Back to his first love

Miguel Vera has gone full circle. He’s finally back to his first love. And it’s not Ai Ai de las Alas, from whom he swears he is now completely estranged.

Miguel is back to singing – ballads, that is. It all started with a Valentine show at Music Museum with Nonoy Zuniga and Marco Sison. Miguel did what the more senior balladeers failed (except perhaps for Rico J) to do: crack jokes. The 39-year-old Miguel’s edge: less years in the calendar (okay, youth), compared to his co-performers.

Then there’s another edge, this time, a more pesonal one. He has finally patched things up with Ai Ai after years of wrangling with her. Ai Ai apologized to him for that Maalaala Mo Kaya episode on her life which portrayed him as a wife beater.

Miguel was understandably angry. After all, he swears he has never laid a hand on her. Besides, it was he who watched over Ai Ai when she was hospitalized.

Turns out it was not her fault at all. Somebody else goofed. The director, Wenn Deramas himself apologized to Miguel and tapped him to star in the now-defunct Buttercup series, which he (Deramas) directed. Miguel appeared in the show for two seasons.

He also guests regularly in ABS-CBN’S Wansapanataym and the recent Maalaala episode on Sheryn Regis.

The worst is over.

But while Miguel guests on TV and teaches kids how to play tennis now and then, he hasn’t forgotten what brought him to the limelight in the first place. And, lest anyone forget, Miguel is the voice behind Nais Ko (his signature song) and has three albums to his name.

He misses singing so much he jumped at the chance to hold an intimate show of standard songs when Roxanne Lapus offered him a stint at Hyatt’s Calesa Bar on March 12. Accompanying Miguel on the piano is Rudy Francisco himself, an institution in the industry.

On March 17, Miguel mounts another show, this time at Siete Pecados of the Westin Philippine Plaza, where fellow balladeers Nonoy Zuniga and Rico J reigned supreme at one time or another.

"I will perform standards – Michael Bublé songs and the like," promises Miguel.

He has completed another album, this time containing a song Miguel himself composed with Freddie Saturno.

"We called the song Kung Hindi Dahil Sa `Yo, and it’s about love of family, working hard for them," says Miguel. You see, we thought of giving up showbiz at one point in time, but didn’t, for the sake of our respective families," Miguel declares.

He’s still looking for a recording company to distribute his comeback album.

And he doesn’t want to take any chances, this time. One of his main requirements is for the company to be able to fully promote his 10-track work.

Miguel has another big dream: to reach that stage where the mere mention of his name will bring a song to mind. In his case, the song would be the plaintive Nais Ko, hands down.

If Miguel achieves that, he will count himself on the level of Nonoy (Never Ever Say Goodbye), Rico J (Kapalaran) and Marco (Si Aida, Si Lorna o Si Fe). That, of course, is an understatement. After all, Miguel has established a name for himself before he even got mired in showbiz controversy.

And this Miss Saigon alumnus is just picking up where he left off. Thankfully, people are willing to give him what he deserves: another listen. And this time, a lot wiser and mellow with experience – and with a new manager, Emmie Domingo to boot – he will let nothing stand in his way.