How Marie Digby coped with her grief

CEBU, Philippines - YouTube-born star Marie Digby credits music for helping her surmount a difficult past year. In the same way that songwriting became her therapeutic outlet, she hopes her new album will also be a tool for others to feel optimistic despite personal loss and upheavals.

Released under Star Records and MCA Music, the album titled Your Love was specially made for her strong Filipino fan base. It was just released last week and is now available in CDs and digital downloads.

“It’s been something I’ve wanted to do for the last couple of years. It’s a collection of really sunny, positive songs which will hopefully brighten someone’s mood. I had a really tough 2010, so I wanted to write songs that would make me feel good. In turn, I’m hoping it will do the same thing to my fans,” Marie tells The FREEMAN.

The international acoustic songstress was one of the celebrity guests during J Mall Hypermart’s star-studded opening at AS Fortuna, Mandaue City. The other performers included RnB artist JayR, his beauty queen girlfriend Krista Kleiner and 100 Days to Heaven actress Jodi Sta. Maria.

Marie, 28, sang some of her web-spawned hit adaptations and a few singles from the Your Love album. It was her first performance in Cebu, but not her first visit to our island province. “I came here very briefly with my family in May. We were in a resort just for a day so I didn’t get to see anything else.”

Marie confides that she dealt with one grief after the other last year, which was why she was prompted to pen songs that’ll help ease the pain. This has been a habit of hers since she was 15 — writing songs as a means to articulate her emotions. “There was a lot of sickness in my family, a lot of friends and people who passed away. It was tough that I lost a lot of loved ones.”

Her beloved grandmother was suffering in the hospital (and eventually passed away) when she penned the feel-good title track Your Love as her way of coping with the sorrow. It resulted in a duet with actor Sam Milby whom she had at one time gone out with, and the single is now enjoying heavy rotation on radio stations and music channels all over the country.

The lovely Los Angeles, California native shares, “Music was what healed me. It’s actually probably the most therapeutic thing for me. That’s why I write songs. I’m not very good at expressing myself through words, but for some reason, if I pair it with music, I am able to get through it.”

Her advice to fans that are currently or might go through the same thing? “I think it’s really important not just to suffer it yourself. So whether it’s talking to your friends or family, seeking help, or expressing yourself through music, arts or sports, you have to get it out. Don’t let it just fester inside.”

Another duet in the album, I Do, was done with actor Jericho Rosales. The rest of the easy-listening track list has her version of the Kuh Ledesma OPM I Think I’m In Love, her hits Say It Again and Umbrella, and the original compositions Swoon and Loving You Is Easy. CD owners can sing along with her music since minus one versions were also thrown in.

Marie adds the album will be released in some Asian territories soon. Meanwhile, another Philippine concert is in the making.

Managed in our country by the same people who are steering Richard Poon, Yeng Constantino and Sam Milby’s recording careers, Marie says she would love to collaborate with our female artists next, naming Yeng and Kitchie Nadal among her choices.

Of Japanese, Irish and American descent, Marie shot to popularity in 2007 when she got close to 20 million YouTube views for her homemade acoustic video of Rihanna's Umbrella. She also covered songs from Linkin Park, Britney Spears, Maroon 5, Incubus, Lady Gaga, Usher and Nelly Furtado.

In the past three years, this guitar-playing girl with the beguiling voice came up with three studio albums — the debut CD Unfold on 2008 (songs from this were used in top US TV shows like ER, The Hills, Greek, Smallville and One Tree Hill); a collection of Japanese cover songs Second Home on 2009; and her second US album Breathing Underwater also on 2009.

Her Philippine album marks her fourth. And if Marie had her way, this wouldn’t be her last gift for her enthusiastic Pinoy followers — which according to a study conducted by her Hollywood record label composed the biggest chunk of her fans.

She gushes, “I absolutely love my stay here. I just feel that this country is one of my new homes. I’ve felt very welcome and I hope this isn’t the last time. I hope the Philippines will be a part of the rest of my life.” (FREEMAN)