No more #SanaOl! Waterbomb in Manila has finally made its historic debut on February 22 and 23 at the Quirino Grandstand.
Day 1
Before the concert, the skies over Manila were dark and gloomy, with scattered rain showers across Luzon. However, just as the event day arrived, the clouds parted, and the sun broke through, blessing us with perfect weather. This timely shift ensured that fans could fully embrace the experience without any interruptions.
The festival kicked off under the scorching heat, with Thea Astley and Apro taking the stage to hype up the crowd. They set the perfect tone before the arrival of the South Korean rapper B.I., also known as Kim Hanbin. His entrance ignited even more excitement, as his performance lived up to all the hype. B.I. delivered an unforgettable set, giving more than 100% with each song, including fan favorites like ‘Michelangelo,’ ‘Be I,’ ‘One and Only,’ ‘Waterfall,’ and ‘BTBT.’
Next, Lee Chaeyeon took the stage, radiating pure sunshine in her vibrant yellow outfit. She captivated the audience with her dynamic presence as she performed her hit songs, such as ‘Don’t,’ ‘Let’s Dance,’ and ‘Knock,’ leaving the crowd in awe.
Next up were the artists behind the massive hits ‘AEAO’ and ‘Smoke,’ DYNAMICDUO. As soon as they stepped on stage, the crowd went wild. Their iconic tracks blasted through the huge speakers, and the energy instantly shifted. With those songs already taking over the internet, the excitement was palpable, and fans couldn’t help but scream and cheer.
STAYC took over the stage next, turning up the heat with a bubbly set. They kicked things off with the high-energy ‘RUN2U,’ and kept the momentum rolling with hits like ‘So Bad,’ ‘Teddy Bear,’ ‘Bubble,’ and ‘ASAP.’
If you’re heading to the WATERBOMB festival, make sure you don’t miss Baekho’s performance. Seriously, what’s the point if you’re not vibing to his theme song, “Wet & Wild”? It’s the festival’s ultimate anthem! His set—packed with bangers like “Savior,” “No Rules,” and “Feels”—will ignite the stage and have you drenched in the energy all night long. Trust us, this is one of the highlights on Day 1!
But the excitement doesn’t stop there—right after Baekho, the Queen of WATERBOMB, Kwon Eunbi, takes over. We were lucky to witness her powerhouse performance, delivering hits like ‘Door,’ ‘Beautiful Night,’ ‘Flash,’ ‘Problem,’ ‘Sabotage,’ and ‘Underwater.’ The crowd was completely hyped, and she proved why she’s the true queen of the festival.
And just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, MAMAMOO’s Hwasa took the stage and set it on fire! She performed her iconic tracks ‘Chili,’ ‘I Love My Body,’ ‘Twit,’ ‘Don’t,’ ‘NA,’ and the fan favorite ‘Maria.’
Then, the legendary Epik High came on, and they absolutely owned the stage! They dropped hits like ‘Don’t Hate Me,’ ‘No Thanxx,’ and ‘One.’
For the final artist, it’s none other than Chanyeol of EXO. The screams were louder than ever, and we were all completely mesmerized by his voice and his kapogian—he truly owns the stage. He performed hits like ‘Nothin,’’ ‘Tomorrow,’ ‘Ease Up,’ ‘Back Again,’ ‘Black Out,’ and ‘Hasta La Vista,’ making the crowd go wild. His set was the perfect way to close out the first day of Waterbomb Manila.
And let’s not forget the DJs who kept the energy going between the artist sets—IMLAY, J.E.B., DJ ROOTS, ZB, ATION, and RAIDEN were all in the mix, setting the perfect vibe for the festival. Their music kept the crowd hyped, ensuring that the festival was non-stop.
Day 2
Starting off the second day of the festival with BILIB and ZELA.
On Day 2, things got even hotter when U-Kwon of Block B took the stage. He brought the heat with an incredible lineup of tracks like ‘Wanna Do,’ ‘Rise Up,’ ‘Her,’ ‘Ice Bottle,’ ‘Tough Love,’ ‘Make it Rain,’ and ‘Zero for Conduct.’
Then came VIVIZ, and they took the energy to another level with a dazzling performance. From ‘BOP BOP!’ to ‘#FLASHBACK,’ ‘MANIAC,’ ‘Untie,’ and ‘Shhh!,’ their seamless harmonies, and magnetic stage presence created a moment of pure magic.
But the hype didn’t stop there. HAHA, SKULL, REDDY, SULREGGAE, and YANG SE CHAN brought a level of energy that was simply off the charts. From the moment they stepped on stage, they were all about high-energy performances, keeping the crowd hyped and engaged the entire time.
Next up was Gray, delivering a steamy performance that had the crowd captivated from start to finish. He’s truly a great performer, effortlessly teasing the fans while keeping them hooked and satisfied throughout. With his smooth moves and charisma, Gray performed hits including ‘Just Do It,’ ‘Late Night,’ ‘Make Love,’ ‘U,’ and ‘I’m Fine.’
Oh My Girl dazzled with a refreshing lineup, featuring ‘Dun Dun Dance,’ ‘Dolphin,’ ‘Bungee,’ ‘Nonstop,’ and ‘Secret Garden.’
Kang Daniel, one of the hottest artists to grace Waterbomb Manila, lit up the stage with an explosive set, featuring ‘Jealous,’ ‘Nirvana,’ ‘Electric Shock,’ ‘Ready to Ride,’ and ‘Supernova.’
Another unforgettable moment of the festival came when Hyolyn took the stage, surprising everyone with a Sistar medley that included iconic hits like ‘Touch My Body’ and ‘Shake It.’ She kept the energy high, thrilling fans with her solo tracks ‘Wait’ and ‘See Sea.’ With Sistar’s popularity in the Philippines, the crowd sang along passionately, leaving Hyolyn visibly moved and shocked.
GOT7’s BamBam energized the crowd with hits like ‘Ball Like That,’ ‘Sour & Sweet,’ and ‘TIDAL WAVE.’ He also impressed with his cover of Lola Amour’s ‘Raining in Manila,’ a song that has always been included in his setlist when he’s in the Philippines and gave fans a high-energy performance of ‘Hard Carry’ and ‘riBBon.’
The night stretched on, yet the energy only intensified as Sunmi graced the stage, unleashing a powerful set of her biggest hits: ‘Siren,’ ‘Pporappippam,’ ‘Heart Burn,’ ‘Balloon in Love,’ ‘Gashina,’ and ‘TAIL.’
And to finally conclude the two-day WATERBOMB in Manila, Jessi set the stage on fire, delivering an performance of ‘What Type of X,’ and ‘Gucci. She also brought the crowd to life with fan favorites from Street Woman Fighter, including ‘Cold Blooded,’ and ‘Gum.’ Overwhelmed by the warm support from the Filipino crowd, Jessi expressed her gratitude after returning to the stage following a six-month break, sharing how much she missed performing.
If you’re wondering if we got wet… WELL, IT’S WATERBOMB! With massive water cannons surrounding the stage, you’re practically guaranteed to get drenched. And honestly, in that scorching heat, it was a total lifesaver. The cool splash of water was the perfect way to stay refreshed while we enjoyed the insane performances—one of the highlights of the festival!
Both days ended with a beautiful fireworks display, signaling that the festival had come to an end. BUT on the big screen, they wrote ‘See you again!’ So, be ready to dive into the next WATERBOMB MANILA!
