It was an evening overflowing with “hugot” feels as The Juans rocked the stage for their enthusiastic fans, the Juanistas, at The Agenda in Dubai on October 6, 2024. The concert was packed with energy and emotion, complete with a few surprises that left their fans in awe.
The band—composed of lead vocalist and keyboardist Carl Guevarra, vocalist and lead guitarist Japs Mendoza, vocalist and bassist Chael Adriano, and vocalist and acoustic guitarist RJ Cruz—shares a deep connection to the OFW community.
A message to all OFWs
In a heartfelt moment during their set, Carl revealed that his own father is an OFW. “Ako po ay anak ng isang OFW. Bata palang po ako, yung tatay ko nag-a-abroad na. At sa maniwala po kayo o hindi, hanggang ngayon po, nag-aabroad po ang tatay ko. Nasa Libya po siya,” he said.
“Gusto ko lang pong sabihin na kaming mga naiwan niyo po sa Pilipinas, kadalasan man po na pag kami, kausap niyo, ang reply po namin sa inyo, nasan ang pambayad ng tuition, nasan ang pambayad ng MERALCO, kailangan ko ng ganito, ng ganyan, gusto ko pong maramdaman niyo sa gabi, na ang The Juans, kami pong lima dito sa stage ay produkto po ng pagmamahal niyo.
“At gusto po naming iparating sa inyo na proud na proud po sa inyo ang pamilya niyo sa Pilipinas.
“Sa mga bansa pong napuntahan namin, alam niyo po, iisa lang po ang sinasabi ng foreigners sa atin. Tayo ang pinamasipag, pinakamadiskarte, at pinakamagaling makisama na lahi sa buong mundo kaya proud tayong lahat maging Pilipino.
“Sa bawat padala niyo po ng pera, suporta, regalo, chocolates, cellphone, kung anuman po ang pasalubong niyo sa amin, may isang bagay lang po kaming gustong sabihin sa inyo. Oo, proud kami. Oo, masaya kami. Oo, nagpapasalamat kami. Pero alam niyo po kung ano ang pinakahiling namin? Yung makasama pa rin namin kayo,” he said.
The Juans’ hugot songs
Of course, The Juans wouldn’t be The Juans if they did not perform their hugot songs. Aside from performing hit songs like “MRT” and “Anghel,” Carl engaged with the fans, urging the crowd to jump and sing along with their song “Gupit.”
After singing a few more songs, Carl shared hugot lines with the audience.
“Yung malalaman mong break na sila pag nag-rereact na sila sa IG stories mo ulit,” Carl said. “Yung dinribol ka ng dinribol, binobola ka lang pala,” he added.
RJ also threw a few lines: “Yung binilog ka ng binilog, hindi pala ikaw ang iniirog,” he said before the band sang their latest song “Rebound.”
Hugot songs are a beloved staple for many Filipinos, often anticipated with excitement. In a live interview with The Filipino Times, Menchu and Angelyn revealed that their favorite lyric from The Juans is “Pinagtagpo pero di tinadhana.”
“Broken ako,” Menchu confessed, sharing her heartache from a breakup that occurred just two months ago. In contrast, Angelyn chimed in with a smile, saying, “Hindi po. In love po ako,” showing how many Filipinos simply enjoy the sentimental songs.
From hugot lines to godly lyrics
Another delightful surprise for the crowd was The Juans’ performance of the Christian song “O Come to the Altar.”
“I just feel this so strongly in my heart. I’m sorry for doing this but this is so important to us. If you’re that person, this is God’s message for you,” Carl added before starting the song.
Carl also encouraged fans who loved God before but lost it in them.”Siguro nung sa Pilipinas, you loved God so much. You believed God so much for everything. Grabe yung dasal mo para makalipad ka lang, pero pagdating mo rito sa Dubai, ano na? Siguro sabay-sabay na pagsubok, sabay-sabay na challenges. Nakalimutan mo nang umuwi sa kanya,” Carl said.
“Ngayong gabi po, hindi kami uuwi ng Pilipinas hangga’t hindi po namin nabibigyan ng pagkakataon yung iba sa inyo na bumalik sa tahanan ng tunay na umiibig sa inyo,” he said.
One commenter on The Filipino Times’ Facebook post wrote: “This is really a bold move… I love this band so much. Amazing talaga sila.”
Opening act: Carlo Mendoza
The Juans also brought along singer Carlo Mendoza from Bulacan as their opening act. Carlos explained that the band invited him to sing on stage after being moved by his song, Tahan Na.
“Gusto ko lang magpasalamat sa The Juans. Wala ako rito kung hindi nila ako ipinaglaban,” Carlos shared on stage, teary-eyed.
The night ended with The Juans singing the best of their best: “Hatid” and “Hindi Tayo Puwede.”
Our ka-TFTs and Juanistas also shared their photos to remember this special night:
The Juans also expressed their gratitude to all kababayans who attended their concert in Dubai:
