The name does matter

Don’t you just find it amazing what a change in name can do? The best example is fast-rising singer Jerome John Hughes who has recently become one of the favorite theme song interpreters of local film and TV producers. The reason for this is that after changing his name, he was able to break through with one hit theme after another with only a minimum of effort.

Jerome is the guy heard performing Pagbigyan ang Puso with Karylle in the soundtrack of Mano Po 3. The song was named Best Theme Song in last December’s Metro Manila Film Festival. Then early this year, Jerome recorded Let the Love Begin with Kyla for the movie of the same title. The song became an even bigger hit. Both themes are included in his debut album, We Could be in Love.

In Jerome’s case though, having two hits in a row is not the only thing I find quite interesting about him. What draws attention to his new-found success is the fact that things started to happen to him after he changed his name. Jerome was formerly known as Cody Moreno, singer, model, movie, TV and stage actor and other things besides, who formerly called himself Jerome Florentino. Apparently, those years as Cody and Jerome F. did not really do anything for him and it was only when he reverted back to his real name that his career began to take off.

It was the late managing director of Universal Records Bella Tan who thought it would be best for Jerome/Cody to become Jerome John Hughes. The name does not only sound American. It is American because Cody or Jerome is not only part American but actually grew up and first made a name for himself in the US. Bella’s instincts were easily proven right.

Cody or Jerome not only won instant acceptance with his "new" name, he was even nominated in the Best Performance by a New Male Recording Artist category at the Awit Awards for Pagbigyan ang Puso. Does the change in name negate whatever recordings he made in the past as Cody Moreno or Jerome Florentino?

I am not very familiar with the rules of the Awit but Jerome’s nomination should give other artists food for thought. If you are frustrated with your career, which is going nowhere and if you believe that winning an Awit will help, then like Cody/Jerome, you can change your name and be nominated as a new artist. Anyway, Awit or no Awit, the career of Jerome John Hughes is going great guns these days.

Aside from the original duet recordings and respective videos, the Let the Love Begin album also contains Jerome’s solo versions of Pagbigyan ang Puso and Let the Love Begin. Also featured are Hindi Magbabago, Mahal Kita (Aishite Imasu), Nakikiusap, Straight from the Heart, Come Back to Me, Right By Your Side, Let Me be the One, I’m Falling for You and the dance-themed title cut.

Also on Jerome. He is one of the featured guest artists in the Special Edition release of Kyla’s Not Your Ordinary Girl album. This is the CD that contains Kyla’s current hits like her revival of If the Feeling is Gone, Keith Martin’s Because of You, ’Til They Take My Heart Away, Human Nature and others. Aside from these original tracks though, the album now also includes a bonus AVCD, that means audio-visual-CD, with some tracks for videoke singing and Jerome and Kyla’s duet of Let the Love Begin.

The Love Album

And now a bit of news to put you in a mellower, more romantic mood. You might want to listen to Nonoy Zuñiga perform live the songs from his big-selling The Love Album during his coming tour of SM Malls. Zuñiga, who recently got back from another successful series of concerts in Australia is all set to visit the following: SM Sucat on Sunday, May 22; SM Bicutan on Sunday, June 5; SM Marilao on Saturday, June 11; and SM Bacoor, Laguna on Sunday, June 26.

The Love Album is made up of Zuñiga’s rendition of well-loved standards like Moon River, To Shy to Say, The Way You Look Tonight, I’ll be Seeing You, I Wanna Be Free, I Only Have Eyes for You, What Matters Most and When I Fall in Love, a duet with Ms. Regine Velasquez among others.