After taking many “detours” in his life, setting aside singing in the process with occasional starts and stops, Raymond Lauchegco is back to doing what he loves best — singing.
“I’ve taken many creative detours, but now, I feel that I have settled down and the restlessness is more or less gone,” said Raymond. “I pretty much explored the major things that I wanted to try.
“You cannot possibly do everything in one lifetime. But I’m satisfied that I tried the major things. It’s safe to say that I’m now satisfied. While I still can sing, I’d like to spend it singing onstage.”
Thankfully, despite the many detours Raymond took, audiences would embrace him every time he returned to singing.
“The people didn’t forget me,” Raymond beamed. “How lucky can I get? If you think of all the times I stepped aside from singing to learn something else, everytime I would come back, audiences would embrace me without judgement, without question.
“Because 40 years of me also means four decades of ‘Bagets.’ So with the song, Just Got Lucky, I also want to celebrate ‘Bagets.’ If I can bring all the guys together, I would. But I know that will take a small miracle.”
The original “Bagets” film (1984), megged by the late Maryo J. de lo Reyes, starred Raymond with Aga Muhlach, William Martinez, Herbert Bautista and JC Bonnin.
The sequel that was shown the same year, directed anew by direk Maryo, topbilled Raymond anew with Herbert, JC, William, joined by Francis Magalona and Ramon Christopher Gutierrez.
“The nice thing about ‘Bagets,’ one of the reasons the film clicked so much, it was very clear that we were all friends when we did that,” said Raymond. “We really like each other. We really got along with each other. None of that was fake. Everything was real.”
Doing a major solo concert had been at the back of Raymond’s head for a long time, although he wasn’t sure how he was going to do it.
“It was at that moment about year ago that suddenly, I had permission to dream about a concert. And it coincided with my 40th. We broached the idea to GR (talent manager and concert producer Girlie Rodis) and she loved it.
“So Girlie decided that her, along with my wife Mia and my cousin, Angela (Lauchengco), one of the firsts who showed her full support, will produce the concert,” Raymond further disclosed. Chevy Salvador is managing the production.
That plan was sealed early this year. The show is on Nov. 23, just one night at The Theatre at Solaire Hotel. His birthday is on Nov. 29.
Marvin Querido of The Neocolours will be Raymond’s musical director. Waya Gallardo is stage director who’s also writing the script. Bituin Escalante is the special guest.
“By doing that concert, it’s taking everybody back to where it started in the ‘80s,” said Raymond. “It’s an ‘80s show where I will be singing the most beloved hits from that era, not just my songs, Top 40’s plus the best dance tunes today. So I want it to be super fun and super nostalgic.”
“We wanted songs that have the ability to unlock memories,” shared the singer. “You hear the introduction and the song immediately takes you back to special places and brings special memories. The whole concert is about those songs.”
The singing is comparatively easy for Raymond, performing, too. “But it really takes a village to mount a concert,” he said. “That part is challenging. I’m very thankful that I have the best team possible. Top-notch.”
The last concert tour that he did was in Australia last June 2024. He performed in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Canberra and Newcastle.
This October, Raymond is leaving for the US to join anew Odette Quesada, who will continue her concert tour. This time, they will do shows in Hawaii, Chicago, Atlantic City, Houston. Last year, Raymond was a guest in Odette’s concert at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater.
He is set to return before his November show at The Theatre at Solaire. He cannot be more thankful for his busy schedule lately.
“During the pandemic, everything came to a screeching halt,” Raymond lamented. “I turned to sculpting and making art. Pandemic was a terrible time for all of us. We lost friends. We lost family. We lost opportunities. We lost dreams.
“But it would always be very special to me. If you look at the silver lining, it brought out the side in us that we possibly never realized had pandemic not happened. As terrible as those times were, pandemic will still hold a special place in my heart.
“People turned into writers, poets, bakers. I turned to art. I was giving online classes. I had more than 500 students. That was something I never thought I would do. You never really know what you’re made of until your back is pushed against the wall.”
In 2025, Raymond will be pretty busy, too. He will return to Australia and will also do New Zealand for Valentine’s season in February. In June next year, he will do more shows in Canada with Odette.
A producer is also exploring to take Odette to Australia. “She will include me in her technical rider,” Raymond smiled. “She doesn’t like it if I’m not included. Odette’s show is always good. Her audience is my generation.
“We were classmates at the UP College of Music taking up Theory. That was before I transferred to IMC (Institute of Mass Communication), now CMC (College of Mass Communication).”
Asked about the favorite song he recorded, Raymond found it hard to choose. “I cannot,” he said. “I like I Need You Back. It was special because it was my first single. But how can I not like Saan Darating ang Umaga (with Maricel Soriano)?”
His first film was “Cross My Heart” (1982), where megastar Sharon Cuneta became his “first showbiz crush.”
Raymond has been married to his wife Mia for two decades now. They have two children — Nathalie, 17 and Davey, 14. In March, the couple will mark their 21st anniversary.