Christian embraces the digital age

MANILA, Philippines - Christian Bautista does not mind if he is currently competing against actors-turned-singers.

Case in point: At this year’s Yahoo! Celebrity Awards, the 32-year-old singer is nominated for the Male Performer of the Year award, along with rock star Bamboo, crooner Mark Bautista, fellow GMA 7 talent Elmo Magalona and Daniel Padilla, who successfully ventured to recording after becoming a hot teen property via youth-oriented shows such as Growing Up and Princess & I.

But instead of being bitter about it, the Kapuso artist would rather embrace it as part of an industry that aims to entertain. 

“After 11 years in the business, I’m just thinking that whatever type of song you release, the goal really is to make people happy,” Christian told entertainment reporters during the press launch of the Yahoo! Celebrity Awards 2014. “That’s the goal — and not, ‘I should be the one you’re listening to because I’m the better singer.’ Whether or not you can sing, the goal is to move people.”

In fact, Christian even wrote a song for Anne Curtis, a “non-singer” who has mounted successful concerts — for a future album. “Panahon-panahon lang naman yan. Merong panahon na ikaw, merong panahon na hindi ikaw,” he said. “With maturity and age, I realized that. So what do I do? Do I become bitter? No, I’d rather write a song.”

He also wrote a song — which he describes as “so me what rock and roll,” a different sound from his usual pop and ballad fare — in collaboration with rock band Wolfgang frontman Basti Artadi titled Bagong Siglo. Christian plans to release the song digitally for free.

This move, unorthodox for a local mainstream pop musician like Christian, is his way of adjusting to a digital music landscape with an audience that has gotten used to consuming music for free via YouTube or on subscription-based music streaming services such as Spotify and Spinnr. 

“Right now, yung thinking ko papunta na sa music is turning out to be free,” Christian said. “So, my mindset has to change as well. So ito na, free. If you enjoy it, great. Kikita na lang ako if you want to get me to sing it live.”

Of course, Christian does not shun traditional recording. He has an album coming up later this year. “As long as there are album buyers, we will make it a great buy, a collector’s item with great music and beautiful packaging, and that you will get it because you really want it in your hands.”

Christian is just one of the 140 nominees of the Yahoo! Celebrity Awards 2014 (formerly the OMG! Awards). 

Marian Rivera leads the nominees with nods in the Celebrity of the Year and the Actress of the Year categories. Her 2014 soap opera Carmela is also nominated for Teleserye of the Year.

Fans can vote for their favorite celebrities at yahoo.com.ph/celebritywards until July 12.