CHRISTIAN BAUTISTA: A HEART'S JOURNEY

Few of us might remember those golden old days when goose bumps ruptures our skin every time a Jose Mari Chan hits primes the airwaves. You'd practically feel the melancholy, longings and hopefulness in his every vocal whisper. It's seems a foretaste of being in trance to a place of eternity and boundless horizon.

For the newer generation it wouldn't be a place of nowhere and alienation or a place of strangers 'cause we'll take a ride through voice and time with the Asia's Pop Idol Christian Bautista.

True and great pleasure was with him to receive early a turnover of legacy from the prolifically and celebrated double-platinum OPM artist Jose Mari Chan. Christian Bautista took a vow of great artistry to revisit Jose Mari Chan's golden classic hits. He's laying them on now to present and newer generation with few added musical colors and creativity.

Before we delve down to the heart of everything about his new album, this was the 7th times Christian Bautista has graced your OPM Music Authority with his cordial presence. The 7th times also that he shared with us his musical ideologies, high spirits, frustrations, success and albums too!

To the Asia's Pop Idol, our great esteem and salute, kudos! God Bless!

“Romance Revisited: The Love Songs Of Jose Mari Chan” is the main badge of Christian Bautista's rendition of Jose Mari Chan's original hits. The album is under the recording cradle of Universal Records.

The songs themselves are considered crowned jewels of OPM, so who would we expect to man them to our time? The album was produced by the Platinum producer Ito Rapadas. It contains 19 tracks from Jose Mari Chan's originals. It is with collaborations with Asia's Songbird Regine Velasquez, Asias Nightingale Lani Misalucha and the Philippines' Pop Princess Sarah Geronimo.

The album's carrier single “Tell Me Your Name” is starting to make noise over FM stations. While it's music video with participation of the Thai beauty Paula Taylor has done some on MYX. Christian is making few more fame as MYX Celebrity VJ for the month of October.

Perhaps, Christian's big leap commenced with his debut album with an overwhelming single titled “The Way You Look At Me,” which made a significant Platinum counts. It was released in Indonesia wherein it was certified Quadruple Platinum, obviously it was a place where he is superstar. It was also released in other Asian countries. But the most remarkable country where he might left his heart is Indonesia. The plans, soon thereafter the Philippine release of “Romance Revisited: The Love Songs Of Jose Mari Chan,” Indonesia's biggest recording label, PT Aquarius Records will have its own release of the same record. This includes a sexy and hefty package with Christian Bautista jives a duet with Indonesian female recording artist Noryn Aziz titled “Ngiti,” translated in Bahasa. Asian wide release will follow soon.


'ROMANCE REVISITED'

How will "Romance Revisited: The Love Songs of Jose Mari Chan" differ from your previous albums in terms of preparations?
It is a different album because it is a concept album and its remaking the songs of one artist that made a remarkable mark on the OPM industry. So unlike the other past concept albums na compilation like APO Hiking songs or Eraserheads, iba't-ibang artists ang gumawa. For this, one artist remaking another artist songs na medyo maraming characteristics and stuff that we have to follow like ano 'yung mga songs na ilalagay, lalagyan ba ng Christmas songs kasi Jose Mari Chan or love songs lang ba? Dapat approved din kay Jose Mari Chan 'yung line up ng songs at kung sinu-sino 'yung makaka-duet. Challenging siya from the very beginning up to the end because it’s always hard to remake excellent songs already so 'yung challenge ay kung papaano mo pa mapapaganda e ang ganda-ganda na. Tapos ipapa-check namin kay Jose Mari Chan kung mayroon pa siyang mga comments. Pero all in all, sa dami ng napagdaanan namin we're very much confident and very happy with the outcome.

Of all the tracks on the album, what's the most challenging song for you to record?
“Afraid for Love to Fade” kasi ang dami niyang shifting medyo mahirap 'yung shifting niya at maraming takes ang nangyari. So kailangan perfect siya.

How do you prepare for duet singing sessions with Regine Velasquez, Lani Misalucha, Sarah Geronimo and Jose Mari Chan?
Ngayong kasi kapag nagre-record ako, isa-isa lang. Una nirecord ko as if they were beside me. Nilagay ko sa isip ko na if ever they sing again I can re-sing it again para to match 'yung kanta nila. And usually that's the case. Pero I was there n'ung nagre-record si Regine at si Sarah na talagang I was just so happy na nandoon sila at naging part sila ng album na ito. It's so surreal because I couldn't believed that in one album you have Regine, Sarah, Lani at Jose Mari Chan na ka-duet. They're all Universal Records except for Sarah.

What is your favorite Jose Mari Chan song off the new album? And how did you motivate yourself for that song?
"Beautiful Girl,” kasi yung kanta parang nakita mo lang siya ng sandali at hinahanap mo siya. So parang yun ang emotion na nilagay ko ang sarili ko. Marami kaming versions na ginawa but eventually nagustuhan namin yung present version. Kung kay Jose Mari Chan, medyo mellow na longing, kami mas pursigido and bumagay naman (laughs).

Whose idea is your packaging?
Kina Ms. Kathleen and Universal Records. Pinapili ako kung anong gusto ko. Something na kapag binili nila 'wow this is a good buy!'. Why? Because it has a calendar, great album, it has 19 songs. Hopefully people will eventually buy this on first release. Who knows 'di kapag may clamour sa mga stores, we can always re-print it.

What kind of feedback have you been getting from your album?
So far so good. Sales are doing good. They love the album. They love the packaging. They love the songs. They love the music video. They love the way I sing. Thank you Lord. So far, all the comments are all positive. And you guys love the way I sing (laughs). 'Yung mga ka-duets ko so far, they love the versions that they did as well. Overall, so far so good talaga.

Is there anything else people should know about you or the new disc?
Minsan kumakanta ako 'Mr. Jose Mari Chan, okay ba ito?' pinaparinig ko sa kanya tapos sasagot siya 'may be you can change it'. Talagang I had a very close relationship with Mr. Jose Mari Chan while recording this album sabi nga niya 'just call me Jomari'.


'ROMANCE REINVENTED'

Your latest album is different, as far as look and style go. What's the story behind the changes?
Medyo in-adjust namin ng konti. Ginawa naming listener friendly at binawasan namin 'yung tremolo masyado. I had to forcefully do that kasi medyo nasanay ako because of West Side Story. Nag-isip din kami ng attack na medyo fresh na in a way na medyo may Christian Bautista pa rin na maririnig pero fresh. And thank God it worked.

With such a successful debut CD, did you feel pressure from the business to be conservative and stick with a formula that worked?
Meron pero ang gusto ko kay Ma'am Kathleen (Managing Director of Universal Records) said 'you have to stick to your strength and improve but I want you to bulk up. I want you to work out. I want you to change your image so that people will be excited again. Na kahit na you're still sticking to your singing style there is something new about you, that when they see and hear you sing, there is something similar yet but there is something different.' Buti na lang hindi nila ako pinag-rap or rock (laughs). So I stick to my niche.

When you went into the studio for this album, what was your goal?
My goal is definitely to please three kinds of people. First, Mr. Jose Mari Chan that he will like my renditions of his songs. Second, myself na talagang masabi ko sa sarili ko na I did my best lalo na sa vocals na talagang binigyan ko ng diin. Lastly, of course my fans who have waited for so long 'coz it's been quite a long time that I haven't release a new one and hopefully they will like this new project under a new label.

Comparisons are inevitable and people are always comparing you to the likes from your contemporaries. What are your thoughts on those comparisons?
A lot of them can sing better than me but I am the only one who sounds like me (laughs). Mas gusto kong mag-connect to the audience. I want to romance them as I sing to them through my songs. And a lot of them are great great singers so wala akong masabi. I'm just glad that on the same plain field we are still in a way friends even though we are competitors.

What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you personally and musically?
Personally, I live independently and really happy being a single man. I am ready for anything but not helplessly searching and looking, not desperate either not incomplete. Musically, in this album, I prove to myself that I can still produce a different kind of sound to reinvent my singing style but still be familiarized that people will surely like. So I was also surprised as well.

The music business has changed so much with illegal downloading and such. Has that forced solo artists like yourself to change their approach to their product?
You make the packaging bigger and better. You release songs that people will really want to buy, keep and treasure. I guess nakikita nila na iba pa rin 'yung physical form kasi 'yung nagda-download naman ay mga young ones lang naman, marami pa ring more on physical. So I think it will take around 10 more years para 'yung mga bata ngayon pagtanda nila na i-download n'yo na lang.

How has your music and style evolved over the years?
In terms of music, I have learned to stay focus on my singing style to be recognized as a balladeer. Sometimes I do experiment and accept some side projects, solos or singles that border on rock or pop from time to time but still going back to the core kung saan ako sanay at saan talaga ako gusto ng tao which is ballads. As for personal style with this album, I had to level up. We have hired the services of the very talented Liz Uy as stylist. She helped me enhance my style to be more classic, sophisticated that will surely fit to the songs of Jose Mari Chan not to end and yet still be accepted of this generation and the upper A and B market.

How do you define yourself as an artist?
Someone who continually wants to be better that what he is all the time.

You've been known for original songs, were you afraid that you might turn off your fans of 3 years ago with this new album?
Hindi, okay lang sa akin kasi kailan ka pa makakakuha ng chance na i-remake ang mga kanta ni Jose Mari Chan at ibibigay sa iyo ang ganyang challenge? It's very hard and pressure sa akin kasi double diamond artist ito parang 'who am I' pero n'ung inindorse niya ako at sinabi niya sa akin na 'Christian, I am glad you're doing this album' I was very strengthened, encouranged and challenged. It's a project that you won't refuse though it's covers para siyang it's something to continue his legacy, so why not okay lang.

What do you cherish more, having an album that debuts at number 1 or having an album that will last?
What will last of course kasi 'yung number 1 sandali lang 'yun, mapapalitan 'yan ng bago lagi. S'yempre kapag nakabili ka na hindi na sila bibili ulit pero an album that will last 'yun talaga. And I feel that this album will last a long time. Ang dami-daming single na p'wedeng ilabas.

Who decided to change your moniker from “Asia's Pop Idol” to “Asia's Romantic Balladeer?
Universal Records pa rin. Anyway, close pa rin naman kasi noong Star In A Million ang tawag sa akin Romantic Balladeer.


HIS 'NEW HOME'

Tell us about your situation at Warner Music.
You know what last month? I visited them on their office just to say hi. It was good closure na nag-usap kami as normal people and as friends. Ako kasi kahit anong falling out gusto ko eventually maayos ko. I don't wanna burn bridges whether in relationships or away sa mga pamilya.Gusto ko laging inaayos tipong 'sige huwag muna tayong mag-usap ngayon pero later on mag-usap tayo.'

After thousands of albums sold with Warner Music and now you're with Universal Records, why change now?
There are some reasons, first my contract has expired. I wanted something new in my career.

Why did you go to Universal Records?
We've meet all the record labels tapos nagtanong kami kung mayroon silang ideas and projects for me. N'ung sa Warner I asks them 'ano po 'yung next project natin?' Tinimbang naming lahat kung ano ang pinaka-maganda. Love din namin talaga ang Warner pero it's a business and career move. And Universal Records promise that this next project that we're gonna do is going to catapult me again to whatever. And I really believe that and I made the right choice.

Anything that you would like to say to Warner Music?
I will always be grateful to Warner because they brought me to where I am. They brought me to Indonesia. They brought me to everywhere. I will always be grateful to them and I'm glad that when I met with them they are still very warm to me. I have a new family now and I'm really happy also with my new family. They are giving me full support. They've been so nice. And there is more to come in terms of regional. Marami pang mangyayari na na dapat abangan pero for the mean time, secret pa s'yempre.

How is it working with Ito Rapadas for the first time as your record producer?
Okay si Sir Ito because he knows what he wants and he respects the artist artistry tapos he find a middle ground so lahat kami satisfied. Nakikinig siya talaga.


ON 'PLEASE BE CAREFUL WITH MY HEART' DUET WITH SARAH

We don't think of anyone else to sing the new version of “Please Be Careful With My Heart” except for Sarah Geronimo. Since we guys are friends, I texted and asked her on whatcha think of doing us a duet together for that song. I'm glad that she is very happy and excited to have a duet with me. It just so happened that her schedule is available. So we let Ms. Kathleen and Carlo Orosa (my manager) talk with Boss Vic del Rosario (of Viva Records). Overall, the coordination went so smooth.


JOSE MARI CHAN ON CHRISTIAN...

Christian is one of our finest singers in the country today and I feel honored and delighted that he is doing this entire album of my songs, introducing them to a new generation of music lovers. The feelings of love and yearning that the young people are going through are the same emotions that inspired me to write these songs. Indeed, love and music are not only universal but eternal.


WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS...

What can we expect from you this year?
Everything is banked on this album. I was praying for this album two years ago. It's an answered prayers. Hopefully more concerts this year and more show here and abroad. It’s starting to pick up na nga e, right now it's at number 4 na kaagad sa Music One first release. So I'm really happy with this album.

♫♫♫

Special Thanks to: Pinoy Song Magazine