Fra Lippo Lippi’s Per Sørensen’s 12th visit proves the PH is his true ‘Light and Shade’

He may have sung about heartbreak, but Fra Lippo Lippi’s Per Sørensen found a love that lasts with the Philippines. His 12th visit proves the feeling is mutual.

Fra Lippo Lippi frontman Per Sørensen is ready to “be the one to play your game” once more—a lyric from the band’s classic “Stitches and Burns” that now perfectly captures his enduring love affair with the Philippines.

On Oct. 24, Per returns for his 12th visit to the country since the late ’80s, with a concert at The Theatre at Solaire in Parañaque, followed by another on Oct. 25 at Limketkai Center in Cagayan de Oro.

Although he’s been performing solo under the Fra Lippo Lippi name for quite some time now, Per has kept the band’s special bond with the Philippines alive. His first visit in 1988 began a love affair with Filipino audiences that only deepened through the years—most recently at the 2024 New Wave Tribe Festival at the SM Mall of Asia Arena, where he shared the stage with Gene Loves Jezebel and Icicle Works.

Fra Lippo Lippi’s heartrending, nostalgic voice

In 2025, “The Voice of Fra Lippo Lippi: Per Sørensen,” produced by Live Artists Production Inc., promises to be his most visual and cinematic show yet. Expect dramatic, thematic scenes and Fra Lippo Lippi videos accompanying Per and his backing band—which includes his son—in a performance that’s bound to be heartrending, nostalgic, and thoroughly entertaining.

Before last year’s festival, Per had also staged back-to-back shows in 2023—June 16 at Solaire and June 17 at the Santa Rosa Sports Complex in Laguna—further proof that the country has become his second home on tour.

In a virtual interview with Radar Entertainment and select media, Per shared that he’s always loved the enthusiasm of Filipino fans, whom he fondly describes as “great singers.”

“When I’m in front of them, we have such good dialogue and communication,” he said. “They’re very enthusiastic, and it’s fantastic for me to be on stage.”

For Per, few things match the joy of hearing thousands of voices sing his songs back to him—and with timeless hits like “Stitches and Burns,” “Beauty and Madness,” “Later,” “Light and Shade,” and “Everytime I See You,” that happens a lot.

“It means the world to me. It really does,” he said, adding that hearing Filipinos sing along feels “like having a party.”

That festive feeling, he added, doesn’t stop when the music does. Even during casual walks, fans often recognize him and burst into Fra Lippo Lippi tunes. “They are wonderful. And the hospitality, the way I’m received—that’s fantastic,” he said.

Dream Performances in Boracay, Batanes, and Bohol

Over the years, Per has performed not only in Metro Manila but also in Laguna, Cagayan de Oro, Ormoc, Tacloban, Cebu, and Davao. And he’s not done yet. “There are so many people everywhere,” he said. “I want to see them all. Maybe I could go to Boracay and have a show on the beach. Wouldn’t that be great?”

Other dream destinations include Batanes and Bohol, proving his wanderlust is as strong as ever.

For his upcoming shows, Per promises the classics but hints at fresh material too, including “Stay This Time,” a 2024 single he describes as “a sort of Christmas song” written with overseas Filipino workers in mind.

“If you go to see some artists,” he said, “you don’t want them to play songs you’ve never heard of. You want to hear the hits. Of course, I do that as well.”

He’s also grateful for how the younger generation continues to discover Fra Lippo Lippi’s music through platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube.

“It still works after 40 years,” he said. “In the old days, we didn’t have a clue how we were doing. These days, I can see where in the world people play us, what the demographics are. It’s quite nice.”

As for advice to modern artists hoping to write songs that last, Per’s answer is simple: honesty.

“Don’t try to write a hit or adjust your work to the masses,” he said. “Write from your heart. If it connects to people, they will like it.”

While he has nothing to say about the technical side of music production, he insists the most important thing an artist can do is build a genuine connection with listeners. “That,” he said, “is much more important than trying to be some perfect artist.”

And to borrow from one of Fra Lippo Lippi’s beloved lines, “It should have to be like that; it should have to be like that.”

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