THE FILIPINO-HISPANO INVASION OF JOSH SANTANA

“Eres Tu, Eres Mio, Estar Contigo, Historia De Un Amor” Is it a Spanish re-invasion? Not really, just a bit of it from this young blood's album and vocal faculty hurling what they call “Filipino-Hispano” type of rendition. Seldom you'll encounter this kind of musical exoticism, though hundreds of years of retrospect we've been under the cradle Spanish culture – count music in. After all, it wasn't so hard to take, since most of our local as well as Tagalog language are whipped with Spanish parlance.

He grew up in a family with considerable Spanish influence. Josh Santana's familial influence on the language cuddled him closer to it. Since a kid, he has been humming his tune. Since high school, he made his small step to penning his own musical notes. Now that his done with his academic forge, finished Bachelor of Arts Major in English Language, he's stepping his best foot forward for a musical and show biz career on the other hand. Josh appeared in a successful teleserye, “Bituin” as love interest of Carol Banawa. But then left to pursue his academic career first.

Josh Santana has just laid on the silver platter his new album under the carrier single, “Eres Tu” means “It's You.” Josh can't hold it but pursue a ten-track album with Hispanic or Spanish orientation or influence. He's getting true to his music in any way. Hear him say, “This is the first time I’m choosing my music without pretension...” And so his heart and music speak out loud!


ALBUM SPEAKS

Let's talk about the production process for the album, how long is the recording process of Eres Tu?
We actually started sometime the end of November 2008. We finished the album mid February but we encountered some very usual problems. Not problems but things to be changed like we had a problem about one song because of the permission that we were asking that did not really arrived. I had to compose a song. Iyon 'yung pinaka mabilis na solusyon sabi nila Kuya Paolo (his album producer). They encouraged me to write a song that gave birth to “Estar Contigo” (To Be With You). After that, we worked on the photo shoot mid February and we worked on the lay-out. Naging smooth naman. Picking of songs sobrang naging smooth din e kasi we always come up with something. 'Pag may naisip ako sinasabi ko kay Paolo kapag nag-agree kami okay na agad. Meron din criteria pero ramdam namin na lahat nangyayari smoothly kasi bigla na lang dadaan sa isip mo 'yung isang kanta out of the blue. Unang-una namin na-record actually 'yung “Dreaming of You”. I couldn't miss that song kasi it's one of my favorites and it was sang by Selena, a Mexican star.

Why “Eres Tu” as the carrier single?
Ang nakakatuwa n'un “Eres Tu” was not part of the plan. Nu'ng una nag-iisip kami ng packaging but the thing is medyo hesitant kami kasi baka hindi maintindihan baka maraming mga ganoong mga reklamo but eventually nu'ng nakita naming maganda ang kinalabasan ng mga kanta mas naging matapang kami sa pag-record ng Spanish. We actually decided to add more songs 'yun 'yung naging “Eres Tu”. Sabi namin 'sige maglabas tayo', tapangan natin kasi this is what you're being positioned to be. So might as well kung susugal ka isugal mo na ng 100 %. So sabi n'ya (pertaining to Dennis, his manager) since you sing in Spanish and you have a good pronunciation also ituloy na natin.

Your 1st single is 'Eres Tu' in English its 'It's You' so are you pointing to one particular person for that song?
Sa ngayon wala. I dedicate the song to my fans.

What is the main reason why there are two versions of Eres Tu, pop and ballad versions?
Unang nirecord namin honestly 'yung ballad ngayon nu'ng naisip namin na kailangang mag-release ng first song na Spanish at iyon 'yung 'Eres Tu” naisip namin na baka 'yung kabataan medyo parang hands off kami diyan na parang baka maging alien sa kanila. Dennis: So 'yun nag-record kami ng pop version kasi sabi namin na kapag dinala ito sa radyo e baka barilin. So nu'ng binigay namin sa radyo nagpa-option kami ayaw nila ng ballad kaya may pop-version din. So 'yun wala naman kaming naging problema. It's really a test market more on talagang positioning ito. Upon the suggestion also of PolyEast Records, to balance it also, kasi baka akala ng mga tao 'yung Spanish version lang kaya ipinasok 'yung “Kahit Minsan Lang”. So 'yung ibang radio stations hindi pine-play 'yung “Eres Tu” pero sa lahat naman pine-play 'yung “Kahit Minsan Lang”. I went to Baguio to give the samplers as Josh is their featured artist for Mother's Day. I was surprised kasi on our way to Baguio narinig kong tinutugtog 'yung “Eres Tu” sa Star FM Baguio.

How many compositions do you have in the album?
Isa lang 'yung “Estar Contigo” lang.

Where did you get your inspiration for that song? How was it writing your own composition for the first time?
It felt great kasi I have been writing songs since I was in high school kaya lang hindi nagma-materialize. Nu'ng nasa Star Records ako meron din akong mga kinompose na songs kaso meron akong takot na baka hindi ma-publish kasi 'yung mga ka-trabaho ko mga arrangers talaga so they might tell me na kulang pa pero this time pinilit ako ni Paolo. I have to finish the song dahil kailangan sa album at makakatulong sa akin at least maipapakita ko sa tao na kaya kong sumulat ng kanta so I tried to finish this song. It’s all because of that. 'Yung pagiging in love alam naman natin lahat iyon pero basically I wanted to finish the song because I want it to be published in my album.

What kinds of songs do you compose since high school?
Ballads talaga kasi sobrang may pagka-balladeer ako. Most of the time sa bahay kahit nagkakantahan lang kaming magkakapatid kahit 'yung fast songs nababagalan ko. Slow lang talaga akong kumanta sobra.

Is there a particular OPM song that you would want to translate in Spanish? Why?
I like Regine's song “Parangap Ko Ang Ibigin Ka” kasi favorite ko 'yung song.

While doing the album, do you have a particular artists/bands that you listen to that have influenced you in this album?
Yeah, meron pero puro Spanish talaga. I listen to a lot of bands meron diyan 'yung Mana and Reik. These are bands from Mexico. Tapos 'yung mga solo singers puro Spanish din to internalize talaga kasi mahirap actually when we first recorded 'yung “Estória de Amor” lalabas 'yung pagka-Spanish. Although I know how to speak Spanish, singing Spanish is kinda different. Nakukuha naman 'yung pronunciation nakukuha naman kaya lang ang problema kasi 'pag Spanish song intro pa lang malakas na ang boses. Sa mga Filipino kasi ang style sa intro natin soft muna tapos palakas ng palakas sa huli sisigaw na 'yan. Ito iba e kasi may strong influence sa kanila ng Moorse kapag kumanta sila may tunog na pagka-Arabo. Intro pa lang sumisigaw na sila, malakas na malakas na silang kumanta. If you notice during the launch 'yung first line ko ng “Estória de Amor” medyo pasigaw. So nu'ng nagre-record ako medyo parang gulat so nahihirapan akong maka-adjust sa gan'un. So I listen to a lot of Spanish singers. Sila Luis Miguel, David des Val, Julio and Enrique Iglesias, Luis Ponce, they are popular Spanish singers. Sobrang dami kong pinapakinggan. Actually it pays off kapag nakinig ka sa mga Spanish singers konti na lang ang ia-adjust mo kasi very Filipino sila when it comes to emotions. Very sentimental sila. Malakas nga lang silang kumanta. Very very powerful.

Given the chance to collaborate with solo artists that we have right now, who would it be?
Siguro bagay na magkaroon kami ng duet ni Sitti kasi although Bossa Nova siya and in English, 'yung tunog ng music niya madaling magji-jive sa Latin music.

Since this is your second album,what have you learned from your 1st album that you applied now on this new record?
Medyo mas mabilis 'yung adjustments siguro 'yung one week na nagre-recording kami nakapag-adjust na agad. Unlike before n'ung first album ko halos mag-iisang buwan na hindi pa ako nakakapag-adjust kasi nangangapa ako e s'yempre bagong artist. Sa recording nangangapa. Hindi mo alam kung papaano tutulungan 'yung arranger mo at sound technician mo at kung papaano pagagandahin 'yung music mo. Unlike now, ang daming mga suggestions na nanggagaling from all the people around me – from Paulo, from Dennis and from myself so nakakapag-contribute na ako. Maraming marami akong natutunan kung ano sa tingin ko 'yung makakapagpaganda sa kanta. It is more on pagiging expressive.

What are the preparations you do for 'Eres Tu' album?
Medyo balik pag-vocalize ako kasi s'yempre nag-aral ng three years, you don't sing that much so ngayon kailangang laging naka-kondisyon. Review Spanish kasi mahirap wala akong kausap. I have friends sa internet. I voice chat with them in Spanish to improve my Spanish. I took one course in Cervantes. I was accelarated agad from the time na nag-enroll ako na-accelerate ako from level 8 to level 14.

Do you still have any languages that you would want to learn?
Marami akong gustong matutunan. I'm very interested in different languages. Actually when I was just starting three years ago, when I had a vacation and shows in Japan for two months natuto akong mag-Japanese.



JOSH SPEAKS FURTHER

You graduated of Bachelor of Arts Major in English, what made you decide to come back in the entertainment scene?
Actually, I was asking the same question to myself during the time I was studying. Now I understand. I think it was a calling na bumalik ako sa schooling kasi nag-change kami ng direction. Now, I know the artist that I want to be. I think I found what I really wanted to do.

Who are you now versus three years ago when you're just starting out?
Now I feel na I'm more mature as a singer kasi nu'ng una 'yung quality ng boses batang-bata medyo matinis pa, ngayon medyo mas malalim kumanta and mas seryoso sa mga message ng songs. Actually ang nagasabi nito sa akin si Kuya Paolo. Napansin n'ya I'm mature enough to do this Fil-Hispano album.

Share us your ultimate goal or objective as a singer?
To be honest nu'ng first album ko, I worked on a lot of revivals. Ang fraustration ko before it was difficult for me to come back nu'ng time na we were conceptualizing kasi I never had an original song on the record ewan ko kung bakit 'yung una was “Meteor Garden”, “Basta't Kasama Kita”, sa teleserye and then 'yung “Sa Puso Ko”, an Ogie Alcasid song. Then 'yung first single ko from my first album was “Hindi Ko Kaya” original by Richard Reynoso tapos Ariel Rivera revival na “Mahal Naman Kita”. So that was my fraustration I never had a mark. This time I promised myself na makapaglabas ako ng original. It’s a fulfillment for an artist to at least have one na talagang tatatak. Gusto kong marating 'yung status na magkaroon ako ng original song.

Can you describe to us a goal you badly want to achieve in year or two?
I want to establish my own life. I want to be known as a singer talaga. Other things could come like acting. I want to create my own mark in the music industry.

Outside music, what sort of things are you enjoying lately?
I was preoccupied with the preparations for this album.

What's your typical Sunday like?
I go out with friends. We watch movies. Mahilig kaming mag-travel. I'm really a homebody person pero madaldal akong tao. I enjoy conversations.

What are the best experiences you've had so far?
Itong comeback kasi itong comeback na ito I never thought na it would happen again. Dumating ako sa point na when I was studying if I look back ‘yung kasikatan before 'yung peak ng career ko would not happen again. Sabi nga nila 'yung opportunities kumakatok isang beses lang pero ngayon luckily kumatok siya ulit. 'Yung faith ko sa Diyos, I was told to study again and I followed. I don't know what's going to happen but I kept on walking. I trusted God that something good is going to happen. Nu'ng nakita kong nagma-materialize ulit 'yung album, it was the most unbelievable thing in my life.

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