"I just love that song," gushed Christian during a brief interview at his room at Robinsons Galleria Suites. "Of course, I also love the singer."
Even if he hasn’t met her – yet – that is.
"The first time I heard the song on the radio," recalled Christian, "I said, ‘Wow, great song!’ Since then, I’ve been dreaming of meeting the singer."
He’s 21 and very tall, almost a six-footer. He said his ideal girl must be smart, humorous, intelligent and sexy. Like Joy Enriquez. Told that I’ve interviewed Joy during the launch of her album in Singapore last February, Christian smiled, his face lighting up.
"Is she smart?"
She is, I told him.
"Is she humorous?"
She is.
"Is she intelligent?"
She is.
"Is she sexy?"
She is, definitely.
"Then, I really like to meet her."
Maybe they would, very soon, because they are both under the BMG Records label. It’s BMG which is releasing Christian’s first English (self-titled) album which carries 13 songs, one of which is Two Hearts Can Beat As One, his duet with Anna Fegi (now also a BMG contract artist).
Christian was also here earlier this year to promote the album. He was noticed not only for his lanky presence but also for his voice. He’s German (from Cologne) but he speaks – and sings in – good English which he learned as a special course in a German school.
He was 15 when he started as a TV star in 1995, the year after his father died. He and his two sisters have since been brought up by their mom who hasn’t remarried.
"One time," said Christian, "I went to a karaoke shop and there, I realized that I have a good voice, so I decided to be also a singer. I was already 17 then. But at six, I really wanted to be a cook because my mother cooked very well."
At that karaoke shop, according to Christian, he would sing German classics and his favorite English song, How Deep is Your Love, and he was applauded right on by the shop’s other clients. "So all the more that I wanted to be a singer."
Now that he’s travelling around the world promoting his album, Christian looks forward to the day when he meets Joy Enriquez in the flesh. They can do a duet, why not? After all, doesn’t his song say that two hearts can beat as one?
Dear Mr. Lo,
Thank you very much for publishing Ian Belleza’s heartfelt letter through your column (I would thank Ian him/herself if I knew the address). Like Ian, I myself feel pangs of nostalgia when I think of The Probe Team’s original format and ground-breaking stories. It was those years of watching Probe in the late 1980s that made me think of working for the show some day. But I like to think that Probe today still retains much of the hard-driving spirit of its origins, while adapting to the realities of a cut-throat TV market. The Probe Team is still the longest-running public affairs show on Philippine TV, as well as the most awarded.
The show is different now, but so are our times. Probe is no longer the only public affairs program of its kind. There are many others, and they’re called competition. Back during Probe’s first years, there were few other diversions – no cable TV, internet, Nintendo, texting, etc. Today, we compete not just with other TV public affairs shows, but with many other kinds of media. If we tried to return to the original format, we would probably woo the likes of Ian Belleza, an older and sophisticated part of the TV audience, but lose many in the younger age brackets. The latter happen to be growing faster in numbers.
Probe has changed, but is still breaking new ground, by trying to interest younger people in important issues. This is why we have younger hosts and reporters, while retaining veterans like Cheche Lazaro and myself. I’m proud of our young but talented staff, chosen from the many who apply to work at Probe every year. We are striving to introduce variety in our format, by mixing serious stories with light features. We are also adapting to the changes in TV technology, by equipping our reporters with small digital cameras that allow us to broadcast exactly what our reporters witness.
We always appreciate constructive criticism, and Ian’s especially was discussed by those of us who work on the show. We will strive to respond to the challenges contained in his letter. We were delighted that someone remembered what we were before, because it shaped us into what we are today.
Maraming salamat po!
Sincerely yours,
Howie G. Severino
Senior Producer
The Probe Team