Mraz is L-O-V-E

MANILA, Philippines - A few hours before his Manila concert Tuesday night, Jason Mraz sent out a simple tweet to remind Pinoy fans: See you at 8. He didn’t have to as thousands came, with several flying in from Davao and Cebu, to see the US singer-songwriter at the Big Dome in what was to be his “sold-out” third show in the country.

The patronage over the years since he first came here, when he was just breaking out in the music scene, wasn’t lost on him. In a brief chat with The STAR arranged by Warner Music Philippines prior to his concert, Mraz said, “I love it! It’s an honor, it’s encouraging, it inspires me. Every time I come back to a city, I wanna make sure that the show is better and more involved. I want to make sure I’m playing songs that I haven’t highlighted before but I also want to recognize the songs that people have grown to love. I get to be representative of the music, it’s awesome.”

In keeping with his latest album Love is A Four-Letter Word, the 35-year-old Mraz went on the L-O-V-E overload, singing his best-loved works back-dropped by fittingly thematic visuals, flashing the now-signature heart sign, playing a guitar with the L-word in bold letters, and working up the crowd even more by throwing sweet lines like “I feel like I’m having a long-distance relationship with you” at the ladies far from the stage and shout-outs to the dudes in the house standing by the girls “gravitated” to his songs.

When the concert came to a close, some of the chatter we caught on the way out were about his status — is the guy, who wears his heart on his music, single? If you follow him on Twitter, there’s no telling after he had opened up about the beginning and the end of his engagement with a former love.

Unlike his previous Manila concert, Mraz performs at the Big Dome with a full touring band, including his new percussionist Mona Tavakoli (not in photo)

We attempted to pry into his lovelife by borrowing an old quote of his to describe that episode in his life: “Victory for my art, great loss for my heart.” Has he found that balance already? Mraz answered, “Absolutely!” then added, “Every day is different. I may be victorious in my music today, but I won’t be victorious in friendship. I’ve accepted it.” Go figure.

While in Manila, Mraz met up with the people of the Visayan Forum, an NGO actively fighting against human trafficking, one of his own foundation’s advocacies. He also let out a few details on his forthcoming album, revealing that he’s going to plunge into recording after this tour is over. “It can go a number of ways. I’m not sure which path it’s gonna take. Either way, it’s the fifth album and it’s going to be a high-five for everybody (laughs). I have a couple of titles already in mind but nothing worth sharing yet. Is it going to be quite a departure? That I don’t know, I mean this is a departure over here, this is a departure over there.”

As in onstage, Mraz is many a four-letter word off-stage — (very) nice, cool and game as an interviewee as he also talked about his favorites in life.

Favorite gig: It was two nights ago in Guangzhou, China. I loved it! That’s the one most fresh in my memory. It was in an opera house which was different because we’ve been playing in these big coliseums. So, it was nice to have this more intimate feeling, but you know, ask me tomorrow, and I’ll say Manila! 

Favorite artists (past and present): When I first started playing the guitar, I was heavily influenced by Ani DiFranco, Dave Matthews, Bob Dylan as a lyricist, groups like G Love and Special Sauce, Agents of Good Roots — those guys were my favorites in high school. Nowadays, I’m interested to hear just about everything. Recently, I fell in love with the (music) of Ry Cooder. And there’s a lot of great music showing up that seems to be a throwback to the music in the ‘60s. (Do I see myself mentoring or producing other artists?) I haven’t decided that yet because my life has been work, my work has been my life. I haven’t decided if I want to do that now. That doesn’t say I don’t want to discover and support and help people find their path, but I don’t know if I’m the best producer, you know. 

Favorite activity when he’s on a break from touring/recording: I like to sit in the sunshine. I like to do yoga and like cycling and surfing, all of those things. If I can turn my phone off and not check my e-mail for a few days, that’s leisure to me. 

Favorite quote/s which he lives by: You know, what’s interesting is that I tend to have a hard time retaining them. That’s why I love them (quotes) so much because when I read them, or re-read them, I’m like, oh yeah, that’s what it is. The one that I remember the most is a poem by (mystic poet) Rumi. It’s kind of a quote, but it’s slightly long and it says (something like), After all this time, the sun has never said to (the earth), you owe me… look what happens with love like that, it lights up the whole sky. I love that!

Favorite childhood memory: I have a lot of great memories from childhood. But I remember my mom dropped me off when I was a little kid at a school of performing arts in my hometown in Virginia. It’s called Spark and it was at a basement of this building, and I remember being kind of sad about it and scared like ‘I don’t wanna go!’ I think I was crying. But I ended up having a great time, I ended up going back to that camp for many, many years, and now, I support to that cause. I donate to that school, but I remember that to be kind of devastating, telling my mom, ‘Why are you taking me to this thing?’ But then, it ended up to be great. It was just Mother’s Day last Sunday and you know, I’m grateful for my mom for always putting me in those situations that she knew I would excel.