Pops Fernandez reveals health scare that nearly cost her voice

Even after four decades in the music industry, Pops Fernandez knows that maintaining her voice requires constant work, especially after experiencing firsthand how health and lifestyle choices can affect her ability to sing.

The Concert Queen revealed that she struggled with her voice after developing acid reflux, which she said was aggravated by her previous habits of staying up late and drinking alcohol.

There was a time when she found it difficult to sing her own songs, an experience that frightened her and made her realize how easily she could compromise the instrument that had sustained her career.

“I really couldn’t sing. I was having such a hard time,” she recalled, adding that the experience prompted her to take better care of herself.

The experience is also why she continues to take voice lessons despite her years of performing.

Fernandez said she has been putting extra effort into preparing for her concert on Nov. 26, titled “POPS,” taking both dance and voice lessons to meet the expectations surrounding the milestone production.

She stressed that performing is not simply a matter of showing up at rehearsals and appearing onstage.

“There’s always so much behind the scenes that happens. I really work hard for that,” she told radar Entertainment and a select group of writers during a recent media gathering.

She also credited concert director Calvin Neria for continuing to come up with surprises for the show, adding that she still enjoys incorporating unexpected elements into her performances.

Family is the biggest gift

Fernandez will celebrate her 60th birthday on Dec. 12. She is looking forward to having her family together in Manila, describing the reunion as one of her biggest birthday gifts.

Her sons, Robin and Ram Nievera, are coming home, along with Robin’s partner and her grandson Finn. The gathering will also give her mother, Dulce Lukban, the opportunity to spend time with her great-grandson, whom she has not seen in a while.

After all the hard work that goes into preparing for the concert, Fernandez said she is grateful for the chance to spend time with her family.

The singer also has a few professional dreams left to fulfill before considering semi-retirement.

One of them is a project with Sharon Cuneta, whom she has not had the chance to collaborate with before. She said the idea has been discussed but has yet to become a serious project.

For now, she wants to work with more of her contemporaries, whom she considers part of her bucket list, before turning her attention to younger performers.

As she looks back on her career, Fernandez is also standing firm on what makes her different from other singers, particularly amid the comparisons that have become commonplace on social media.

She cited Regine Velasquez as an example, recalling how impressed she was when she first heard the singer’s Whitney Houston-inspired belting style. She also acknowledged how Velasquez continued to develop her craft and improve through the years.

There is only one Pops

But Fernandez believes that every performer has a distinct identity, with individual strengths and weaknesses that should not be measured against someone else’s.

With social media giving audiences more opportunities to criticize and compare artists, she admitted that such comments can sometimes be discouraging. She has since learned to avoid reading too much into them.

“Hindi naman po pwedeng pare-pareho lahat ng style namin. Hindi po pwedeng iisa lang ang molde namin,” she said.

For Fernandez, the point is to recognize what each artist brings to the table rather than compete by trying to sound or perform like somebody else.

She explained that while she remains open to experimenting with her performances, she will always return to the style that audiences have come to associate with her.

“There’s only one style na Pops. ‘Yan ang gusto kong sabihin. So my style is my style,” she said.

Fernandez will bring that signature style to the stage in “POPS,” her milestone concert celebrating her 60th birthday and 40 years in show business. The show is scheduled for November 26 at 8 PM at the Newport Performing Arts Theater in Newport World Resorts, Pasay City.

Directed by Calvin Neria, with Homer Flores as musical director, the concert will feature special guests Regine Velasquez, Vina Morales, Erik Santos, Jay Durias, and Martin Nievera, with the special participation of Helen Gamboa. The production is mounted by DSL, EchoJham, and Nexus Collaboration.