Remaking OPM classics poses bigger challenge for Jed Madela

Among the albums he had done, Jed Madela considers his latest, “Songs Rediscovered 2: The Ultimate OPM Playlist” as the most personal. “We spent so much time and effort in doing the album, and I was hands-on, with the help of all our friends from Universal Records,” said the singer at the press launch held at Shanghai Bistro Restaurant at Eastwood City last Thursday noon.

“They really believed in me and trusted in me to come up with an album like this. I even had to convince them to give the album the kind of packaging that I wanted. Everything was given to me. They gave so much support.”

The album contains 16 tracks, culled from a list of over a 100 songs. The criteria: It has to be an English OPM song. Jed said it was not an easy task trimming down the list from 100 to 16.

“The very first time I heard the entire line-up of this album, I just couldn’t help but get emotional and nostalgic. These songs are the songs that have molded me as a true-blooded music lover. I grew up listening to these tunes and being able to record them and add my own personal touch to them was such an experience I would remember forever,” Jed wrote on the liner notes.

The songs, according to Jed, evoke a lot of memories in his life. But how much pressure does he feel considering he’s doing the remake of English OPM songs that are already considered classics?

“It’s a challenge. Nakaka-pressure because nandito sila, unlike foreign artists who are abroad and they don’t get the chance to hear me sing their songs. But here, whenever I revive local songs, I often think and wonder what would the original singer say about my version of their hits? Will they like it or will they get mad because I sung it this way? The thing is, I try my best to make it sound like mine. Whenever doing remakes, I try to give it my distinct sound. You sing it like you own it for the first time,” said Jed.

“But I really pay tribute to all those who did the original version. As I have always said, nobody can beat the original. It will always be the best, the versions that people have grown to love. I am just so honored to have been given the opportunity to remake these classics and pass them on to future music lovers,” he added.

The 16 tracks include To Love Again (originally popularized by Sharon Cuneta), Can’t We Start Over Again (Jose Mari Chan), I Need You Back (Raymond Lauchengco), Give Me A Chance (Ric Segreto), I’ll Always Stay In Love With You (Baron Barbers), Maybe (Neocolours), A Smile In Your Heart (Jam Morales), You (Basil Valdez), A Friend (Keno), Everyday (Agot Isidro), Friend of Mine (Odette Quesada), Got To Let You Know (Tito Mina), Let The Pain Remain (Basil Valdez), Can Find No Reason (Louie Heredia), Hold On (Side A), and Special Memory (Iwi Laurel).

* * *

After 25 years of being in the limelight and working his way up to his current status as one of the country’s most important and influential male artists, Gary Valenciano is still very much in the news.

This was especially true after his headline-making 25th anniversary concert, Live @ 25, which was staged for two consecutive nights last November, and which had another sold-out repeat last February 20 at the Araneta Coliseum. It not only broke attendance records, but also made Gary the only major artist to have a three-night concert in recent years.

Live @ 25 was a superbly-staged concert, one of Gary’s best in terms of production values. It was also a collection of some of the most impressive production numbers in Gary’s 25-year career.

From the opening number to the numbers featuring his children Paolo, Gabriel and Kiana, to the encore featuring his good friend Martin Nievera—the first time the two musical titans performed on the same stage in a Gary V concert in the Philippines, a prelude to their rumored back-to-back show later this year – Live @ 25 was a spectacle, the likes of which had not been seen on the concert stage then and now.

   For those who missed it (or want to see it again), Live @ 25 will be aired on March 15 as the feature of ABS-CBN’s Sunday’s Best, immediately after TV Patrol Linggo. True to his passion and hands-on approach, Gary even digitally edited the special in his home studio. He set aside some performances and schedules to devote his time to direct the post production of the TV special.