upcoming VisPop idols from Cebu’s vibrant music scene, including the crowd favorite, Oh! Caraga band and Jerika Teodorico of Labyu, ‘Langga fame.

Oh! Caraga was chosen as one of the finalists in the International Songwriting Competition (ISC) in 2020, getting selected from more than 26,000 entries from 158 countries.

The group is composed of Kenneth Corvera, Adam Corvera, and Sherwin Fugoso. On the other hand, Teodorico has established herself as a singer-songwriter and a household name in Cebu’s music scene after winning the top prize in Vispop 2.0 in 2013.

In addition to Cebu’s homegrown talents, Becoming Ice will also be flying in special guests to make the post-Valentine event extra special, including Concert King Martin Nievera, Bayang Barrios, Mike Villegas, Cooky Chua and Frenchie Dy.

There will also be special participation from Sylvia Sanchez and Bossing Vic Sotto.

Seguerra thanks the very warm reception his Cebu fans gave him during his radio tours and concert preparations. While admitting the challenges in staging an event far from his home base, the singer-songwriter is ecstatic from the outpouring of love from the Cebuanos — from radio stations playing songs from lesser-known albums such as the song Lupang Ipinangako to encounters from fans belting out his own songs to him to prove that they are truly avid listeners.

“Na-miss ko ‘yung ganito! ‘Yung umiikot talaga sa radio stations para mag-promote. Ang sipag ko before sa mga ganitong promotion because I feel closer to the fans,” he shares. “Before social media and Spotify, we used to go to different provinces to promote our albums. Sa isang araw. Tapos meron pang record bar tours and mall tours kung saan pagkatapos ng performance, the fans who who bought my album will have their copies signed. Minsan tumagal ng more than four hours ‘yung album signing, nagsara na ‘yung mall, nandu’n pa rin kami. It’s definitely more tiring, yes, but the experience, not just for me but especially for the fans, is more memorable. Iba pa rin talaga ang physical connection.”

The concert series is also the artist’s return to the concert stage after 10 years. His last foray into the major concert scene was in 2014 with a back-to-back concert with renowned performer Jake Zyrus.

In this post-Valentine concert, Seguerra will be serenading Cebuanos with songs that chronicle his journey as an artist — the soundtrack of his life from the child actor doing duck walks, to his Okay ka Fairy Ko and Shake Rattle and Roll days, to his emergence as a singer-songwriter with more mature sensibilities and depth.

Fans can expect his groundbreaking hits, including Pagdating ng Panahon and Anong Nangyari sa Ating Dalawa and more.

Touted as an intimate sneak peek into his life through his songs, Becoming Ice aims to share the artist’s story with the Cebuanos who have welcomed and supported him through the years.

Becoming Ice, the milestone concert, celebrating multi-platinum artist Ice’s 35 years in show business at the Pacific Grand Ballroom, Waterfront Cebu Hotel and Casino in Cebu City on February 18.