Will this new singer make his Mark?

He simply goes by the name Mark Kevin. Local showtown’s latest singing discovery is a young man whose gifts are so exceptional that he can very well make a name for himself – even without a surname.

Actually, he has three names in real life. Born and christened Mark Kevin Ty 17 years ago, Mark Kevin is a typical young man in a lot of ways.

An incoming college sophomore in one of the country’s leading universities, Mark Kevin comes from what drumbeaters would love to call a "good family." Meaning, he comes from a very conservative and private clan. There is nothing showbiz-y in his background.

Still, the question begs to be answered: How did Mark Kevin wind up in the maddening world of show? Here’s the story.

Mark Kevin’s mom also loves music. She would go to good friend and hitmaker Vehnee Saturno’s studio – just to record her own demos in her spare time. "That was her pastime then," Mark Kevin recalls.

Without a doubt, the 17-year-old Mark Kevin inherited his mother’s gift of music. And as fate would have it, on one of her mom’s visits to Vehnee’s studio, Mark Kevin tagged along and was persuaded to sing. Needless to say, Vehnee, who knows promising talent when he hears one, was impressed.

Soon enough, Mark Kevin found himself recording a demo of five songs – all Vehnee Saturno originals. These five brand-new compositions test the young singer’s range and depth as a singer.

"The first song I Won’t Love You Anymore boasts of a boy-band beat," explains Mark Kevin. "I also have a Tagalog love song, Nandito Lang. Then, there’s an English ballad, How Will I Know. Trip Lang, on the other hand, is a barkada song. Last in the list is How Do I Tell Her, which sounds a little bit country."

Whether English, Tagalog or Taglish, Mark Kevin is equally at ease singing these songs. Vehnee gave Mark Kevin a free hand in interpreting these five songs. Total freedom, he says. "I enjoy it whenever I am given the space and creative freedom to do my own thing onstage or in the recording studio," he quips.

Still, Mark Kevin was very much open to the tips and comments imparted by Vehnee. "He just let me do my thing first," Mark Kevin describes his working rapport with Vehnee. "If he likes it, then okay. If he has suggestions, I listen to him. But most of the time, he allows me to sing the songs the way I want to do them. For as long as I feel the song daw talaga."

His own personal repertoire consists of the most memorable hits of hard-rocking balladeers Richard Marx and Michael Bolton. "I usually sing Richard Marx’s Right Here Waiting for You when I do shows and concerts," he says. "That’s the song they usually request everywhere I go. But I can also do Wherever You Will Go by The Calling."

His strong, manly voice also has a sweet, sensitive sound which he puts to good use in interpreting lovesick tunes. Whenever he sings cover versions of the hits of other artists, he makes it a point to put his own unique stamp on them. "I always try to give my best in each performance," he says. "I make it a point not to copy the style of other artists. I try to come up with my own version of the song. So I study the lyrics well. I memorize the words and the melody carefully."

Mark Kevin will soon hit the concert circuit.

He was last seen in the Love Day concert, My Only Valentine, which was set at the Manila Hotel and was produced by Daisy Romualdez. For that successful show, Mark Kevin shared the stage with vets (Rico J. Puno, Elizabeth Ramsey, and Jessa Zaragosa) and newbies (Danita Paner and Chris de Venecia) alike.

Nothing beats the high of performing onstage, Mark Kevin points out. "It’s a great and wonderful feeling," he pipes in. "I’ve been singing ever since I was small."