"How Filipino am I? Well pare, naman kasi, kasi naman eh I’m bery, not bery Pilipino because my Tagalog is putik and I can only say Filipino words that you wouldn’t want to print," joked Mig Ayesa in an interview after his rock-able performance of We Will Rock You in another reality hit series from Survivor producer Mark Burnett.
"But . . . mahal kita and mabuhay, I’ll see you guys soon! Bring lots of lumpia and lechon," he added.
Though he grew up in Australia, since moving to the Land Down Under with his mother and brother when he was two years old, the 35-year-old actor/musician has kept in touch with his relatives in the Philippines, thanks mostly to his grandparents who gifted him with plane tickets to Manila every Christmas.
"I always enjoyed it! You know what it’s like, we have so many different families and our reunion is like, we have a reunion every three years and there are about 400 people there," said Mig who’s part of the Legarda-Roces-Alfonso, Ayesa clan. He is the son of Carmen Legarda Ayesa. His grandfather, Dr. Alejandro Legarda, is a first cousin of prominent artist/writer Afredo "Ding" Roces.
It’s obvious that artistic skills and talents run in Mig’s blood. A cousin, Manuel Legarda, used to be the guitarist of Pinoy rock band. Wolfgang before they quietly disbanded toward the end of 2002. Nonetheless, Mig talk about them with so much pride.
"Wolfgang, the guitarist there is a second cousin of mine. He’s a Legarda. He’s been sending me CDs and I’ve been listening to them. I’m a big fan, actually."
But although Mig seems to be having such a grand time (not to mention doing an equally great job) rockin’ and rollin’, it was quite a revelation to find out that this Pinoy rocker is also familiar with Gary Valenciano and Martin Nievera and actually knows some of their songs.
"I also wrote a song for Martin Nievera a long time ago . . . maybe 10 or 15 years ago. It’s a song called Looks Like Love. It was just an album track. But I wasn’t even 20 at that time. It was for an album called ‘Time.’ That was my first published released song," said Mig, who admitted that he would be more than willing to do a show in Manila should a producer trust him enough to invest in him . . . Perhaps a show or even a concert with those two popular Filipino music icons someday?
Why not? American Idol finalists Jasmine Trias and Camille Velasco banked on their reality-tv popularity to win the hearts of the Filipino audience. Was Mig aware of that? Was he hoping to do the same?
He was in Manila last in December 2000, to celebrate the holidays; introduce his then girlfriend to his aunts, uncles and cousins; and go to the paradise island of Boracay.
"That was the first time I took home a girlfriend. We were not even engaged yet. And back home, all my cousins were like, ‘Oh my gosh! Mig’s here and he’s got a girlfriend.’ It was one of those reunions with 400 people and I showed up with this beautiful girl. And I said, ‘Yup, this is my girlfriend.’ And all of a sudden she was swamped by titos and titas," he recalled.
During the interview, he revealed his plans to visit the Philippines again next year: "When I was there in 2000, all the cousins who were there were all single. Now they’re all married, well, except for one. And all of a sudden, they started having kids and I haven’t seen these children. Last time I saw them they weren’t even engaged yet. I’ve got to go very soon to see these kids before they get too old. It’s a whole new chapter of our lives where our cousins are growing up and having families of their own. It’s very exciting for all of us. So probably next year, we’re going to have another reunion," Mig said, obviously excited over the possibility of seeing his cousins again.
But when told of the career paths of Trias and Velasco, Mig sat up straight.
"Well listen, if they want to invite me to go and do some concerts in the Philippines, I would love to. Actually I’ve always wanted to perform in a hotel over there. It would be something like a real homecoming for me. If they want me to, I’d be there, in a heartbeat (snapping) like that."
It may not happen soon, though, ‘cause as of press time, Mig is stuck in a mansion somewhere in Silver Lake, California. It’s the house where all Rockstar finalists have to live in while they remain in the show. And if all Pinoy voting machines work their magic the way they did with American Idol, it will be highly unlikely that Mig will be voted out soon. And this time, the votes will actually be backed up by performance, for week after week, Mig continues to impress Rockstar: INXS audiences worldwide; and although he’s happy about his top three standing, this Pinoy rocker is not about to sit on his laurels.
"Based on the performance today, I couldn’t pick a winner tonight. I think all of them are amazing. You’ve got Marty Kacey, Brandon Calhoun . . . I’m only talking about the guys because the girls, it’s a different competition, I think . . . and Ty Taylor. Those guys, anyone of them can do that. Those guys are amazing. And I really respect them as artists. I’m honored to be a part of them," he said.
In closing, Mig said that although the competition is tough, he is sustained by the love he receives from his relatives all over the world and especially in the Philippines.
"In the Philippines I just had a huge, huge fan-base of my cousins that just went ‘Go Miggy’ and they sent me t-shirts and photos and sent me just all the love that they could. That’s enough for me. I could deal with that," he said.
Continue voting for Mig on www.rockstar.msn.com. Rockstar: INXS airs Mondays at 9:30 p.m.; Tuesdays at 10 p.m.; and Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on CBS. (On Starworld in the Philippines.)