Mark Baustista is definitely a hunk and the title "Pop Heartthrob" is really appropriate. Believe me because I had him as guest in my radio show OkRyan at dyLA 909 kHz last month. Though sometimes, he evades personal questions, Mark is still a joy to interview simply because he never fails to acknowledge where he comes from, and never forgets how life was like as a struggling band member back then in Cagayan de Oro City. People who remain who they are, despite fame and fortune, easily captivate me. So that's one reason why Mark stole my heart.
Honestly, I initially disliked Mark Bautista because the first time I saw him after having been proclaimed first runner-up to Sarah Geronimo in "Star for a Night," to me he was ugly, or to be kind-he was never charming. He was this dark skinned promdi trying to fit into a world where its denizens are all beautiful and stylish. (Pagka bisaya jud og nawong dodong!) But to quote Rosanna Roces of what she thought then of sexy star Ana Capri: "Gaganda din siya kapag may pera na siya," Mark, as the years gone by, metamorphosed into a gorgeous, charming and confident guy who can sway any woman off her feet. There is a very big difference from the Mark Bautista now and before. A member of the ASAP Champions league, Mark is literally a heartthrob because he is in great shape-the muscles are in the right places as a result of seriously sweating it out in the gym. (I could only shout, show me some flesh Mark!) I'm sorry, but I prefer a lean body like the physiques of Piolo Pascual, Jericho Rosales and Alfred Vargas over Carlos Agassi's and Diether Ocampo's, so it's not surprising why I like Mark's trim frame, too. His singing voice and graceful body when he grinds to the music are another matter, too. I guess I just have to say that I'm in love with Mark Bautista!
Yes, it's true SM Cinema 2, where Mark's concert was held last Saturday night, was half-full. But I would say those who failed to watch it missed a great performance from a promising all-around performer. Mark definitely made his mark that night as he sang and danced that left the audience cheering for more. I simply love the way he shook his butt. Even Mark's hosting ability has improved a lot, too. He delivered ad-libs and punchlines with great timing. Mark is a combination of Gary V. and Martin Nievera in terms of delivering a punchline or simply teasing and flirting with the audience members or with the cameras, but when he belts out a song, he is simply Mark Bautista. He could sing better than Erik Santos, whose only "moment" was the "Star in a Million" grand finals a couple of years ago. He could also be Christian Bautista's main threat in the future, not just in matters of the heart involving Rachelle Ann Go, but also career-wise. Why so? Because Christian is only good at singing Josh Groban and Andrea Boccelli type of songs, while Mark has had exposure to various genres, thanks to his "live band days." Among the male champions, it's Jed Madela for me who is on top, but let us not include him because he is of world-class caliber. However given more time, Mark could very well become the music industry's finest. Watch out!
So Mark's concert last Saturday was very good. There were only two setbacks. First was that it started two hours late (I checked my watch it was already 9pm when Jollibee's mascot emerged from backstage and rendered an entertaining dance number.) Mark finally showed up at 9:05, singing "Baliw," followed by "How Did You Know." Both songs are part of his "Dream On" expanded album. The other setback occurred during the part when Mark performed a Visayan song (unfamiliar to me); he was getting to know three girls he picked from the crowd who were asked to join him onstage. This portion was dragging and no longer amusing. After that, he did two more songs and gave the stage to Roy Empleo-"SNG Game Na" host and I must say, very promising performer.
Roy appeared nervous, conscious and looked stiff onstage at first belting out Josh Groban's "You Raise Me Up." He admitted that it was his first time to be part of a big concert. He, however, regained his confidence when he did Martin Nievera's "The Promise," and it was at this point when the audience stopped and focused on Roy. He was then communicating with the crowd through gestures and facial expressions. For his finale, he did another Martin song, "This is the Moment"-and gosh! What a splendid performance. That night proved to be Roy's moment to be noticed. I haven't watched his game show on ABS-CBN Cebu yet, but Roy is a talent to watch out for in the local music scene.
As Roy exited, Mark was back with two more songs-"Lonely No More" and "End By Now," both of which sent the audience cheering wildly in their seats. Then it was time to call his second guest, Nikki Bacolod, the "Star in a Million" runner-up to Jerome Sala. (By the way, their batch was the lousiest in the history of "Star in a Million" as far as performance and prominence are concerned.) When I say "lousiest," what then would you expect? A boring and nonsensical performance. This was evident in Nikki who only kept on giggling on stage. Yes, she can sing. In fact, she has an album. But as a singer, voice quality is not enough. One should be able to connect well with the crowd, something that Mark has successfully learned through the years. Perhaps some of you will reason that Nikki is just a teenager, which was why she was still hesitant to interact with the crowd. So to the handlers of Nikki, teach her well, enroll her in a personality development course, because at the moment, she has a lot of learning to do, especially in terms of communication skills.
After Nikki departed the stage, Mark did a medley of love songs, some of which were danceable. According to Mark, the songs reminded him of his band days in CDO. Fittingly, the concert ended with him singing "End by Now," which is also part of his expanded album. Speaking of the song, I could still remember the handsome Mark telling me he's not meant for Rachelle Ann who chose Christian over him during the flirty yet jolly interview I did with him on OkRyan.
Now ask me again: do I still hate the Pop Heartthrob? Yes because I can't help but shout, I love you Mark!, because he's becoming better and better in his performances.
Thank you to McMedia Advertising for bringing Mark to Cebu and congratulations for a job well done!