The gospel of love according to Luke

MANILA, Philippines - For Luke Mejares, love has truly taken on a different meaning. After years of being in the local music circuit, Luke has sung countless number of love ballads — a lot of heartbreak songs, and a few happy ones. But it was only when he got married and became a father did Luke truly feel what the true meaning of love should be.

“For the longest time, I looked at love only as a beautiful feeling, an emotion that can hardly be described with words. But when I married my wife and we started to raise our small family, then I realized that there is so much more to love than just being in love,” he says in quite a profound way.

We’ve known Luke for some time now, just before he hit it big when R&B became the fad in the music scene. The dreamer from Bohol made a big splash after he replaced the lead vocalist of the then popular band South Border.

As expected, success came with a lot of fans, and girls would literally throw themselves at him during his gigs and concerts. “I have to admit that people often do not look beyond what they see and hear on stage. And that’s sad in a way because everything turns out to be superficial in the end,” he opens up subtly.

When he decided to go solo, his fan base got bigger and it was more difficult to discern the real from those who had other intentions. “That’s why most celebrities say that it can be lonely at the top,” he says, adding, “You are never sure if they adore and love you for the person you are inside.”

When new batches of singers started to mushroom from all these singing searches, Luke’s career started to plateau and slowly, he realized who truly cared for him — his family, a few close friends, and a Cebuana named Inger Cuenco who swept him off his feet.

“The realities can be hard to swallow but you just have to embrace everything and move on.  Acceptance is important, but as someone whose passion is singing and performing, I had to constantly reinvent myself and think of ways to constantly share this gift to whoever will want to listen.”

Having been a professional singer for more than a decade now, Luke admits that he has evolved as an artist. “One has to grow with time. As a singer, I feel that I should be open to explore possibilities, to spread my wings as an artist, to sing songs beyond those that I usually perform.”

The last five years saw Luke perform what he does best in five-star hotel lounges, bars, and concert halls. His first CD (Stop, Luke, Listen) was a mild success and this was followed by another album titled Pangako from SonyBMG Music.  He does a lot of corporate shows and also flies to different countries to perform for our hardworking overseas contract workers.

Although music still ranks very highly on Luke’s priority list, his family comes first now. “Oh, definitely. The joy I get from being with my wife and two kids is priceless,” he enthuses.  His eldest daughter Akeisha is already starting pre-school and his son Jamal is fast singing his own tunes.

“We like to go to the malls, and eat out a lot. And the photo (above) was taken in one of those photo studios in the mall since you requested,” he shares.

This Valentine’s, like most singers we know, Luke has a show, and it’s a unique one.  “It’s the first time that I am performing with the artists of Club Mwah.” For those who do not know, Club Mwah is a Las-Vegas style entertainment venue where mostly transsexuals perform, with amazing costumes and well-choreographed dance numbers.

Luke says he is elated every time there are opportunities for him to learn and experience new musical adventures. Take for instance this special concert on Feb. 14 at the Club Mwah in Mandaluyong City. “I’ll be doing production numbers with the Club Mwah performers and I’m excited.  I have heard a lot of good reviews about them and I’ve seen them do their act. They are amazing at what they do — so much passion, so much heart, so much color, so much art, too!”

Will Luke do a Bebe Gandanghari in his show? “I think I’m too old for a change of image!” he quips.

The concept of the show came about when a few good friends were having the best time of their lives at the exclusive Abaca Resort in Mactan, Cebu. Luke was invited to serenade the VIP guests for a special occasion and the club owner and her friends felt that they wanted to return Luke’s generosity so they produced the concert for him.

Now balancing his being a singer and a family man, Luke feels that he looks at life at a more different perspective now. “I feel more responsible and having kids has taught me to be more selfless. Whatever blessings come my way through my gift of music, I now channel it to my family. Love, I’ve learned, should be unconditional.  You learn to be patient, to be more respectful of your partner.  You become a better person because of the one you love.”

With his newfound fulfillment as a husband and a father, Luke is ready for anything. “As long as there are people who will listen to my songs and watch me perform, I will continue to sing.  This has been my life for a long time.  This is a continuous dream.  It is also my way of giving back the gift of voice I so humbly received from God.”

For details, call  0929-8568428 or 0922-8584321.