Jessica Sanchez Donates Via Charity Single

After making waves in American Idol Season 11 (2012) and winning 2nd place, Jessica Sanchez is one artist to watch out for.  Busy with her singing career in the United States of America doing shows and tours, she first released her debut single last March 21. Titled "Tonight," the song features Ne-Yo and is now enjoying heavy exposure on radio and tv channels and also charting Top 1-5 on radio stations all over the Philippines.

Last May 14, Jessica Sanchez finally released her first solo album called "Me, You & the Music" on MCA Music that's brimming with high-energy beat repertoire.  The debut album features 13 tracks, including "Tonight" featuring Ne-Yo and "No One Compares" featuring Prince Royce in Spanglish version.

Jessica Sanchez at the press conference arranged by
MCA Music to promote her debut album and the charity single

Being half Filipino, it is inevitable that Jessica Sanchez does her share to raise funds to help the typhoon Yolanda survivors in the Philippines.  As of this writing, she is here in the country to promote her new charity single "Lead Me Home" that was released in iTunes.  Proceeds from single sales will be donated to the Red Cross benefiting typhoon Yolanda survivors.  To preview and download the song, click here: http://smarturl.it/JS-LeadMeHome.

"Lead Me Home" is actually the first single from the forthcoming Original Cast Recording, "Heartbeat of Home," a new music and dance spectacular with music by Brian Byrne.  The full length album will be released under MCA Music/Universal Music Philippines in February 2014.

It is really wonderful to know that a lot of individuals and organizations (even countries) are helping out for the rehabilitation of the devastated Tacloban and nearby affected cities.  May God bless them back.  God bless Jessica!

Christian Bautista: Outbound

He may not have brought home the grand prize but he sure is treated like a superstar by fans, not only in the Philippines, but in the Asian region as well. Dubbed as the Asiansation, Christian Bautista has gone far from the days since he started singing professionally. As a performer, he has improved his vocal prowess and has slowly transformed from being a mere balladeer to a well-rounded performer -- a singer, actor and now a dancer (he is getting there).

Smile! Christian Bautista lit up the room when he arrived.

I met Christian Bautista recently at the bloggers conference for his newest album Christian Bautista Outbound and was I floored by his candidness, wit and charm. No wonder he gained popularity among fans quite easily. When asked about the magnitude of his success in the region, he has quite a number of achievements to boot: multi-platinum record award in the Philippines and in Indonesia; his songs translated into different Asian languages; TV guesting and endorsements in the Asian region; acting in local movies and theater shows; TV roles here and in Indonesia and Singapore, the latest being the hip and happening "The Kitchen Musical" where Christian was tasked to do some dancing (and danced he did!).

Sharing his plaque of recognition from the National Youth Commission:

Exemplary Asean Youth in the Field of Entertainment and the Arts

Having done all those things, what more can we look forward to? His Outbound is something to watch out for as the album drew Christian out of his comfort zone. The album boasts of a great selection of 8 tracks -- a good mix of slow and upbeat ballads -- born out of collaborations with music producers and artists he met and worked with from the United States, Korea, Japan, Singapore, and Indonesia. Christian met Tat Tong, the composer of "All That's Left" while taping for "The Kitchen Musical, through Kewei Tay with whom he recorded "Please Be Careful With My Heart" in Singapore. The collaboration with tat Tong also produced "Unphotographable" and "What Can I Do." In the "All That's Left" music video, Christian pairs up with CosPlay Queen Alodia Gosiengfiao.

My signed copy of Christian Bautista Outbound

Aside from Christian's collaborations with Tat, "Outbound" also features noteworthy works with Grammy-nominated multi-platinum instrumentalist Jim Brickman for "Never Far Away," the K-Pop R&B Trio One Way for "Wrong Number," Indonesian songwriter Satrio for the hit song "I'm Already King," and with Avex Japan's Baby M for the duet "Sakura." Other songs in the album are "Faith" and "Never Far Away."

He also has an upcoming concert here in Manila, I coaxed that out of him in the Q&A but he won't reveal details any further. See the short Q&A video here:

My Q&A with Asiansation Christian Bautista

Christian shared that he has matured as a person and improved as a performer, having gained a new-found confidence to do things he has not tried before. "Honestly, I do feel that I'm at my best so far. This is the right time to pursue new paths and direction and with your support and a personal sense of renewed energy and devotion, I am ready to face the challenges of the future," referring to his aspirations of working in Europe and in the United States of America. Indeed, the album title "Outbound" could very well be prophetic of the future of Christian Bautista's career.

Christian Bautista sings "I'm Already King" Live

Thanks to Universal Records, Pinoy Magazine and Orange Magazine TV

Please visit my YouTube Channel for video uploads: http://www.youtube.com/user/denzcalnea?feature=mhee

Filed under EVENTS

Ang Bagong Harana: Filipino Music Heritage

My generation still knows what a "harana" is, not from experience but from watching the Tagalog films of olden days. The classic Filipino movies never fail to include a scene of a young gentleman wooing the love of his life through songs at night, while she watches from the window of her house. How romantic it seems as it mimics the balcony scene of William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet."

And I realize that it is the film industry's way of preserving that bit of Filipino culture so that the next generations would know and hopefully appreciate the way love (or at least like) is communicated back then. However, I can imagine the younger generation watching such scenes might react -- they might squirm uncomfortably or giggle in laughter because at present day, wooing is done in a casual manner, through texting (SMS) or web chatting, most often than not.

Karla Gutierrez, POC's artistic director and performer

"Ang Bagong Harana" director Floy Quintos

Outside of film, the 'harana' or 'kundiman' became a mainstream musical style until the late 1960s. Unfortunately, it had been quietly left behind as newer music genres took over. This is why the Philippine Opera Company is reviving this beautiful Filipino culture.

The Philippine Opera Company produced the critically-acclaimed hit "Harana" back in 2008 to showcase the evolution of Philippine music through songs and movements, even reaching a wider audience when they toured in Amsterdam in 2009 and when the company did a regional tour of Cebu, Roxas, Antique, Bohol, Dumaguete and Palawan in 2010. Earlier this year, they conquered Bacolod, Ormoc, Tacloban and Samar.

For the 2011-2012 season of the Philippine Opera Company, "Ang Bagong Harana" will take on a newer and fresher version with an array of immortal and classic Filipino songs that will be interpreted in "never before seen performances." The show shall integrate the past and the present -- mix old and new songs, re-arranged and re-edited -- with the goal of reaffirming "who we are as Filipinos" and validating "where we have all come from," and will showcase the best of all the Filipino composers from different music genres, namely Nicanor Abelardo, Ryan Cayabyab, Willy Cruz, Francisco Santiago, Antonio Molina, Resti Umali, George Canseco, Ernani Cuenco, Levi Celerio, Jose Estrella, Constancio de Guzman and Felipe de Leon, among others.

Philippine theater's celebrated singers

I won't reveal much in this post yet, just enough information to tickle your brains and hopefully bring you to watch "Ang Bagong Harana," which will have a limited run from September 29 to October 1 at 8 pm, with matinee at 3:30 pm on October 1, at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium of RCBC Plaza in Makati City. For ticket sales, please call Philippine Opera Company at 881-7168 or 0917-5272880 or Ticketworld at 891-9999. You may also log on to the POC's website or Like Harana on Facebook.

NOTE:

A re-run is happening on June 6 - 10 at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium of RCBC Plaza in Makati City. For ticket sales, please call Philippine Opera Company at 881-7168 or 0917-5272880 or Ticketworld at 891-9999.

Filed under SHOWS