Can Martin & Lani steal scenes from each other?

At 55 (last Feb. 5), Martin Nievera has mellowed considerably. He isn’t as jealously protective of his private life as he used to be. At the recent pressscon for Masquerade, his concert with Lani Misalucha (Feb. 12 at the Waterfront Hotel in Cebu, and Feb. 14 and 15, 8 p.m. at the Solaire Resort & Casino Grand Ballroom), Martin openly talked about his current girlfriend, although he didn’t name her because he didn’t want her to get enmeshed in showbiz gossip.

“My girlfriend has to be very understanding and very patient because my choice ever since, even before I met her, has always been work first,” Martin told the movie press. “What makes her different from all the other girls in my life is she loves what I do. She’s like a fan. No, seriously, she videos everything.”

Martin celebrated his half-century-and-five years last Sunday on ASAP which also featured 1993 Miss Universe and ASAP alumna as special guest Dayanara Torres who proved in a show-stopping dance number that she’s in tip-top shape, walang kupas at 42.

“I am the legal speed limit in America,” added Martin in jest. “I turned 55 on the 22. That means that I turned 55 on the 22nd anniversary of ASAP. I am the only one who can say that I was there from Day 1 until the present day…22 years and counting!”

Famous not only for her powerful voice that can shake any venue, whether here or in Las Vegas, Lani is a born (read: natural) scene-stealer, perhaps the only living artist who can sing without missing a beat while reclining and rolling on the sofa and does a dozen other antics that scare other performers.

Stage-directed by Rowell Santiago with Louie Ocampo as musical director, the much-improved Masquerade is Martin and Lani’s first major concert together, first staged last year in San Diego, California. (Tickets for the Cebu show are available at the Ayala Concierge, SM Customer Service Counter and Waterfront Hotel Events Counter. Or contact, TSE LIVE at: 0917-777-7630. Tickets for the Manila shows are now available at Ticket World outlets [891-9999] and SM outlets [470-2222]).

You are both amazing performers. How do you resist the temptation of stealing scenes from each other?

Martin: Are you kidding? I would have to be possessed by a super powerhouse tenor opera singer to upstage or steal a scene from Lani. It cannot be done so I won’t even try. She can out-sing the best.

Lani: Are you kidding me? I always try to steal scene from him. Hahahaha!!!! He’s so charming that the audience listens only to him. Joking aside, as artists and friends, we have such huge respect for each other and even have mutual admiration for each other’s talent and craft that we couldn’t even think of disrespecting each other by trying to outdo each other’s performance. We uplift each other so that we will be able to create a good show for our audience.

The Valentine concert Masquerade marks Martin and Lani’s first major concert together

What do you find interesting about each other’s style?

Martin: I am a huge fan of Lani’s style, but I admire most her technique. She can sound classical and angelic and at a snap of a finger can turn into Whitney. Not many can do that as smoothly and as quickly; not to mention as consistently.

Lani: I love the fact that you can put Martin in front of any type of audience or at any venue. With his wit and funny style, he brightens up the whole place.

If you were to sing each other’s song, what would it be?

Martin: I like her song Bukas Na Lang Kita Mamahalin but more than just singing her song, I would love to sing any song using her technique and training. I hope some of it rubs off on me during my time with Lani.

Lani: Kahit Isang Saglit.

What song makes you cry, song that lifts your spirit and song that makes you long for yesteryear?

Martin: Uptown Funk by Bruno Mars or Cake By The Ocean by DNCE lifts my spirit and gets me going. Make It With You by Bread and my 1984 recording of Got To Look For It by Paul Pascual make me long for yesterday.

There is a long list of songs that make me cry, most of them played during Christmas. But there is a song George Canseco wrote with Louie Ocampo especially for me to record. It’s titled Nasaan Ka Man. It was the answer to their monster hit, Ikaw, and was also written for George’s late wife. When I sing this song, tears flow inside me. When I listen to it, the tears continue down my cheeks.

Shortly after I recorded this song, George finally was reunited with his wife in heaven. A real love story that has a happy ending where two people actually made it to forever. And what a true honor to have received the last song written by the late great George Canseco.

Lani: If I Could, a song for my children and grandson, makes me cry. I Know That My Redeemer Lives, a church hymn, lifts my spirit. Born Free makes me long for yesteryear. I think I was only six years old when I first heard it.

If you were to exchange identities, what would you change about each and why?

Martin: If I were Lani, I would change the landscape of her journey by throwing a long rope with a hook at the end across the world to drag the Philippines closer to her house in Las Vegas. This way I could have my grandson and my family closer to me as I continue to shine in my home country that has blessed me with this amazing career. 

Lani and I have similar career paths. We both had our victories and defeats in Las Vegas. We both were mentored by the group my father came from, The Society of Seven. We both spend hours upon hours flying back and forth over ocean and desert to be able to sing for audiences all over the world. This will be our first time to share a stage just the two of us. I am very excited for this Valentine concert, especially when we share a world tour together that starts in May 2017! 

Lani: Martin is just too giving of his time, talent, emotion, material things and other temporal, provisions that oftentimes, very little is left for him. So if I were Martin, I think I would want to reserve a little for myself. And maybe not to be flirtatious with the ladies that he meets, hahahaha!!!

 (Masquerade is for the benefit of Rotary Club of Makati East, Rotary International, Association of Chiefs of Police of the Philippines Inc. Affiliated Non-Government Organizations [ACPPIAN], and Anti-Illegal Drugs Group [AIDG] PNP. It is brought to you by Starmedia Entertainment and Foilacar Industries in association with Solaire Resort and Casino, co-presented by PLDT Home Fibr, and sponsored by Belo Medical Group, Farlin Baby Products, Zim Cleanser, Pest-off, Alaska, McDonalds, Pacer Travel Services, Lloyd Arceo Couture, Amber Restaurant, Studio 69, Devant TV and Cocoline Naturals with media Partners The Philippine STAR, Philippine Daily Inquirer, People’s Journal, People’s Tonight and Crossover 105.1.)

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