Room For Two

R&B fans in Manila will be offered a rare opportunity Nov. 16, when Rihanna and Chris Brown play a double bill in the Philippine capital.

Getting the two superstars to detour from their respective Asian mega-tours to the Philippines, let alone to share the same venue, was no small feat.

Though the show is being produced by MTV Philippines and Globe Telecom, the deal was sealed by the Philippines talent buyer Music Management International, according to local newspaper the Daily Inquirer.

Brown’s managers reportedly demanded a performance fee equal to Rihanna’s, which the paper said was “unacceptable to [Rihanna’s] managers.”

This snag had ripple effects on other considerations, including billing and accommodations.

MTV Philippines president Francis Lumen told the Inquirer it’s customary to book artists playing the same show in one hotel, but it would be impossible in this case as the proposed hotel “has only one presidential suite.”

The newspaper was unable to find out exactly how the impasse was breached, but MMI representative Rhiza Pascua said that Brown’s management was more flexible in the end.

The concert will be MTV Philippines’ biggest venture ever.