The promise that is Shayne Ward

To Filipinos alone, Shayne Ward has all the qualifications of a superstar. Or at least, an idol. His story is surefire material for a hit teleserye. This Anglo-Irish boy came from humble beginnings and isn’t ashamed of it. He and his family of six siblings and a devoted mother are closely-knit.

Shayne has a twin sister and brothers who were overprotective of him as a boy, shielding him from the dangers of a brusque neighborhood. He adores his mother, forsaking a college education to help her find money for food and rent. He sold women’s shoes for a living.

Prior to stardom, he had but one CD, saving up for Daniel Bedingfield’s If You’re Not The One. Now, his CD collection matches his stature. On top of the qualifications, Shayne is very good-looking, and sings as well as he looks. Great, expressive eyes, nose, lips, face and voice. I could go on and on. Any girl, any gay or guy, at any age, would swoon.

I met Shayne twice at the fabulous Langham Hotel Mongkok for the Hong Kong launch of his self-titled Sony BMG debut album. First, for the photo op accorded to members of media covering his launch and second, for my one-on-one interview with him, at no less than the hotel’s Presidential Suite.

Shayne is a very unassuming, warm guy. There’s nothing run-of-the-mill, manufactured nor rehearsed about him.

Shayne won the talent competition in the The X-Factor 2005 in the United Kingdom, occupying the No. 1 spot on the charts on Christmas Day of 2005 for his single That’s My Goal. He made that single the most downloadable song in one day, earning him a place in the Guinness Book of Records.

Amazing! With all these, first thing you’re tempted to check is if his feet are still on the ground and if he’s got a good head on his shoulders.

Yes, he does. Check, check, check. Not abrasive, not impatient, not demanding, not complaining, and most important for any Filipino fan or media person-turned-fan, not mayabang.

But he is young. And there’s that possibility, almost absoluteness, that he could be overwhelmed with his too much-too soon popularity. But then again, for a guy who grew up in a family where there was little money but a lot of love, it shouldn’t be difficult for him to decipher what lasts from what doesn’t.

The music of Shayne Ward is easy to like: ballads, with a beat, and dance tunes with emotion, owing perhaps to his wealth of experience as a boy growing up in a less privileged home, their father leaving their mother when he was 10. In his singing, there’s pain, there’s laughter, there’s ambition, there’s determination, there’s hunger. But there’s also instant satiety about Shayne.

I particularly like his take on K-Ci and Jojo’s All My Life and Brian McKnight’s Back At One. But not as much as his own hits Next To Me and the infectious No Promises. At his Langham mall showcase, Hong Kong teens loved the contest where they had to sing the chorus of No Promises. The one who reached the high notes, and was bravest enough to try and well, feign singing it like Shayne, won.

Beyond the meet-and-greet encounter, you can tell he lacked sleep, perhaps tired from the night before’s re-routing to Manila, before planing in to Hong Kong because of a storm, too many autographs, handshakes, omnipresent smiles, questions asked over and over, picture-taking with strangers, repeat performances, the necessary pleasantries and niceties the business requires. But none of these seemed to bother Shayne who looked fresh and well-dressed for the part. He was sincere and gracious through it all.

It was part of his job, it had to be done, and he’s doing it as best he could. At 21, he’s already a pro.

Success is just reward for all his hard work and perseverance. Meanwhile, superstardom beckons, and the only thing he promises is to be ready for it. Looks like Shayne will get what he deserves.