THE ARTIST
Davao isn't just the melting pot of different varieties of fruity goodness in this fertile archipelago of ours, rather her blessedness extends up to her talented individuals. Few I would remember having them interviewed are Moonstar88, 1017 and the likes.
And now on board our recording strips in no other than the Acoustic Heartthrob of Davao, Aries Sales. An audio-video editor by professional choice and an acoustic singer by further expressive choice.
The way camera shutters capture his blithesome presence in the studio, might as well be the same fashion that we capture his inner thoughts on his “new found land” towards stardom.
It's obvious then that his yet starting to draw his best foot forward towards the promising OPM scenery, if our warrior would make to the top whatever he aspires. Nevertheless, his idealism is solid on the rocks. That one he wrought on our record as we started the ball rolling for him.
“I wanted to be remembered as a singer / songwriter who write about life experiences. Like for example, I have written a song about my mom entitled “Sa Iyo Lang”, it’s a commendable song, which any moms can relate to it. The rest of the songs I wrote are all about street, it’s like a testimony of how Filipinos live,” he commenced.
So how did it all come about?
He remembered humming his tunes at the fourth grade, “it all started when I was on my 4th grade I attended a church service in Davao, I was invited to add children church parang ganun, a kid church so I attended there and then may banda, it’s like ‘okay we’re inviting you to have a music seminar or workshop!”
He did attended the seminar and started as a base player, “so I attended and started as a bass player so when I was playing bass I was kinda bored so I tried guitar naman naman kasi mas mahirap hanggang dun nag-start ako sa church. Then in high school dun na ako parang seryoso around 2nd year in high school I secretly discovered that I can sing. So I thought I should share it why hide ‘di ba? I am also a poet, I written and put my writings and translate them to music and the rest is history (laughs).”
Aries has his own relation and differentiation towards his music, the way he completes the puzzle in his artistry. “Because I write my own songs, not because I put a different taste to other songs but of course I pour my heart to the songs that would sound differently. I’m not bragging or pulling my own chair you know, but I think here in the Philippines there are few of us (musicians) are lap-tapping, putting piano into the guitar, the first person who taught me that is LJ Tejos who’s now in London. But what I’m focusing in is the songs that I am reviving, interpreting and writing.”
Considering the musical ambiances of the two shores he had been, he's quite frank and free saying, “the music scene here in Manila is very diametrically opposite compared to Davao. Davaoneos are very hard to please, they’re very different including Cebuanos as well. Pag dating ko dito sa Manila I have to go with a trend, you have to hit the ‘masa’ first before going to the target market that you wanted. That’s what I realized here and surprisingly my first gig is the “Then and Now Music Festivals” concert held in MOA Open Grounds with international acts like Jojo, Diana King, SWV, TQ, PM Dawn to name a few with Myrus Ramirez as the opening act so nakakaba talaga since it’s in a big venue. And my second gig is “PMPC Star for A Cause” in SM North Edsa.”
HIS MUSIC
Like any typical tenners he would usually learn to tie his shoes scamper on the playing ground, learn to laugh and cry. “Syempre as a child puro laro lang ang iniisip natin. Medyo nung una tinatamad ka by the time you’ve learned how to play the first chord on the guitar, ma-eexcite ka then you gonna get addictive yung music.”
Then that sole excitement planted on the fertile plane of Davao mushroomed into some sort of jazzy oriented music hunk everybody's starting to wow at. “The least genre I played is R&B but mostly I love Jazz, I am a Jazz oriented person. Before I started, when I was around 14 years old I started singing pop as I getting matured in music I started to love jazz, blues so I incorporate all of my compositions to that genre.”
What kind of music are you into?
I’m into jazz and acoustic. I always incorporate jazz to my music, may touch talaga pero hindi standard jazz ha na parang napaka-sosyal na jazz parang may mga songs that are with seventh chords, mga ganun.
How easy or difficult it is to play and sing Jazz to jive into other music?
Though I’m not exclusively singing Jazz, I’m actually giving a fusion to different kinds of music. My musical influences include Jason Mraz, Jamie Collum which is a jazzer from Europe, Jack Johnson, Dave Matthews Band.
Who are some of your musical heroes growing up?
International? It’s Jamie Cullom, the way he writes songs, saludo ako parang parehas kami he writes on how to brush your teeth, normal living…narrative. That’s the songwriter, narrative and very conversational, yung kwento nilapatan ng music. Ganun si Jamie Cullom, that’s what I admired him. Also, Jason Mraz and Jack Johnson. Sa local naman, I like the songs of Rico Blanco. Sa poetry and music I like Gary Granada especially his songs “Saranggola sa Ulan” and “Bahay”. Also my bestfriends, LJ Te and Dennis Ceballos when it comes to guitar playing.
In 5 words or less, why we should dig to your music?
It’s fun, you can learn from it, you’ll reminisce or feel nostalgic and you will feel what I feel when you hear my songs.
How would you want to describe your sound?
At first, I wasn’t a fan of myself (laughs). I really dunno if I sounded good. Probably the people who heard me said ‘you sound great and different.’ So okay, I believed in them and continuing doing it so when I said on how would I interpret and describe my own music, I know it’s a song from my inner self. Music runs through my blood, it’s like when I’m sad that’s how I pluck my guitar out and when I’m happy that’s how I strums my guitar out.
What’s the biggest crowd you’ve played so far?
Yung sa ‘Then and Now” concert at Mall of Asia Open Grounds. I cannot call it front act kasi parang mas marami pa yung kinanta namin compare to the foreign artists. Nakakatuwa lang, it’s really an honor to us being the only Filipinos on that stage.
As an artist, did you consider the message of the song or not at all?
Of course it should be positive, that’s very important for me. Mainly because I am a Christian, I have to live with it, you were called a Christian because you should be like Christ or you should posses good things and positive music. Yung mga kanta kasi those are stories and testimonies of life like how to appreciate your mom, stuff like that.
HIS ALBUM
So far what are you working on while preparing for your upcoming album?
I dunno yet if we’re going to put my compositions on my debut album yet. I’m focused on the arrangement of cover songs actually we have a long list of songs to choose from and we will pick the best out of it. I wanted the album to come out as an acoustic album which is differentiated, it’s like an ‘avant-garde’ project na parang ‘oh, iba ito ah!’ it would sound as very Filipino but with a different taste.
Who are some of the OPM artists you’ve worked and performed with so far?
Myrus Ramirez of course because we have the same manager. Also Davey Langit from Viva Records. We recently guested on Yeng Constantino’s Music Uplate Live!
Since you will be coming out an album anytime this year, what can we look forward to about it?
A lot of fun, anyone can relate to it. Pero depende pa sa concept na gagawin namin kasi it’s on going palang of course I’m there to surprise people on what’s it’s gonna be on my debut album.
What are you hoping to accomplish with your upcoming album?
Syempre with humility, I am praying na sana magustuhan ng maraming tao.
OTHERS
Aside from your music what other music have you gotten in lately?
Old school music (laughs). Ang sarap to reminisce and to feel nostalgic sometimes. I just turned 22, sometimes it’s awkward to sing those ‘oldies songs’ pero minsan ang saya especially when you sing and make it sounds new.
If you’ve given the chance to collaborate with other OPM artists that we have right now, which would it be?
Ely Buendia and Rico Blanco, they are really legendary in the OPM music scene.
How would you describe your first gig here in Manila?
The “Then and Now Music Festival” concert? Ang saya, I really enjoyed it kasi once you enjoyed performing anything can happen. Awkward at first considering that I just got here and really knew in the music business but when you heard an applause parang nawawala yung kaba mo. I considered that night as my memorable gig for me.
Aside from music, what other things are you into?
I also do magic tricks (laughs). I’m into net surfing. I’m into computer graphics.
What’s in store for you this year? Any shows or concerts?
Hopefully we release my debut album within this year, that’s the target time frame.
Davao isn't just the melting pot of different varieties of fruity goodness in this fertile archipelago of ours, rather her blessedness extends up to her talented individuals. Few I would remember having them interviewed are Moonstar88, 1017 and the likes.
And now on board our recording strips in no other than the Acoustic Heartthrob of Davao, Aries Sales. An audio-video editor by professional choice and an acoustic singer by further expressive choice.
The way camera shutters capture his blithesome presence in the studio, might as well be the same fashion that we capture his inner thoughts on his “new found land” towards stardom. It's obvious then that his yet starting to draw his best foot forward towards the promising OPM scenery, if our warrior would make to the top whatever he aspires. Nevertheless, his idealism is solid on the rocks. That one he wrought on our record as we started the ball rolling for him.
“I wanted to be remembered as a singer / songwriter who write about life experiences. Like for example, I have written a song about my mom entitled “Sa Iyo Lang”, it’s a commendable song, which any moms can relate to it. The rest of the songs I wrote are all about street, it’s like a testimony of how Filipinos live,” he commenced.
So how did it all come about?
He remembered humming his tunes at the fourth grade, “it all started when I was on my 4th grade I attended a church service in Davao, I was invited to add children church parang ganun, a kid church so I attended there and then may banda, it’s like ‘okay we’re inviting you to have a music seminar or workshop!”
He did attended the seminar and started as a base player, “so I attended and started as a bass player so when I was playing bass I was kinda bored so I tried guitar naman naman kasi mas mahirap hanggang dun nag-start ako sa church. Then in high school dun na ako parang seryoso around 2nd year in high school I secretly discovered that I can sing. So I thought I should share it why hide ‘di ba? I am also a poet, I written and put my writings and translate them to music and the rest is history (laughs).”
Aries has his own relation and differentiation towards his music, the way he completes the puzzle in his artistry. “Because I write my own songs, not because I put a different taste to other songs but of course I pour my heart to the songs that would sound differently. I’m not bragging or pulling my own chair you know, but I think here in the Philippines there are few of us (musicians) are lap-tapping, putting piano into the guitar, the first person who taught me that is LJ Tejos who’s now in London. But what I’m focusing in is the songs that I am reviving, interpreting and writing.”
Considering the musical ambiances of the two shores he had been, he's quite frank and free saying, “the music scene here in Manila is very diametrically opposite compared to Davao. Davaoneos are very hard to please, they’re very different including Cebuanos as well. Pag dating ko dito sa Manila I have to go with a trend, you have to hit the ‘masa’ first before going to the target market that you wanted. That’s what I realized here and surprisingly my first gig is the “Then and Now Music Festivals” concert held in MOA Open Grounds with international acts like Jojo, Diana King, SWV, TQ, PM Dawn to name a few with Myrus Ramirez as the opening act so nakakaba talaga since it’s in a big venue. And my second gig is “PMPC Star for A Cause” in SM North Edsa.”
HIS MUSIC
Like any typical tenners he would usually learn to tie his shoes scamper on the playing ground, learn to laugh and cry. “Syempre as a child puro laro lang ang iniisip natin. Medyo nung una tinatamad ka by the time you’ve learned how to play the first chord on the guitar, ma-eexcite ka then you gonna get addictive yung music.”
Then that sole excitement planted on the fertile plane of Davao mushroomed into some sort of jazzy oriented music hunk everybody's starting to wow at. “The least genre I played is R&B but mostly I love Jazz, I am a Jazz oriented person. Before I started, when I was around 14 years old I started singing pop as I getting matured in music I started to love jazz, blues so I incorporate all of my compositions to that genre.”
What kind of music are you into?I’m into jazz and acoustic. I always incorporate jazz to my music, may touch talaga pero hindi standard jazz ha na parang napaka-sosyal na jazz parang may mga songs that are with seventh chords, mga ganun.
How easy or difficult it is to play and sing Jazz to jive into other music?
Though I’m not exclusively singing Jazz, I’m actually giving a fusion to different kinds of music. My musical influences include Jason Mraz, Jamie Collum which is a jazzer from Europe, Jack Johnson, Dave Matthews Band.
Who are some of your musical heroes growing up?
International? It’s Jamie Cullom, the way he writes songs, saludo ako parang parehas kami he writes on how to brush your teeth, normal living…narrative. That’s the songwriter, narrative and very conversational, yung kwento nilapatan ng music. Ganun si Jamie Cullom, that’s what I admired him. Also, Jason Mraz and Jack Johnson. Sa local naman, I like the songs of Rico Blanco. Sa poetry and music I like Gary Granada especially his songs “Saranggola sa Ulan” and “Bahay”. Also my bestfriends, LJ Te and Dennis Ceballos when it comes to guitar playing.
In 5 words or less, why we should dig to your music?
It’s fun, you can learn from it, you’ll reminisce or feel nostalgic and you will feel what I feel when you hear my songs.
How would you want to describe your sound?
At first, I wasn’t a fan of myself (laughs). I really dunno if I sounded good. Probably the people who heard me said ‘you sound great and different.’ So okay, I believed in them and continuing doing it so when I said on how would I interpret and describe my own music, I know it’s a song from my inner self. Music runs through my blood, it’s like when I’m sad that’s how I pluck my guitar out and when I’m happy that’s how I strums my guitar out.
What’s the biggest crowd you’ve played so far?
Yung sa ‘Then and Now” concert at Mall of Asia Open Grounds. I cannot call it front act kasi parang mas marami pa yung kinanta namin compare to the foreign artists. Nakakatuwa lang, it’s really an honor to us being the only Filipinos on that stage.
As an artist, did you consider the message of the song or not at all?
Of course it should be positive, that’s very important for me. Mainly because I am a Christian, I have to live with it, you were called a Christian because you should be like Christ or you should posses good things and positive music. Yung mga kanta kasi those are stories and testimonies of life like how to appreciate your mom, stuff like that.
HIS ALBUM
So far what are you working on while preparing for your upcoming album?
I dunno yet if we’re going to put my compositions on my debut album yet. I’m focused on the arrangement of cover songs actually we have a long list of songs to choose from and we will pick the best out of it. I wanted the album to come out as an acoustic album which is differentiated, it’s like an ‘avant-garde’ project na parang ‘oh, iba ito ah!’ it would sound as very Filipino but with a different taste.
Who are some of the OPM artists you’ve worked and performed with so far?
Myrus Ramirez of course because we have the same manager. Also Davey Langit from Viva Records. We recently guested on Yeng Constantino’s Music Uplate Live!
Since you will be coming out an album anytime this year, what can we look forward to about it?
A lot of fun, anyone can relate to it. Pero depende pa sa concept na gagawin namin kasi it’s on going palang of course I’m there to surprise people on what’s it’s gonna be on my debut album.
What are you hoping to accomplish with your upcoming album?
Syempre with humility, I am praying na sana magustuhan ng maraming tao.
OTHERS
Aside from your music what other music have you gotten in lately?
Old school music (laughs). Ang sarap to reminisce and to feel nostalgic sometimes. I just turned 22, sometimes it’s awkward to sing those ‘oldies songs’ pero minsan ang saya especially when you sing and make it sounds new.
If you’ve given the chance to collaborate with other OPM artists that we have right now, which would it be?
Ely Buendia and Rico Blanco, they are really legendary in the OPM music scene.
How would you describe your first gig here in Manila?
The “Then and Now Music Festival” concert? Ang saya, I really enjoyed it kasi once you enjoyed performing anything can happen. Awkward at first considering that I just got here and really knew in the music business but when you heard an applause parang nawawala yung kaba mo. I considered that night as my memorable gig for me.
Aside from music, what other things are you into?
I also do magic tricks (laughs). I’m into net surfing. I’m into computer graphics.
What’s in store for you this year? Any shows or concerts?
Hopefully we release my debut album within this year, that’s the target time frame.
♫♫♫
Especial thanks to: Pinoy Song Magazine
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