Singer-songwriters are selling big Sounds

Today is the time of the singer-songwriter. While not unheard of in the old days, the usual practice then was to look for song materials among composers suited to particular interpreters. Think Basil Valdez singing George Canseco songs or Sharon Cuneta singing compositions by Willy Cruz. An exception to that rule was Rey Valera who not only wrote songs. He also recorded them and turned those songs into big hits as well.

Time has now caught up with the practice and we now have a lot of aspiring Valeras in our midst. Those Harana Boys, Arthur Nery, Zach Tabudlo, Rob Deniel, Adie are all singer-songwriters and selling big. So I say to all singers out there, if you want to be in the music business, better get some songwriting skills. If you are a songwriter, better learn how to sing because as the number of singer-songwriters grows bigger day by day, you might not find anybody who will sing your songs.

Here are two examples of this type of artist, the singer-songwriters Joshua Feliciano and Garrett Bolden.

Although only 19 years old, Feliciano has emerged as one of the most prolific singer-songwriters around. He has been writing songs and performing since he was a kid. By the time he was 14, he released his first extended play album wherein he wrote, arranged, produced and performed every cut. It also helps that he was born with a soulful, expressive singing voice.

For his latest release, Feliciano derived inspiration from the famous Caleruega Church in Nasugbu, Batangas. Located in a place of scenic natural beauty, it is often used for spiritual retreats. If you are looking for a recharge of the inner spirit or simply for time away from the hustle of urban living for introspection, visit Caleruega and discover inner peace.

Feliciano though is looking at something else. You see, the brick Church of the Transfiguration in Caleruega is also a favorite location for weddings. Young though he is, Feliciano is already an expert with broken hearts as far as his music is concerned. So instead of promising life ever after, his Caleruega song is about a broken vow: “Caleruega, Caleruega, kung sa’n puso’y naiwan/ salamat sa minsang natutunang buo magmahal.”

Singing along with Feliciano is the country’s leading a cappella group, the Acappellago. Of course, he also composed and arranged Caleruega, and something else, he is the director of the video.

Bolden came late into the singer-songwriter crib, but he sure made up for the lost time in a big way. Bolden’s first composition, the romantic ballad Our Love, was tapped to be the theme song of the big-budgeted series on GMA 7, I Left My Heart in Sorsogon, that stars Heart Evangelista.

Bolden is 29 years old. He was born in Olongapo of a Filipino mother and an American father. Innately blessed with deep soulful pipes, a wide vocal range and an enviable falsetto, he took to singing easily and started doing gigs when he was 16 years old. From there, he started joining singing competitions, made good showing in them and came closer to stardom.

Bolden’s big break came when he was named one of the Top 5 finalists in the reality singing competition show The Clash on GMA 7.  He did not win the contest. It was Golden Cañedo who bagged the Grand Prize but he did not go unnoticed. Why not, tunes from Sam Smith, Peabo Bryson, Brian McKnight and even Adele come off like honey from his throat. So there did not seem to be any reason for him to get into writing songs.

But then the COVID-19 pandemic came along. While in lockdown, Bolden found himself inspired to compose a melody. He worked on it, got the words in place and then presented the song to his producers at GMA Records. That was Our Love. Bolden, the singer and composer, was born.

Bolden recently released another one of his compositions, Puwede Pa Ba? Soulful as his usual but with a lighter touch, it was inspired by a common phrase, puwede pa ba sa buhay, puwede pa ba sa love life, etc. Nice that it is a phrase that everybody utters from time to time. That way, Bolden has a song that everybody can relate to. That is the kind that becomes a hit.