Christian Bautista opens up about performance anxiety, burnout

MANILA, Philippines — Christian Bautista has a ritual before appearing on stage: he takes a moment to peek at the audience, which allows him to establish an early connection with the audience before the performance begins.

Aside from that, he also takes time to practice, say a prayer and drink water.

“And my ritual is I always peek at the audience. I have that kind of ritual that they don’t know about. It’s like I’m able to immediately form a connection, so there are no surprises,” the Asia’s Romantic Balladeer told The STAR in an exclusive interview during the media launch of his latest single Sa’yo Lamang.

It’s a routine that helps him warm up before his shows. However, Christian likewise admitted that he has experienced performance anxiety and self-doubt in the past, despite being in the entertainment business for more than 20 years.

“Yes, definitely, I have experienced performance anxiety,” affirmed Christian. “Especially if it’s a bad day or due to a lack of sleep or you’re not sure about the performance. But you still got to do it, and then you still got to do your best for the next time, (the) next performance.”

To overcome such feelings, Christian takes a step back, rests and calls his wife, Kat Ramnani, or reaches out to his friends or a mentor.

“I pray or I remember na I have done this so many times. I remember the blessings, I remember the lessons that I’ve learned. I breathe. Take good food. I take a double espresso. Haha! I trust myself and trust God, the audience. And no matter what happens, I will get through it,” he added.

Recently, Regine Velasquez opened up about struggles with performance anxiety, and Christian expressed his support for her.

“I wish Ate Reg well. We always love her. No matter what she does, we will love her. She’s definitely contributed so many things to the Philippine (music) industry. She doesn’t even have to prove herself,” said he.

“As for performance anxiety, sometimes it happens to the rest of us. Sometimes, there’s a bad day. It’s tough, but you just got to have faith, believe in yourself and God na He will see it through.”

There were also times when Christian Bautista doubted himself, but with the support of his family and loved ones, he kept going.

“There are times na parang you doubt yourself, ‘Tutuloy ko pa ba ‘to? Meron pa bang nakikinig? Have I done enough?’ So, these questions, but then we are reminded of our purpose, the talent that was given (to us). So, with the support from my family and my friends and my wife, it keeps me going.”

He added, “There are years na parang burnout, but as long as there’s people who believe in me, as long as I believe in myself, and the fans are still there, and I’m given the opportunity to create music or interpret music, tuloy pa rin tayo.”

A proof of his continued passion for music is his newest single, the pop-inspired, groove-driven anthem Sa’yo Lamang, released under Sony Music Entertainment and produced by Ziv.

“Sa’yo Lamang captures exactly where I am musically and emotionally: fully committed, joyful and ready to connect,” he shared. “This year, I’m all in. I want listeners to feel uplifted, have fun and start the year with good energy.”

Christian also described his collaboration with Ziv as a “game-changing experience.”

“His attention to detail in sound design and vocal production elevated every element, while his clear vision and collaborative approach pushed us to take creative risks. The process was smooth and professional from start to finish, and his contributions shaped a final mix that truly exceeded our expectations.”

The music video for Sa’yo Lamang is out now. It is directed by Tristan Ortega and conceptualized in collaboration with the Sony Music Philippines team and Balcony Productions, with creative direction by Rico Blanco.

“(Rico) wasn’t there on the set, but creatively, before everything else was conceptualized, I believe he was part of the process, and during the shoot, it was his team,” shared Christian, who is managed by NYMA Management.