Fil-Am Duets sensation signs up with Viva Records

Remember Jason Farol, the Fil-Am singer featured in Funfare last year when he became a sensation in the US talent search Duets after he was personally picked by American Idol first winner Kelly Clarkson as her partner?

Jason has signed up with Viva Records and he’s coming anytime now to promote his eponymous debut album.

It was Claire de la Fuente who informed Funfare about Jason’s appearance in Duets which was talked about by the viewers in the US, especially by the Filipinos. Jason is the grand-nephew of Claire’s late husband Moises de Guzman who was the uncle of Jason’s mom Rowena Moore, a Filipina.

Towering at 6’1” at 23, Jason and his family live in Torrance, California. Take a good look at his picture on this page. He has that matinee idol look, hasn’t he? No wonder Clarkson handily tapped him as her partner and together they easily beat the other contestants.

In fact, according to Funfare sources, it was not only Clarkson who was impressed with Jason. The likes of John Legend, country singer Jennifer Nettles and Robin Thicke (of the song Blurred Lines which he performed with Miley Cyrus at the controversial MTV Awards last August) also gave Jason a thumbs-up.

“Jason does a beautiful job of emoting,” Clarkson was then quoted as saying.

In that Duets episode, Clarkson’s powerful voice blended beautifully with Jason’s expressive vocal style. Jason’s memorable performances in Duets included The Rolling Stones’ Satisfaction, the Mariah Carey-Brian McKnight duet Wherever You Call and Clarkson’s own hit Breaking Your Own Heart. Under Clarkson’s guidance, Jason finished second runner-up. Good enough, isn’t it?

Since then, Jason has been performing around the USA, in the process winning more fans — Filipinos, Americans and Fil-Ams. In fact, he has performed several times with Clarkson in her concerts.

According to Viva sources, Jason has expressed excitement in sharing his songs with his kababayan when he comes, such as I Believe In Love Again, the power ballad on his album, and the OPM song Kung Ikaw At Ako.

“The first song sounds like US pop but upon further listening, it becomes Jason’s very own,” observed a Viva executive. “The song is reminiscent of ballads popularized by the likes of Toto, Journey and Bad English. It has real power and emotion. It is one of the strongest tracks on Jason’s album and it carries all the inspiring elements that he demonstrated in Duets.”

Kung Ikaw At Ako shows Jason at his Tagalog best, singing it without the disturbing American twang. You see, even if he grew up in the States, Jason took time to learn Tagalog.

“I’m looking forward to visiting Manila and meeting my kababayan,” is Jason’s message to everybody. “Finally, I will get in touch with my Filipino side.”

Viva sources disclosed that Jason will be staying for two months (from Oct. 14 to Dec. 15), which is enough for him to explore not only the possibilities of embarking on a career here but also seeing more of his mother’s…and his…homeland. (He will be guesting in Sarah Geronimo’s concert at the Araneta Coliseum on Nov. 15.)

What’s up?

= Here’s a belated reaction to Funfare’s “Paris Trilogy” published three months ago, from Fr. Odilo M. Reyes, OSB, San Beda, Manila:

My dear Ricky,

God bless!

I enjoyed your write-up about Paris (July 22, 2013). It brought back nostalgic memories because I studied in Paris (1961-63)…maybe you were not born yet then. (No, Fr. Reyes, I was already starting high school then, at Tabaco Pei Ching School in Tabaco, Albay. — RFL) I have visited several cities — London, New York, Frankfurt, Barcelona, Madrid and Rome but I consider Paris to be the best. I am not alone in my opinion.

First-class Hollywood actress Audrey Hepburn had no less than four of her movies with Paris as setting — Charade (with Walter Matthau and Cary Grant), Love In The Afternoon (with Gary Cooper), Funny Face (with Fred Astaire) and Sabrina (with Humphrey Bogart). She even took up cooking lessons in Paris. 

During my school days in Rome, New York and Paris, I also visited Lourdes every summer, and I’m glad that you made a side trip to Lourdes. A little north of Paris is Compiegne where St. Joan of Arc was captured. She was burned alive in Rouen. I visited all these places, with Lisieux which is famous for St. Therese (Little Flower of Jesus). — Fr. Odilo M. Reyes

(E-mail reactions at entphilstar@yahoo.com.)