A balladeer in the making

Promising recording artist, Edward Benosa, 20, is a walking contradiction. He is set to record an album with an international label — about to hit it big time — yet he remains low-key and soft spoken. No one who sees him perform onstage would believe that his commanding presence when the spotlights are on, can be turned off when he’s not “on the job.”

“I’m a very private person. I hardly start conversations but once you get to know me, you’ll see that I can be friendly, too,” he said, smiling timidly.

But this self-effacing quality coupled with his drop-dead good looks is a lethal combination. Edward is of Spanish-Filipino descent, buffed up and has eyes that can melt hearts of girls and gays alike.

And it happens. Edward has so many stories about being followed in malls by complete strangers. He turns them down politely though he admits that sometimes he can’t help but laugh at some people’s attempt to take a picture of him by pretending to be taking a shot of someone else.

“You know that it’s you that they want because the camera is pointed at you,” he said. “Pero okay lang.”

The looker has a limited number of friends. He only has 16 friends on Facebook and he is wary of adding more to the list — but not because he’s a snob. Rather, Edward hardly visits the site and would rather interact with friends personally, anyway.

Edward is not the gimikero type. He hardly goes out and when he does, he’d rather work out at the gym or practice his Muay Thai than hang out in bars or coffee houses. When inspiration hits, he writes songs either en solo or in collaboration with his good friend, indie actor and former recording artist Arnold Reyes.

To date, Edward has written four songs. These are Paglisan, Why Don’t You Stay, Ang Puso Kong Ito and Please Let Me Go. He can’t label his sound but gauging on his influences (Eric Bennet, Michael Bublé), these songs are bound to be for romantic by a romantic.

“I have my way of letting someone know that she’s special to me. Walang technique since it just comes to me, but I make sure that the girl knows exactly how I feel for her,” said the Hotel and Restaurant Management undergrad.

Is he willing to go sexy in future projects? “No, although I’m not closing my doors to doing so. For now kasi, I feel that if I bare, then people would have nothing to look forward to after that. I’d rather take it slow but sure.”

On his birthday this April, Edward plans to go to Boracay with friends. By then, the recording of his album would have been finalized and his time by the beach would be one of his last moments as a private citizen. So, enjoy it, Edward!

More art luminaries on Art 2 Art

DZRH’s award-winning radio program Art 2 Art, now being aired on cable TV, continues to bring “usapang sining at kultura para sa lahat” in its upcoming episodes.

In the Jan. 23 episode, host Lisa Macuja welcomes the Grand Dame of Philippine Alternative Theater, 88-year-old Naty Crame Rogers, for a lively interaction about the latter’s prolific career in the performing arts. For the past six decades, Rogers has been a champion of alternative, folk and children’s theater and today continues to be active as the artistic director of her very own Philippine Drama Company Sala Theater. The multi-awarded veteran actress is also planning to open a school offering drama classes later this year.

Meanwhile, the Jan. 16 episode focuses on Roberto Chabet, who has been called the Father of Philippine Conceptual Art. Ringo Bunoan, curator of the series of year-long exhibitions marking Chabet’s 50th anniversary in the arts, discusses the various contributions of Chabet as an artist, curator and teacher. As founding museum director of the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Chabet started off the prestigious 13 Artists Award which recognizes young artists who show promise for their distinctive concepts and styles.

Produced by the Manila Broadcasting Company, Art 2 Art is broadcast nationwide every Sunday, 3:30 to 4 p.m., on DZRH (666 khz on the AM band).

For details, e-mail [email protected]. On Facebook, check out the account Ballerina ng Bayan.