Pops Fernandez is back at the center of Philippine show business – not just as a nostalgia act, but as a working “Concert Queen” whose calendar has filled up again with awards nights, arena shows and online content.
In early July, she returned to the big-stage spotlight as host of the 9th Entertainment Editors’ Choice (The Eddys) awards at the Newport World Resorts, sharing hosting duties with television personality Kim Atienza. The film awards night drew industry insiders, filmmakers and fans, reinforcing Fernandez’s status as a familiar face at major ceremonies.
Her step onto the Eddys stage follows a busy stretch of performing and touring. Fernandez’s reunion concert series with longtime collaborator Martin Nievera, branded “Always and Forever,” brought the Concert King and Queen to New York’s Times Square in October, their first joint show in the city in roughly two decades. The set list mixed solo performances with duets that anchored their partnership in the 1990s and 2000s, reintroducing the duo to Filipino and mainstream audiences in one of Manhattan’s high-profile venues.
Fernandez has also been adding new material to her catalog while revisiting her classic hits.
Recent releases include the self-love dance-pop track “Get It Poppin’” and her comeback single “Always Loved,” both available on major streaming platforms. She uses her social media accounts and vlog to post rehearsal clips, concert footage and hosting updates, giving fans regular glimpses of her current projects rather than relying solely on legacy status.
On television, Fernandez remains visible at other awards and specials, including co-hosting the 37th PMPC Star Awards. These shows keep her in rotation on primetime and entertainment news programs, tying together her work as a singer, host and personality across different formats. Her continued presence on these stages positions her as a bridge between generations of performers and viewers.
This year also brought an unexpected burst of attention from outside the concert hall. At Star City’s STARtista Gallery in Pasay, a life-size resin statue of Fernandez became a viral topic when visitors and fans posted photos and criticized its resemblance to the singer.
Park management responded by removing the figure from display and issuing an apology, saying the likeness would be refined and subject to her approval before any future installation. The episode underlined how closely audiences still watch how Fernandez is represented – even in amusement park attractions.
Star City later clarified that the statue circulating in social media posts was an early version and that a new artist would be tapped to improve the likeness. The park said any replacement would go through review by Fernandez, and the STARtista Gallery temporarily shifted focus to other featured personalities while the work was revised.
In 2025, she received a TOFA100 Most Influential Filipino award in Las Vegas for her contributions to music and entertainment and for representing Filipinos on the global stage.
