K Brosas seizes the moment

In every band there comes a time when a member decides to leave and strike out on her own.

Singer-comedian K Brosas of the K and the Boxers (the group that popularized the novelty hits Sasakyan Kita and Sundo’t Hatid, both composed by Lito Camo) knows that her moment will eventually come. Although nothing definite has been discussed – and though leaving the group is probably a long way off yet – she is taking the first step – as she prepares for her solo concert, K Bro...ALIVE (a title inspired by "J.Lo...Live") at the Music Museum tonight. The show is written and directed by Floy Quintos.

K confides this is something that will happen eventually, and the members of The Boxers know it, too. "I also want to go solo. Why not, di ba? I can see it’s inevitable. But perhaps it will take a long time," she says.

If this happens, it will be the second time it has happened to the group after Gladys Guevarra (the reason they were originally called Gladys and The Boxers with K) left to pursue a solo career. It was shortly before Gladys left that K was brought into the group.

According to K, she and Gladys used to be quite close. "We were super close because we worked together everyday," she says, dismissing rumors that her coming in was the reason Gladys left. After Gladys’ departure, K became the driving force behind the group, the glue that held it together. Are things going to change now that she is about to do a solo concert?

K says that is hardly the case. While she may have this concert – and while she continues to accept gigs that do not include the group, like corporate shows and her two regular TV shows, Bitoy’s Funniest Home Videos and the new sitcom Hokus Pokus starring Rufa Mae Quinto and Bong Revilla, both on GMA 7 – K remains part of the group. This is basically what happened to Beyoncé, who went solo but was still part of Destiny’s Child until the trio broke up a few months ago, or "Hollaback Girl" Gwen Stefani, who has gone solo, even if her group, No Doubt, is still very much together. K doesn’t see any reason why things can’t be that way for now.

Besides, after all that she and the members of The Boxers have gone through together, K is not all that eager to cut her ties to the group. "Inspirasyon ko din sila. Kaya most of the time, even if I look haggard because of my schedule, I force myself to join the gigs of the group," she says. "It’s hard, but I like it because they are fun to be with. And I miss them," she says.

And guess what? It seems the feeling is mutual, because The Boxers will be part of the line-up of guests for K’s solo concert, her first after 13 years in the business. A veteran of the sing-along bar circuit, K got her start singing in a small bar called Nicolai in Malate in the early ‘90s. She was only 17 then.

After that, she was recruited to sing in various bars, restaurants and lounges, like the Diwata Lounge of the Sulo Hotel and Stonehouse Bar along E. Rodriguez in Quezon City. Then she went abroad, performing in Thailand, Indonesia and Korea for six months at a time. She flew back and forth until finally, she was persuaded to settle down in Manila when the offer to join Gladys and The Boxers came. When Gladys left the group to go solo, K carried on with the rest of The Boxers. They even recorded two albums that spawned two hit singles.

Although she has since become known as a comedian, it was really as a singer that K got her start in the business. Whatever she has now, she owes to her being a singer, more than anything else. "I started out as a singer. Lately na lang pumasok yung pag-co-comedy ko," says K.

That is why director Floy Quintos wants this solo concert to highlight K’s abilities as a singer, although the comedy will still be a part of it. It’s something people seem to have forgotten, since she is so good at making them laugh.

"Gusto talaga ni direk Floy, lumabas ang musicality ko sa show, na ma-highlight ang pagka-singer ko," says K. And to make the concert extra special, she’ll do songs people don’t normally hear her perform during her regular gigs – songs by the likes of Annie Lenox, Didith Reyes, even Shirley Bassey. Joining her in the show are The Boxers, The Whiplash, Rufa Mae Quinto, Kyla, Keanna Reeves and Erik Santos.

Although she has been in the business of entertaining people for more than 12 years, K says she still gets attacks of stage fright–especially now, that she is preparing for her first-ever solo concert. "I feel tense and excited," says K, who’s working equally hard behind the scenes to ensure the success of the show.

As Erik Santos sang, this is K Brosas’ moment. And she’s going to make sure it is one moment she will remember forever.

National Week for the Gifted

Wyeth ProGifted Formulas will hold the annual celebration of the National Week for the Gifted on Nov. 20 to 26. This year’s theme, Behind Every Gifted Child are Nurturing Parents, is Wyeth’s way of honoring the supportive and loving parents who patiently helped nurture the children’s gifts.

The celebration for the National Week for the Gifted consists of several activities among them: a mall event, an informative exhibit and the annual convention for the Philippine Association for the Gifted. The mall event tomorrow and on Nov. 20 at SM Makati will pay tribute to the parents, while the exhibit will showcase the achievements of the eight ProGifted children: Regina Montesclaros, Kate Guevarra, Portia Balite, Romeo Rosete, Yael Bibal, Yosh Tamura, Cy Tamura and Benjamin Kho.