Air Supply Reflect On Timeless Hits And Legacy Ahead Of Manila Shows
Air Supply are returning to Manila for a sold-out, three-night show at the Solaire Grand Ballroom in Solaire Resort Entertainment City from September 18 to 20, 2025, celebrating 50 years of timeless love songs and music.
Russell Hitchcock and Graham Russell, whose songs have become the soundtrack of love stories worldwide, are still enjoying what they describe as an incredible music career. “Being here for so long is a great achievement,” they shared in a media conference, reflecting on countless bands that have come and gone over the years.
With a new album coming out this December, the 50th-anniversary celebration is just getting started, which began on May 13 with a performance at Carnegie Hall in New York City.
Having first performed in the Philippines in 1981, the iconic soft rock duo noted the warmth and passion of Filipino fans. “There was an immediate connection with the music and the songs from the very first time we played here,” they shared.
With songs celebrated across generations, Graham explained the secret to their longevity: “We just do what we love to do […] We never try to be somebody else. We never try to be something we’re not.”
“We’re very romantic people, but if we were trying to be romantic and we weren’t, it wouldn’t be right. We’re being very real with everybody. We don’t hold any secrets or any weird things going on. This is who we are, for good or bad,” Graham adds.
They shared, as corny as it may seem, that love makes the world go around, which in itself is the basis of their career. “You don’t know anyone who hasn’t fallen in love, is falling in love, or fallen out of love, or doesn’t love their dog or their cat. Love is universal. Love is perennial. Love is eternal,” Russell says.
With today’s generation discovering music through streaming and social media trends, Air Supply continue to reimagine their songs to connect with younger listeners. Graham shared, “But the thing is, we have a lot of songs in movies and TV shows […] So those songs are enjoyed by young people, you know, people that may not know who we are, but they listen to the song, ‘I like that song,’ and they find out who we are.”
Russell recalls watching a documentary about John Lennon, where a man visited his estate and asked why he wrote a particular song. “It’s something that I found very interesting. He said, ‘I didn’t write the songs for you. I wrote it for me.’ The fact that everybody’s connected with it is amazing.”
On collaborating with Filipino artists, “You know, I can honestly say I wouldn’t know where to start. I mean, it’s very infrequent that we get any artist from any country to say I’d love to work with you. I don’t know why that doesn’t happen more. Anybody out there, call us, we’ll work with you. We’d love to,” says Russell.
