First day

This is my first morning in Singapore. Well, my first morning anywhere overseas.

Our plane landed at midnight and I couldn't keep myself from bouncing up and down my seat as I saw the city lights down below. 

The Changi Airport looked more like a mall rather than an airport, with highend stores stretching for more than 2 km which we had to walk to get to the Arrivals Hall.

An hour later, we checked out of the airport and met my friends' brother who have been waiting for us for two hours. We rode a 20-minute cab ride to Teban Gardens (where he lived), and I saw almost two-thirds of the city. Tall buildings, clean roads, landscaped gardens swept through the cab windows as I leaned over left and right to have a better view. 

No, I'm no longer in the Philippines, alright. 

Off to SG

I am writing in this in the Departure Lounge of the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in Clark, Pampanga.

In a matter of hours, I'd be in Singapore. Very exciting. Although the immigration people were quite skeptical that I would just be staying with my friend's brother. They were asking for something more of a hotel reservation or a letter of invitation from the person we're staying with. I guess they're suspecting I'd be a stow-away in the city. We weren't aware that such documents are needed.

"I love my job here in the Philippines, thank you very much." I indignantly said as the officer inquired about my work information here, probably to make sure I wouldn't be going to Singapore to look for a job.  

We just shrugged as they said, "Next time ha."

Now looking around the airport makes we wonder where people are going and why they're leaving. You can immediately tell apart those going away for vacation and those going away for work.

The ones going on vacation look all quirky and bubbly, wearing cargo pants or short skirts. Worn like a necklace are their cameras, and the playful banters with their families and friends would just keep on coming.

Those who'd be going away for work are the serious ones, bordering on gloomy and bored. Quiet. That's just the vibe. They look as if they've been travelling in and out of the country for a hundred times. They'd immediately fall asleep even before the plane goes for take off.

The airport is a place full of wonder. There's a story behind every arrival and departure.

I wonder what's going to be my story.

Notes about my song entries in Philpop

Last May 9, I successfully submitted my two entries for the PhilPop songwriting competition I've been blabbing about. These songs that I've submitted are entirely new songs, never heard by the public or uploaded in the internet.

SAME WAY

This is a mid-tempo ballad which could have easily fit in today's pop music stations. At least that's how I deluded it sounded like.

Performed by Suzette Soyangco, a young vocalist who I've came across with in local music competitions I've attended as judge, and some events I've hosted in. Suzette has also entered some competitions on TV as a kid, and after hearing some YouTube covers of hers, I immediately wanted to work with her.

The lyrics of the song had been lying around my keyboard stand for several days. That's where I leave unfinished compositions which I know I have to finish sooner or later. I know I didn't intentionally branded the song as competition material, but once I've put in the melody days after the lyrics were rewritten and completed, I knew the song had potential.

I played the song to a friend of mine with my guitar and he said, "Is that an original song?" That signalled that the song was beyond me, and that song had to be my entry.

I produced the instrumental track of the song for two days, giving it a modern pop feel, slightly reminiscent of my original sound in "Gabi Na" (my 2008 album) but mixed with elements that are accessible.

Suzette did wonders with "Same Way". Her vocals provided soul that the song badly needed, as well as a touch of teenage hopefulness. I saw her jumping up and down and shrieking with delight as we listened to the final mix of the song after recording for two hours.

I loved how the song turned out. If this song does not win, I am and will always be proud that the song is part of my catalog as a songwriter.

SIMULAN NA 'TO

This song was written for 20 minutes without any guitar or keyboard accompaniment- a first feat for me as a writer. With just a hook I suddenly sang out of nowhere, the lyrics poured across my notebook and the melodies for the rest of the song was born.

If "Same Way" is a modern-sounding track, this one could be classified as adult contemporary. It's very easy to listen to with it's percussion and acoustic guitar accompaniment. My friend Conrad sat for one session to add guitar licks and (wait for it...)a distortion guitar lead. This was also the first track that I produced that is built around an acoustic guitar. No synthesizers and any other distracting sounds.

A vocalist named Leo, whom I've seen perform in the Bataan Pop Idol finals night last February, sang the song. I knew his voice would be right it. Although it could have been easily performed by any vocalist, as this track is very simple, the idea of working with Leo is something that I had been toying with. Recording this track gave me a chance to do that.

Mervin Dungao, a singer who introduced me to Leo, did the backing vocals together with me. The song ended up sounding like a 90's guitar ballad, such as "More Than Words" or an outtake from Noel Cabangon's acoustic album, "Byahe".

This song holds a special place in my heart as the lyrics are the very opposite of my cynical stance in romance and relationships. Nonetheless, creating the song made me realize that subconsciously maybe I am still rooting for L.O.V.E.

***

And so far, that's the lowdown on my song entries. I am hoping, with the eagerness of a child and the confidence of an artist, that I make it to the finals.

If in case it doesn't, I know I won't be dismissing my songs as failures, but as creations yet to be discovered.

Oh crap, I just hope I win. Grrrrrrrrrrr

All up for grabs

There’s this Japanese restaurant that we went to last weekend that had unlimited sushi. It’s called Sakae Sushi, located at Mall of Asia. You can have all the sushi and maki that you want for only 400 pesos.

Lon and Mina were with me in our table, while my brother and Mom were in another.  Each plate costs 60 pesos to 100 pesos when you don't avail the 'eat-all-you-can' offer. Us three made sure that we’d eat more than the sum of the individual prices of each colored plate.

With our stomachs incredulously full of white rice and raw fish, our grand total was 2200 pesos but we only paid for 1200. It was well worth it, although we noticed they put in huge rice portions so that you’d feel fuller with less production cost on their part.

Will I eat there again?

Yes. But not until another six months. I think I had too much sushi that day.

That’s the thing with ‘eat-all-you-cans’. There’s no more eagerness or excitement to pounce because everything is all up for grabs.But when there’s chase, it seems more rewarding and enticing.

Just saying…

And a song is born

Right after I wrote the previous entry, I stood up and started humming a tune, then the words started forming in my head. I picked up the first notebook and pen I could find in the house and lied in bed to finish the song.

It's the first song I wrote without a guitar or keyboards, relying solely on the melody line.

The song is called "Simulan Na 'To", which I firmly believe would be my second entry to the PPOP (a maximum of two entries per songwriter is allowed).

Now I just need a session guitarist and a vocalist who could more properly interpret the song. 

I had tears running down my cheeks as I listened to the demo I recorded an hour later.  God, I hope the song makes it to the finals. It's one of those songs the judges can't ignore... *crossing fingers*

Another songwriting competition

Last February, a friend sent me a link about this songwriting competition called 'Philippine Pop Music Festival”.

                                                            http://www.philpop.com.ph/ 

One of the contest rules stated that the songs submitted shouldn't be previously published. In their definition, ‘published’ means it has never been uploaded or made public before, or shared with a third party for licensing. This caused quite a dilemma because most of the songs in my catalog that I deemed "best" and "good enough" are already published, in that case.

I’ve been procrastinating for the past months about coming up with a new song, until the deadline (May 10) dangled in front of me. I kept thinking, the song hasn’t arrived yet in my psyche, so it’s not yet time. I declared I was still uninspired. (Artists have this crappy excuse when they're too lazy to sit down and create something.)

Until one faithful Thursday night, I picked up some old lyrics in my small home studio and my guitar. And it just came. The song is called “Same Way””, a pop ballad about confessing one’s love to someone and hoping they feel the ‘same way’.'

I had to take a day off from my job to work the next day to arrange the music so that it’s ready for vocal recording. I contacted Ms. Suzette Soyangco, a well-known singer in Bataan who had previously joined singing competitions in TV as a kid, to record the song one of these days.

I just know I wouldn’t get to live with the fact that I wasn’t able to submit anything.

So here I am, hoping Suzette would work wonders with the song and the judges of the competition would feel the demo we’re going to produce.

For crying out loud, they said they wanted pop. Now, I’m going to give them pop. Super pop.

Hopefully, I’d hit the jackpot with the song. The next couple of days would be me basking aglow with anticipations, expectations and dreams of being a world-renowned songwriter. Tralalalalalala. 

In my head, my dream life after the competition consists of only the most simple things: a bachelor’s pad in the city, a new black car, a modern & well-equipped recording studio with two staff engineers, a personal assistant or secretary, and song writing offers from agents here and there.

Oh, have I gone out of the limb. I’m writing this and I’m wearing my worn-out shirt without having brushed my teeth yet. My wallet's empty and I just had cup noodles for breakfast.