Solo ride, Michael Pio Catubay

CEBU, Philippines - Keep your work close and your passion closer. Clever enough, this was what made everything fall into place. While a bit of change is risky, it also promises fun and freedom. It is a total sense of independence that brings a person onto a pedestal of contentment. It is a cliché, indeed, to follow what your heart desires — which was what this homegrown musical talent just did.

Truth be told, music is food for the soul and this haunts Michael Pio Catubay. He is considered a veteran singer in the Cebuano music scene, being the former frontman of Stagecrew, dubbed as one of the best bands in Cebu. He is also remarkably part of other notable bands which includes Soundstream, Livewyre, and Mic-Express.

Pio has now embarked in a career as a solo artist. It is his thirst for music that pushed him to do so. Thus, his album “Pio Goes Solo” released last September, was born. It is a 12-track album which includes three Visayan songs he originally composed.

He personally likes “Joanne” and “Salamat.” According to him, he wrote both songs for real people who became part of his life. While “Joanne” is for his wife, “Salamat” is for his parents.

His hit song “Haaaaaay Gugma” has also gained the warm reception of many listeners. The tune is very personal to him because he based it from his own experience. “Before being married to my beautiful wife Joanne, I was one of those guys who would look at other beautiful women who are already taken wishing and hoping that they could be mine,” he laughingly confessed. From that, he gained the idea of writing such a song.

He has worked with five different bands for 14 years and this experience backed him up to never doubt his decision to go solo. Pio, a BSED- Major in English graduate from the University of San Carlos, admitted that it felt a bit weird at first because he was used to working with his band mates. However, there was this gut feeling that persuaded him to just go and follow what makes him happy. “There was also this feeling of freedom. Being able to do and realize what I want without depending on some other people’s opinion felt really good,” he said.

High respect and regard from other people including the media and fellow musicians are some of the changes he noticed since he relaunched his career. For Pio, it felt flattering and humbling that other people ask him for his opinion with regards to their work.

Having heard Florante’s song “Handog,” particularly the line “Tatanda at lilipas din ako, ngunit mayroong awiting iiwanan sa inyo,” while driving once made him recognize that he won’t be in the music scene forever. He thought if there is one thing that he may leave behind, it would be his own music and songs.

Sting, Michael Buble, Side A, Bamboo, Queen, Earth Wind and Fire and Bruno Mars stood as influences to Pio. “I love the 80s especially the rock ballads. But I also love to listen to jazz, latin and rock music. I guess my being from a show band had influenced my varied preference in music.”

How is your solo music venture coming along?

It has been a great ride so far. Hearing my songs requested and played over different radio stations is very flattering. I got to know many people outside Cebu just because they like my songs. But having someone come up to me and tell me they like my song/songs because they can relate to it, should be one of my proudest, at the same time, most humbling moments of my young solo career.

If you get the chance to collaborate with another artist, who would it be and why?

I would love to record a song with Rommel Tuico and MC Ray. That would certainly be fantastic. It should be in Bisaya. These two people have contributed big time to the modern Visayan music scene. I would also love to collaborate with Bamboo because he’s phenomenal.

K-pop nowadays is really making a buzz in the music market; do you find that a challenge?

On the contrary, I find it inspiring. If the world could embrace such songs which language they don’t understand then it means that recording in Bisaya should not be a hindrance in making it big not only in the country but in the world as well.

What’s next for you? Are you working on new songs?

I do have a new single for Christmas called “Mag-exchanging Gifts.” They can download it from my Soundcloud account for free! They just have to like my Facebook page “Pio Goes Solo” and find the link there. They may also request for it over the radio stations. I wish to continue recording and writing songs soon. While I’ll be moving abroad next year, I still wish to work with my super talented musical arranger Nendel Endrina. I hope that people would continue to support my music and songs even when I’m not around. (FREEMAN)