Erik Santos happily produces own shows

MANILA, Philippines - Erik Santos has set a goal of holding one concert a year as he approaches the first decade of his music career. Despite his awareness of the current concert climate’s favoritism toward foreign artists, he hopes to meet this goal by producing his own shows via his Core Events company.

“It’s hard nowadays. As Regine Velasquez told me during my last concert, only one out of 10 locally produced shows is being watched by concertgoers. This has been discouraging local producers,” said the 29-year-old balladeer in a presscon last Tuesday, adding that this is why he no longer relies on other producers to mount his shows, including his two-day concert series on August.  

Erik is heading anew to the concert stage via Power Ikons, a tribute concert to icons, both on the local and international front, on Aug. 12 and 13 at the Music Museum. 

He promises a unique concert experience, wherein the music legends he’ll honor through largely song medleys include Barry Manilow, Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson, Madonna plus OPM greats Gary Valenciano, Martin Nievera, Basil Valdez, Nora Aunor and Sharon Cuneta.

His guests are Angeline Quinto, Star Power champion; Stephanie Reese, who played Kim in Miss Saigon in Germany; and Pops Fernandez. 

After his concert, he will dive right into the preparations for his very first theater foray — the lead male role opposite Rachelle Ann Go in The Little Mermaid musical play for Atlantis Productions.

TV acting like a follow-up to his Maalaala Mo Kaya guesting exactly a year ago is not a priority, however. “We have received three MMK scripts already, but they couldn’t match my schedules. As for a teleserye, I’m not open to doing one kasi puyatan and it’s not good for the voice.”

Also next month, Erik will be releasing his all-original, new album titled Awit Para Sa’Yo. Apart from the songs specially composed by top OPM songwriters for him, he also penned one track titled Hanggang Kailan Kita Mamahalin. “It’s a breakup song which I wrote one really earning morning on my iPad,” he said.

Asked for his opinion on the penchant for cover albums by fresh and emerging artists, he said, “For me, when you’re starting out, trying to be like your idols could be one of the best ways to break in and make a name for yourself. I cannot deny that my musical influence is Martin Nievera, but an artist has to realize that when you’re making a record already, you have to really create your own style.”

Erik, who is a product of a singing search being the grand prizewinner of ABS-CBN’s Star in a Million nearly 10 years ago, also expressed his desire to see an honest-to-goodness singing search, wherein it’s truly a battle of vocal talents, and not “talent” reality shows that give more focus to the back-stories of its contestants.

(Power Ikons is presented by Record Breaker Events, Core Events and La Carmela de Boracay. It is directed by GB Sampedro, written by Senedy Que with Homer Flores as musical director. The concert will benefit the Bosom Buddies Cancer Foundation. For tickets, call 891-9999.)