Christian Bautista tells Ferdz AnchetA how he turned seCond plaCe on star in a Million into international suCCess and adulation
He can look dauntingly serious at first glance. Wearing a light unbuttoned polo over a plain cotton shirt and a pair of fitted stonewashed jeans, Christian Bautista casually surveys the empty dressing room where the interview is to be held.
The 25-year-old singer and occasional actor’s initial handshake seems guarded, but then again, this is a man who has successfully turned a measure of TV fame into the cusp of mega-stardom. He takes himself and his music career seriously.
Finding a comfortable place to relax, he begins to hum a tune which instigates his first smile of the day.
“I came home late from a rehearsal last night and my energy is still pretty low. But hey, I’m all good,” he assures me with a smile.
the Big Jump
Despite his big ambitions, he did not anticipate experiencing early morning appointments, all-day rehearsals, endorsement requests and
countless photo shoots at such a young age – and in just a short span of time. A product of popular talent search show, Star In A Million, Christian’s life is an inspiring tale of success.
“I didn’t win the contest. I ended up as the runner-up,” he clarifies. Regardless of the final outcome, the show provided exactly what the young crooner needed – a prestigious podium to expose his talent and undeniable charisma. The public and the local entertainment scene quickly took notice.
“I wasn’t expecting anything when I joined Star In A Million, and after the show ended, I was totally clueless of what was in store for me,” he admitted.
Luckily, the producers at Warner Music Philippines had other ideas. They signed him for an album deal and, in no time, his self-titled debut album was making waves, thanks to the strength of the songs that suited his sincere, controlled singing and artistic delivery.
Chart charmer
“Colour Everywhere” and “Hands To Heaven” (a ballad originally sung by the London-based band Breathe back in the ’80s) climbed the charts and presented Christian as a performer with clout.
But it was the hit single, “The Way You Look At Me”, that finally sealed the deal for the young singer. Though penned by American composers, Andrew Fromm and Keith Follese, it proved just the vehicle to charm the masses, garnering him a legion of young fans, and creating a poster boy and Bench model into the bargain.
“'The Way You Look At Me’ is a very romantic song,” muses Christian. “I understand why people fell in love with it. The words are simple yet sincere, and it’s unabashedly romantic. It’s just the perfect pop song, and I’m glad I was chosen to record it.”
The song opened a slew of international gates. Recognizing its commercial appeal, Indonesia was the first country outside the Philippines to add it to their radio playlists and there, too, it had the same effect. The only difference at that time was that Indonesian listeners had yet to see the face behind the voice.
“Heavy rotation really helped a lot,” laughs Christian, trying to downplay the single’s early success on foreign airwaves. “I guess it’s nice that they loved the song enormously before actually seeing the singer. That’s the way it should be. I believe that a song must be able to stand on its own and [be a success] not only because of who sang it.”
Mature Youth
It is surprising to hear such a thoughtful comment from a young heart-throb, but Christian is no stranger to breaking the mould – how many runners-up reach his dizzying heights of fame? Close associates often describe Christian – to his incessant protest – as a mature guy trapped inside a young body, with serious thoughts to boot.
“I do have a serious outlook in life, but not to the point of being stiff. If you get to know me better, I can be the funniest guy in the world,” he chuckles.
His low-key demeanor can be attributed to a humble background. Christian grew up in Imus, Cavite, a progressive province outside Manila. He studied at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Landscape Architecture. He grew up playing sports and hanging out with friends.
“I was a table-tennis varsity player in college,” he reveals excitedly, “and now if I have the time, I play basketball, badminton and paintball.”
Close to Home
A provincial boy at heart, Christian retains the ideals taught by his close family upbringing. He is determined not to lose the part of him that is still the young boy, gazing out of his bedroom window and dreaming of singing success. Even his method of taking care of his voice is conventional and decidedly unstarry: “Get lots of rest, drink lots of water and vocalize.” Eat your heart out, Mariah Carey.
Being the eldest of a brood of three brothers taught him to be responsible at an early age. All three brothers used to sing together in a church choir, but Christian went beyond choir duties and attended theater workshops, participating in various stage musicals and signing on with talent agency Stages before eventually competing in Star In A Million in 2003.
“I’m close to my brothers and parents, and our lives haven’t changed that much,” he says modestly. “One thing for which I’m really thankful is that I am now able to help my family through my earnings, which makes life a bit more comfortable for us.”
Moving out of the family nest is also not an option at the moment. He says, “There is still lots of space at home, so I don’t see any reason why I should move out and live on my own.”
Rising Popularity
Christian’s popularity has crossed over to the neighboring Asian countries. At the end of last year, he graced Singapore, where his album has gone platinum, with a well-received concert at Fort Canning.
That followed a mammoth visit to Indonesia in February 2006, when he starred on Indonesia’s largest TV station, RCTI for an Indonesian TV special entitled Completely — Christian Bautista as well as a guest on the finals of Indonesian Idol. Poised to become Asia’s newest pop sensation, he hopes to move into the international market as well.
Christian believes his sophomore album, Completely, is a more exciting record than its predecessor.
“I had more input this time around in terms of the songs that I wanted to record, and I was more relaxed when doing this album,” he says.
Love in the air
It also helped that he was madly in love and inspired during the making of the album. “It’s easier for me to sing love songs because the emotions are genuine,” he quips.
By now, of course, everyone knows that Christian is romantically involved with fellow singing champion, Rachelle Ann Go, who is five years younger.
“It was a long courtship,” he gushes. But the two years were definitely worth the wait. The pair started out as good friends, and Christian’s patience, values and willingness to wait was instrumental in finally moving their friendship to the next level.
“I’m a romantic person,” he reveals. “Given the chance, I would love to visit Paris with Rachelle. For now, my dream date would be at the beach by ourselves, having dinner under the moonlight.”
Romantic talk aside, Christian counts Josh Groban and John Meyer as his current favorite stars. Their laid-back, emotive singing style is reflected in Christian’s own work. He would also love to act more and confesses that his dream role is “someone like Neo in The Matrix”.
Christian made his acting debut on ABS-CBN’s Fantaserye Kampanerang Kuba where he played Anne Curtis’s leading man. Though his acting has not always been as lauded as his singing, Christian is looking forward to taking on more roles and expanding his repertoire.
Next up is a stage production of The Fantasticks, one of Broadway’s longest running musicals, in which Christian will take on the leading role in a familiar live forte sure to silence the critics.
And, just in time for Christmas, he starred opposite Angel Locsin and Richard Gutierrez in Mano Po 5: Gua Ay Di – a role he says he treated with more sensitivity than his previous forays into acting.
“I’m taking everything in my stride,” says Christian. “Though I’m working very hard and doing all the necessary things to achieve my dreams, I know that there’s a time for everything and I must take things one day at a time.”
Serious thoughts indeed, from someone who looks likely to be seriously famous.
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