When Charice meets Bruno Mars

By Rito Asilo

Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines—One singing sensation’s reject is another’s hit single. Filipinos aren’t very familiar with Alexandra Burke, but the original singer of “Before It Explodes,” the carrier track of Charice’s upcoming second international album, is a big star in England (her song, “Hallelujah,” was UK’s top-selling single of 2008). She won the fifth edition of the Simon Cowell-produced British talent show, “The X Factor” (which debuts in the US on Fox and on GMA 7 this year).

“Before It Explodes” was written for Burke’s debut collection, “Overcome,” but didn’t make the album’s final lineup. Even more noteworthy is the fact that the tune was written by Fil-Am recording star, Bruno Mars—who sings (and makes beautiful music) with Charice in the hit-bound new version.

The rousing, radio-friendly ballad sings about the bittersweet end of a beautiful romance, and benefits from the complementary styles of the teenage singer and the prolific Grammy-winning singer/songwriter.

Billboard charts

If you like “Grenade,” you’ll also enjoy listening to this pop ditty. So, grab a copy before it, well, explodes…on the Billboard charts! (Incidentally, “All By Myself,” Charice’s ear-ringing number from her most recent—albeit underwhelming—“Glee” outing, debuted on the Hot 100 last week in 87th place.)

Another heady source of Pinoy pride is “Glee’s” Fil-Am charmer, 24-year-old Darren Criss, who plays Blaine Anderson, Chris Colfer’s love interest in the series. The swoon-worthy singer-actor was born in San Francisco, California, but his mother is a native of Cebu (his father’s Irish). His Pinoy roots explain why he is as talented as he is charming.

Before Criss struck gold with “Glee,” he was best known for his portrayal of Harry Potter on the viral YouTube videos, “A Very Potter Musical” and “A Very Potter Sequel,” which were actually stage musical-comedies based on the popular JK Rowling series.

Lead singer

For the hit TV show, as the lead singer of The Warblers (New Directions’ all-male a cappella singing rival), Criss covered Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream,” and hit No. 1—the first time a “Glee” single has reached the top of Billboard’s Hot 100 chart!

The versatile performer’s other numbers (most of them sung with Tufts University’s The Beelzebubs) are even better, most notably his gorgeous duets with Colfer (“Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” from the group’s Christmasalbum) and Lea Michele (“Don’t You Want Me?”), as well as his sizzling versions of Paul McCartney’s “Silly Love Songs” and Train’s “Hey, Soul Sister.”

Happily, both tracks are featured in “Glee: The Music Presents The Warblers,” which debuted on theBillboard 200 at No. 2 last week. The collection includes two bonus tracks that were not performed on the TV show: Barbra Streisand and Barry Gibb’s “What Kind of Fool” and Rod Stewart’s “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?” —You can’t get any sexier than that!

When in Cebu City, please visit gregmelep.com for your real estate and retirement needs.

Avail of the opportunity to own a condominium unit in Cebu City for only P12,000.00/month with its own parking lot. Hurry while the supply of units last. Just call the Tel. Nos. (053)555-8464/09164422611/  09173373687

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer

Bruno Mars' explosive show doowops into the hearts of fellow Pinoys

By NEIL RAMOS

April 10, 2011, 2:42am

MANILA, Philippines – The Bruno Mars concert, April 8, was what many expected: A hit-laden set that allowed for hearty sing-along for all.

The show started way beyond the time listed on the tickets but it didn’t bother the huge crowd that gathered. Everyone seemed only too busy ogling the great number of celebrities who trooped to the venue.

“Uy, sino 'yung kasama ni Richard [Gutierrez]?” whispered one intrepid concert-goer.

“Ay, ang pogi ni James [Yap],” shrieked another.

Noticeable as well is the good number of kids who came to the venue sporting the Bruno Mars look replete with Fedora and 50's styled glasses.

As the lights dimmed, everybody focused their eyes on stage, yelling in unison as the star of the night appeared. Decked in a simple checkered shirt, red pants and, yes, the trademark Fedora, Bruno Mars casually walked towards the drum set and started pounding away. The crowd roared in approval.

The experienced performer that he is, Mars didn’t let go of that hold, as he quickly stood up, grabbed an electric guitar and started the parade of hits with the excellent “The Other Side,” from his EP, “It’s Better If You Don’t Understand.” The song proved a great choice as a starter as it allowed Mars to stretch vocally, warming himself up for what apparently turned out to be a fast, frantic set that, surprisingly, included a great number of rocking tunes (and we thought Mars was just another Jason Mraz).

Razing that notion further is another uptempo song from the same EP, “Top Of The World,” with Mars scratching some funky riffs on his sick green electric guitar. At that point, he started bantering with the crowd, egging them to sing part of the song. Everyone obliged, naturally.

Prior to doing a cover of the classic “Money (That’s What I Want),” Mars explained that the song inspired him to write the hit, “Billionaire,” popularized by Travie McCoy. He and his band then performed the songs, one after the other, with the latter starting another mad sing-along.

In the front pews, soon-to-be billionaire Boy Abunda (one of the celebrity producers of the show alongside friends Marvin Agustin and Kris Aquino) was seen scanning the humongous crowd that gathered, grinning from ear to ear.

Mars continued to push the crowd’s palpable liveliness on the next number, which at the onset had us thinking that he’d be doing a straight cover of the Nirvana hit, “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” But he turned the song all around singing lyrics of Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” instead—a throwback to his teen years, which Mars admitted he spent aping the King of Pop. He also injected snippets of the White Stripe’s “Seven Nation Army” for full measure.

Without skipping a beat, Mars followed it up with a slightly speedier version of “Marry You,” from “Doo-wops and Hooligans.”  With lyrics the crowd only knew too well, a thousand voices began to drown Mars’ own.

The sing-along continued with the “Lazy Song,” as cellphone cams continued to flash all around.

Mars slowed things up a bit with “Count On Me,” grabbing a smallish guitar and strumming ever so quietly, his voice sounding very much like how it was on the recorded version. But the crowd just won’t let him sing the song by his lonesome. Not that the singer minded. At one point he simply closed his eyes, seemingly enjoying hearing his audience.

During the song, some couples in the audience started to kiss, hug and sway as one. Men who came in solo could only stare at actress Ruffa Gutierrez and her very, very tight jeans, wishing they could hug her instead.

Just before everything settled down into a syrupy love-fest of sorts, Mars pulls everyone back up again with the groovy reggae tinged “Liquor Store Blues,” which he originally performed on record with Bob Marley’s son, Damian. And the dancing continued.

Mars then segued into another crowd favorite, “Nothin’ on You,” which he dedicated to “all beautiful Filipinas.”

Though already visibly tired and sweaty Mars performed his current single, “Grenade,” which he described as his “favorite song,” with much gusto—as if the concert was just starting.

After the song, he asked the crowd if he could sing another song—of course nobody said no and everyone screamed for the much-awaited, “Just the Way You Are"—his biggest hit to date for which he also scored a Best Male Vocal Performance Grammy award. Once again couples were seen singing the song to each other.

In the middle of it all, Mars thanked the crowd and acknowledged some of his relatives who came, including an aunt and an uncle. It was then that he made mention of his Filipino roots, which the crowd acknowledged with a bellow of support.

When in Cebu City, please visit gregmelep.com for your real estate and retirement needs.

Avail of the opportunity to own a condominium unit in Cebu City for only P12,000.00/month with its own parking lot. Hurry while the supply of units last. Just call the Tel. Nos. (053)555-8464/09164422611/  09173373687

Bruno Mars: Filipino and proud of it

By Pocholo Concepcion

Philippine Daily Inquirer

Most Read

MANILA, Philippines—(UPDATE) Bruno Mars drove more than 10,000 people crazy with a spellbinding performance Friday night at the Araneta Coliseum.

He made it more special by stirring national pride among the mostly local audience. “I am Filipino!” he proclaimed near the end of the sold-out concert.

Born Peter Gene Hernandez in Hawaii to a Puerto Rican father and Filipino mother, the recent Grammy winner and hotshot singer-songwriter pointed out that his Filipino clan was watching with the crowd, including his grandparents and his mother, Bernadette.

On Thursday night his relatives also joined him at the Waterfront Cebu Hotel where he held his first of two concerts, bankrolled by actor-restaurateur Marvin Agustin with a couple of celebrity folks as partners.

At the Big Dome, where SRO tickets had to be sold to accommodate a huge demand from fans, the 25-year-old Mars presented a show that revealed his deep love for classic rock ’n’ roll. Even before the gig started, the house music primed the audience with a selection of hits by Elvis Presley, The Temptations, among others.

Striding onstage and momentarily banging on the drums as a warm-up, Mars settled down with an electric guitar, accompanied by a five-piece band composed of Afro-Americans and Asians. But his opening number, “The Other Side,” a track from his debut album “Doo-Wops and Hooligans,” burned with vocal passion and musical ferocity.

Throughout the show he laid bare his R&B, soul and reggae influences. On the third song, he launched into a raging version of Barrett Strong’s 1959 hit “Money (That’s What I Want)” – famously covered by The Beatles – as an intro to “Billionaire,” the worldwide hit by Travie McCoy which Mars co-wrote and produced.

“Can we slow down?” he asked the crowd before playing his own tune, “Our First Time,” channeling Michael Jackson but more erotic in tone – the song’s raging-hormones theme tempered only by a cool reggae beat.

Mars followed it with an all-out homage to Jackson: a faster version of “Billie Jean” with clanging guitars reminiscent of The Troggs’ 1965 hit “Wild Thing,” and “I Want You Back,” the Jackson 5’s 1969 first single on the Motown label.

The crowd went nuts upon hearing the next song, “Marry You,” an original track off “Doo-Wops and Hooligans,” distinctly memorable for its driving rhythms and happy wedding bells background.

But not everything was bright and sunshiny in Mars’ songs. “Liquor Store Blues,” though arranged in engaging dancehall-reggae style, was in fact dark and gloomy, the lyrics howling with drunkenness and desolation: “One shot for my pain…”

There was pandemonium when Mars proceeded with “Nothin’ on You,” another worldwide hit (No. 1 in the United States, United Kingdom and the Netherlands) which he co-wrote and produced with hip hop artist B.o.B.

But apparently Mars preferred the audience to likewise appreciate the next tune, “Grenade,” which he said was his personal favorite. Like “Liquor Store Blues,” it was not a happy song, its sentiments dripping with frustration: “I would die for you, but you won’t do the same.”

Hysteria accompanied his own No. 1 hit, “Just the Way You Are,” the audience taking over the song’s chorus.

There was one more impressive showcase via the encore, “Runaway Baby,” in which Mars lent credence to his album and tour title “Doo-Wops” by doing a James Brown act, complete with a backup vocal trio. His footwork elicited applause, even if he couldn’t execute a full leg split.

The gig, which lasted for an hour-and-a-half, also displayed Mars’ guitar-playing skills. On “Grenade” his axe wailed with blasts of hard rock. But on “Count on Me” he switched to a ukulele, evoking laid-back beach scenes not unlike those in Hawaii where he grew up.

He said it was his first time to come to the Philippines where his mother was born. He vowed to be back, overwhelmed by the crowd’s lusty cheers: “I want to see the same faces when I return, okay?”

When in Cebu City, please visit gregmelep.com for your retirement and real estate needs.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer

Bruno Mars finally finds his way ‘home’

By Rito Asilo

Philippine Daily Inquirer

EVEN GOOD guys make mistakes. Last September, when Fil-Am Bruno Mars aka Peter Gene Hernandez (his Pinoy mother, Bernadette, emigrated to Hawaii as a child) was arrested in Las Vegas for cocaine possession, it looked like the upward career trajectory of pop music’s latest Boy Wonder would take a sudden detour southward.

Repercussions

But, you can’t put a good man down—at least, not for long, especially if he’s as talented and self-effacing as Mars. There was no excuse for what he did. So, upon realizing the potentially devastating repercussions of his “moment of weakness,” the singer immediately owned up to his irresponsible behavior and acknowledged that what he did was “foolish”—after all, he said he had never used drugs in the past. (In return for pleading guilty, the charge against Mars will be stricken out of his record if he stays out of trouble for a year.)

A few weeks after Mars’ arrest, it was time for Pinoys to feel euphoric because, when the Billboard chart was released, it boasted an outstanding feat by Fil-Ams never before accomplished on the Hot 100 chart:

At No. 1 was Mars’ “Just The Way You Are,” which was then on a four-week run at the top. And, in second place was the groove-heavy single, “Like A G6,” by FarEast Movement, an electro hop quartet made up of Kevin Nishimura (of Japanese-Chinese descent), James Roh and Jae Choung (Korean), and another Fil-Am, DJ Virman Coquia!

At last month’s Grammy Awards, there were a good number of upsets, but nobody was surprised when Mars won the Best Male Pop Vocal Performance prize for “Just The Way You Are.” His competitors in the category were a veritable Who’s Who in pop music: Michael Bublé (“Haven’t Met You Yet”), Adam Lambert (“Whataya Want From Me?”), John Mayer (“Half of My Heart”) and Michael Jackson (“This Is It”)!

Mars’ songs have been constant fixtures on our iPod’s playlist long before the irresistible tracks of his full-length debut album, “Doo-Wops & Hooligans,” started invading the charts.

Who can resist the knockout hooks of “Nothing On You” (with B.o.B.), “Billionaire” (with Travie McCoy) and “Dance in the Mirror?” In fact, we were pleasantly surprised when we learned that Bruno also cowrote one of our favorite tunes of the season: Cee Lo Green and Gwyneth Paltrow’s “Forget You!”

Sense of humor

Mars’ feel-good musical sensibility, malleable voice, off-kilter sense of humor, as well as the hum-worthy melodies he concocts with his collaborators, are the engines that keep the “Doo-Wops’” hit-making machine running at full-speed:

It’s hard to resist the infectious vibe of “Just The Way You Are,” the radio-friendly groove of “Grenade” and theMotown-sounding “Marry You,” the funky punk-rock licks of “Runaway Baby,” the reggaefied beats of “The Lazy Song,” the sexy jam of “Our First Time,” and the Jason Mraz-sounding bugglegum tune, “Count On Me,” which displays the 25-year-old performer’s Michael Jackson-like vocal affectations.

The singer-songwriter indulges in his fondness for reggae in “Liquor Store Blues” (his duet with DamianMarley) and collaborates with Cee Lo Green and B.o.B. in “The Other Side,” a more urgent, sped-up hybrid of Chris Isaak’s “Wicked Game.”

Bruno Mars doesn’t need the “wrinkle-ironing” ability of modern technology to spice up his melodies, but the different genres (rock, reggae, soul, pop, hip-hop, etc.) he introduces into their arrangements sumptuously enhance their diverse musical flavors—something his fans in Cebu (April 7, Waterfront Hotel) and Manila (April 8, Araneta Coliseum) can’t wait to get a taste of when their idol finally finds his way “home!”

When in Cebu City, please visit gregmelep.com for your real estate and retirement needs.

Avail of the opportunity to own a condominium unit in Cebu City for only P12,000.00/month with its own parking lot. Hurry while the supply of units last. Just call the Tel. Nos. (053)555-8464/09164422611/  09173373687

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer