What Bamboo won’t do

MANILA, Philippines - With his coaching duties on ABS-CBN’s The Voice of the Philippines winding up this weekend, Bamboo Mañalac hopes to finally find time for his new album eyed for release next year. It will be the follow-up to his successful solo debut record, No Water No Moon, which was re-released this year  by PolyEast Records. 

“I’m going to the US to hopefully finish the new album in between everything else,” said the singer-songwriter during the press launch introducing him as the face of Globe Tattoo Home Broadband.  

It’s not hard to see how his hands are full these days, what with two TV shows (the other being ASAP), something he said he didn’t expect. Bamboo’s also cooking up a personal project, a special Christmas series “with a twist, very organic, very warm, something with children.”

But there’s one thing he doesn’t see himself doing just yet (or until the right offer comes along?) — and that’s acting. Rock stars starring in teleseryes or the movies are not a novelty but for Bamboo, “it’s a 99.5 percent no,” although adding, â€œI’ll never say no because you’ll never know.”

Bamboo admitted he’s had acting offers, including a film. Asked on what would change his mind, he replied, “Oh, man. Change my mind? The series, that’s for the 99.5 percent no. Doing a teleserye, that requires time and I don’t think the world’s prepared for my acting, slapping anybody or crying, I don’t know (laughs). I’m happy where I’m at, very happy.

“A film, that’s a project, so I don’t know. It’s a different thing. I’ve seen Sting do it, and (others) doing a guest appearance or something. Maybe (I’ll do it), if it says something. If I read the script and it affects me, that could change my mind, and I’ve been offered that. And I’ve thought about it sometimes, like I can maybe lend a bit to this project. If I could do that, why not? But I don’t think I can fully commit to the whole project, especially with what I’m doing now.”

But if he ever gives in, it shouldn’t be such a strange territory for Bamboo given his revelation that he has had acting experience back in film school in the US. â€œPeople don’t know I am a film major in school, that was my first choice,” he related.

After several years of being the original frontman of Rivermaya, according to him, he left the band in the late ‘90s for the US to study. “I was steered away from music and studied film in San Francisco.”

Pressed more on this piece of acting history, he continued, “The last time I had to act, quote, unquote, was in film school. I played a thief, it was supposed to be a funny thing — a comedic thing — and I hope you will never find a footage of it (yes, there’s footage!). If you want to find one, you’ll have to go find it in the US (laughs).”

Music fans know the rest of his story. He returned to the Philippine music scene, led a hit-making band named after him, disbanded and took on the solo route.  

And when it comes to his music, he’s like a recharged battery, far from running empty. “I just enjoy what I do. I can’t see myself doing that (music), going into that half-in, then half into whatever. The biggest joy for myself is just creating an album, that’s the best part of what I do, falling into the process, finding myself, finding an album, collaborate with other musicians. I’m happy where I’m at — very happy. Music is what I love to do, it is who I am.” 

Besides, he’s still not that comfortable watching himself on TV, although it’s a different story on The Voice because â€œthat’s just me, no acting, trying to put the real into reality TV. I’m just in the moment, no script, so it’s easy for me to do that, but if I have to work on a scene, internalize, or stuff like that, I don’t know.”

That should also explain why Bamboo isn’t into narrative music videos, which are the trend these days. Asked why the long-standing preference for stripped-down, performance-based videos over storytelling/conceptual music videos, he explained, â€œI’m pretty much a fan of that (no storylines). I just want to capture the moment. If there’s acting, it’s very  minor… Pero I believe in the (performance-based) video. I’m old school that way. The best way to sort of push the song is to perform it.”

During the press launch, Globe Tattoo Home Broadband execs were all praises for their endorser, telling the media how he immersed himself with the brand’s campaign planning, even going beyond figuring in its advertisements by contributing ideas for events and engagement activities with the brand’s supporters and his fans. Among Bamboo’s inputs was a Fans’ Day that transformed into an interactive live-streaming session. 

Bamboo said that he likes Globe Tattoo’s vision of “living without limits,” which is very much in tune with his music philosophy. That’s why if you ask him about his international career plans, he’d say that he already sees himself as an international artist, whose music should not be limited by his race or where he’s based. “I already see myself as an international artist. I define myself by what I do, with No Water No Moon…  I play in New York, London, Dubai, I play to mixed crowds now, I play for everybody... I’m a world artist. I’m an artist, period.”

Bamboo also believes that OPM is stepping into a “golden age” right now, with people rediscovering music thanks in part to social media like YouTube. With the evolving musical landscape, he said that he won’t be surprised if in the next few years, a budding Pinoy music artist will put his/her music out there and “is going to shock us, will be a global sensation, will be the next Psy, whatever, and we’ll be blown away. It’s still a dream though, but I believe that’s going to happen soon, I really do.”