Mark Alain bares his passion

MANILA, Philippines - By now, you must be hearing the song of longing on various radio stations with the lyrics,

“Maghihintay ako sa iyo, kahit nasasaktan ang puso ko.”

Meet the face behind the song which is actually titled Maghihintay — Mark Alain.

If the face looks familiar, that’s because he used to be the vocalist of the band Frio which popularized the song Alive. But the singing style is different now as he shifts gears from being a band vocalist to a solo singer. Mark started recording independently Maghihintay until it was discovered by Sony Music which eventually signed him up.

“You know when you’re a simple man with huge dreams but didn’t know where to start and you suddenly win the lottery jackpot? That’s how it feels,” Mark said when he was signed up by Sony.

From belting out alternative songs and with Michael Jackson, The Beatles, Josh Groban, Gary Valenciano, Martin Nievera, James Ingram and Lionel Ritchie as his influences, he finds a new direction in his music.

“My music is generally a mixture of pop and ballad that has a lot of texture, emotion and depth in it. It usually carries the themes of love, hope, sacrifice and determination,” Mark said.

It reflects on his self-titled album with Maghihintay as its carrier single.

“They say that patience is a virtue. True enough, Maghihintay speaks of a person who is willing to wait for someone to come back despite the odds and possibilities of not finding him or her anymore. Some may call it desperation, but if you really value a person you love, you will always look forward to the day when both of you are reunited regardless of how long it takes for both of you to see each other,” he said.

The album also includes Sa Piling Ko which speaks of needing someone back in your life for you to learn how to love and live again while Loving You expresses the desire to love someone in your life. It was written by two of his former bandmates (Raz Itum and Tristan Climaco).

“The heart is the center of my universe and love is the rule of which I live by. I am sensitive of the world, and excited for the possibilities it may bring. If there were anything that I would want to be remembered for, that would be for my heart and for my music and how both touched the lives of many,” said Mark.

Meanwhile, catch Mark performs at SM malls on Sept. 23 at SM San Pablo; Sept. 25, SM Marilao; Oct. 2, SM Baliwag; Oct. 8, SM Dasmariñas; and Nov. 12, SM Sta. Rosa.

Mark Alain, the album, is now out on CDs under Sony Music and is exclusively distributed by Ivory Music &Video.