Comedian Nar on songwriting mode

MANILA, Philippines — Nar Cabico has earned yet another feather on his cap when he recently won the Novelty Recording Award for his song Gaga at the 31st Awit Awards. It was his second recognition after bagging last February the PMPC Star Awards’ Movie Theme Song of the Year trophy for his song Natapos Tayo, which was the movie soundtrack of the 2017 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) entry All Of Me. His other song, LDR (Layong Di Ramdam), was a Top 30 finalist in the 2018 Philpop Music Festival.

Nar said he has now two trophies to go home to that’s why he is even more inspired to write music.

“I’m so inspired. Nakakakilig! Actually, I was already thrilled sa nomination pa lang because it was exactly a year after I released Gaga online. And I wasn’t really expecting that it could all happen so fast and even if I’m not used to this, I’ll just embrace (the idea) that I can write more songs,” Nar told select members of the press, including The STAR, about his recent success.

“I’m just so happy na may napuntahan ‘yung mga songs. I’ve written so many songs already for other people,” added the Kapuso comedian who is into songwriting these days while doing the rounds in the live entertainment scene on the side. He also appears in the Kapuso daytime series Kapag Nahati ang Puso.

“It’s been a year already since I got into the singer-songwriter mode and since nawala rin ako sa comedy shows like Full House Tonight, I decided to focus on creating my own music,” said the GMAAC talent. He also revealed that he even bought an upright piano, adding that it’s a sign he is serious about writing a full musical and excited about collaborating with other artists.

“I was asked by The CompanY to write for them. It feels good that your song is sung by other singers,” he said, adding that writing songs is “therapeutic for me so it feels more meditative than (the idea that it is) work. I don’t feel tired at all. In fact, it keeps me alive. Music is my drug.”

Nar is thankful to his close friend Jennylyn Mercado who produced his two songs LDR and Gaga.

“Yung ginawa niya was pivotal because if she had not offered to be my producer, I don’t think I’d have the courage to start releasing kasi pera yun eh, di ba? That’s why I always thank her whenever I have the chance because she doesn’t even want anything (in return).”

Nar also took it to heart when his friend Regine Velasquez told him about how husband Ogie Alcasid became a successful singer-songwriter.

“Ate Reg shared that Kuya Ogie became a songwriter when he let go some of his songs. He was very generous in letting other people sing his songs so it struck hard in me and now I want to do it also. I wanna write, I wanna tailor songs for artists. Like for example, as a musician, I would know the timbre or range of one’s voice. I will write a song thinking of a certain personality or their musical strengths.”

Despite his success, Nar doesn’t rest on his laurels when it comes to improving his craft. In fact, he recently joined the Elements Music Camp, a music masterclass for young Pinoy singer-songwriters and musicians. Nar described it as “the magic of rediscovering one’s self through other people’s ears.”

He added that Elements Music Camp is one of those life experiences that when he looks back 10 years from now, he’d realize how important it was for him. With this experience, it allows him to create his own brand of sound, thus wishing that more people could get to experience his music rather than just listen to it.

“One of the things I learned was that kung ano ‘yung sound mo that’s your left foot, and then the other foot, you let it flirt around other genres so that the sound you create is dynamic. And that’s my goal musically: To create a buffet of sound. My roots are jazz and funk but I love kundiman. I have songs that are very kundiman but jazz. As a person, makulit talaga ako because I have a lot of moods. I want to achieve my goals, that’s why I bought keyboards and I have six guitars at home. I have a home studio na ginawa ko lang.”

Has he experienced frustrations as a musician? Nar replied, “Never. Honestly, I’m just overwhelmed. I have this unspeakable joy that I feel every single moment because for the first time, I don’t feel any pressure to compete with anyone because I couldn’t think of any other singer-songwriter (who is) gay na nag-gigitara at naka-heels.”

The song Nar composed that he totally relates with is LDR, which reminds him of his Fil-Am partner who is working as a private nurse abroad.