“In any case, I’m highly positive that they can all deliver more than I could hope for and imagine. And let’s see how all these artists coming together will deliver their artistry one way or another.” – Zenly Diansuy, concert director
The recent mediacon of the controversial, fresh and emerging group in the music scene, YouTube sensation (with 93 million followers), IV of Spades, took place at Atom Restaurant & KTV (Quezon City), in connection with their concert on November 30, 2018, at the Music Museum, billed as “Road To Light Music Festival.”
Known for their phenomenal retro-inspired hit songs like “Mundo,” “Ilaw Sa Daan,” “Hey Barbara,” “Where Have You Been My Disco,” etc., their fans range from school graders, millennials to adults and senior citizens, as well. The event was facilitated by talent manager and showbiz columnist Throy Catan.
“If the aforementioned songs are Greek to you, just mentioned those titles even to young grade schoolers and they will readily sing or hum some tunes. That’s how popular IV of Spades are not only among the kids, but also among the adult music lovers,” pointed out the first-time producer Andrew Reodique who is himself a singer and former band member.
Andrew, in a manner of speaking, is almost through life with his journey as a successful self-made business entrepreneur in the past. Now he takes charge of a well-paid and sensitive position in a high-end casino in Metro Manila. This affords him on the side to engage in his first love which is music, albeit indirectly as concert producer now of no mean feat.
The convivial yet intimate atmosphere was briefly interrupted when a guest insisted that the group’s popularity waned after one member left the group in a huff to go solo. He was referring to the group’s vocalist Unique Salonga who left the group right after they released their MTV on YouTube.
But mediacon facilitator Throy Catan, defended the group, “Actually, hindi siya (Unique) kawalan. IV of SPADES is already strongly established and Unique, I think, will find it difficult to start all over again and make a name for himself. ‘Yun ngang concert niya sa Kia Auditorium wala namang impact ‘yun,’di nga ‘yun pinag-usapan. Samantalang and IV of SPADES group pa rin ay lalong pinag-uusapan, at fully booked na nga sila even for the next year. Bale nga ‘yung sa Nov. 30 concert nila sa Music Museum with other artists ay grand kick-off nila as a group of three members na lang, minus one, and proof of which ay sold out na tickets namin.
On the other hand, lady co-producer Kate of Solid Rock Entertainment added, “Actually, this is my passion and my artistic outlet. This is my way of giving balance to my otherwise boring career. You see our family business is construction, and I have not much choice but to follow in the footsteps and business interest of my parents to the point of stashing a course related to business just to please them. Thank God, I’m now on my own and financially prepared to pursue my passion for the musical arts.”
On first impression, the casting appeared like a melange of musical artists who obviously have their own unique brand of music. One easily notices the eye catching presence of another popular band St. Wolfe that promoted a different kind of tune which they call “suavecore,” meaning there is more than cool suavity to the core of their brand of music.
This led us to ask the lady director of said concert, Zenly Diansuy, a voice coach during the time of the famous TV host German Moreno. She is now in the circle of Wilma Galvante at their academy of acting and performing arts in general of which she is one of the stakeholders. Zenly by the way is a nurse by profession with considerable psychiatric background which makes her professionally a musical therapist other than her passion as a voice coach to many performing artist in show business that she has taught.
How was she able to put together the other equally good, experienced singers and unify them perhaps thematically, considering that each has a distinct kind of voice and platform to promote with regard to advancing their respective singing career?
“Actually, in hindsight that was my main concern how to put these artists together in a show that will showcase a whole lot of elan and artistry which is bound somehow by a familiar spiritual ring to it, charisma and perhaps appeal despite the fact that they have their respective and distinct kind of voices to promote,” she explained.
“During the brainstorming with our musical director, Neal Go, and of course with our co-producers Andrew and Kate, who are equally hardcore music aficionados themselves, we found a bottom line for all of the artists to take as their point of departure for them to converge and soar into some sort of an unforgettable if not memorable musical festival, hence its trademark title, and that obviously was their being millennial in the first place.
“This became the sort of thread for all of them to advance their kind of singing style, their kind of organic music that will be called for the moment. And from there who knows, they might be able to re-create a different and fresh approach or attack in their kind of singing to reach out to or communicate with the varied audiences at hand. It’s really such a big challenge and a tough act for all of them because in the end they will run the risk of being compared to one another. This is unavoidable. And that is pretty predictable despite the fact that they know by heart it is unhealthy for an artist to compare himself or herself to another artist.,” Zenly disclosed with a double-barreled sense of optimism.
The other performing artists that boast of a different brand of genre and millennial music referred to include Viva Recording Artist Avon Rosales, former member of a singing group that bagged the WCOPA Grand Championship award JR Estudillo, Star Magic’s Lance Edward, another YouTube Sensation TJ Monterde, the Youngest World Traveling Musical Artist Nico Javier, The Room Upstairs, emerging recording artists like Pauline Cueto, Dianne Grace, Pocket Stereo, with the special participation of the Pogitos. Check out Ticket World Manila at (02) 721-0635 for tickets.
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