April Boy Regino’s son JC fulfills wish of late dad

MANILA, Philippines — Singer-songwriter JC Regino couldn’t be any happier now that he has fulfilled the wish of his late dad, OPM hitmaker April Boy Regino, which was for him to return to the music scene.

JC signed a recording contract with GMA Music following his presentation to the Kapuso network music arm executive Kedy Sanchez of his original composition titled Idolo. It was released as his debut single and is now available for streaming and download on all digital music platforms.

JC shared during the virtual media conference how GMA Music became instrumental in his music comeback years after he turned his back on singing.

“Before my dad passed away, he would often tell me to go back to singing because at that time, I was already working in the US and then I came home without expecting that he had already grown so weak,” said JC whose, vocal tone sounds completely the same with that of his father.

“It was really his dream that I returned to music and he even said that we would make a song together and then let Sir Kedy hear it. But then he passed away,” he told The STAR.

“When I was able to finally write the song, it was Idolo. Sinabi ni mommy na iparinig namin kay Sir Kedy because he might like it,” added JC who began writing the song six months after his dad died.

JC didn’t expect what he heard from Kedy after listening to Idolo. “’Hindi maganda,’ sabi n’ya, ‘sobrang ganda.’ I was so happy. Parang tadhana na rin ‘yung nangyari (It felt like it was meant to be) and seemed like it was daddy who guided us to go to Sir Kedy.”

What JC heard next from Kedy made him jump up and down with joy. “At napapalakpak pa ko noong sinabi na kukunin akong GMA Music artist. Thank God that I was able to return to singing, which we’ve always wanted to happen and which my daddy and I had dreamt of.”

It was only September of last year when he finished writing the song. He said, “It was my birthday last year and that time, I missed my dad so much. Then, I remembered about the song which I wasn’t able to finish.”

With the help of his uncles, Jimmy and Vingo, or The April Boys, JC began working again on the song.

The process of making the song, JC said, didn’t come easy because his uncles are now based in the US and both already decided to retire from singing. JC, nevertheless, sought their help to complete the song.

“They recorded it in the US but arranged the song here. Bago po mawala si daddy, nagka-ayos na po sila ng April Boys.”

He, too, appreciated how his uncles collaborated with him to finish Idolo “because it’s more meaningful when the three of us sing,” he said.

Idolo is a “thank you” song to the fans for the love and support they’ve shown to the April Boys. JC said that they deserve to have a song dedicated to them. “If not for them, April Boy Regino and the April Boys won’t make it (in the industry).”

JC’s passion for singing began when he was 14 years old and he even tried his hand at writing songs with his dad as his mentor.

“I learned from my dad how to write a song and through him, I also felt for the first time how a song could really bring happiness to people. That’s why I’m so happy that I can once again use the (vocal) talent that I got from my father,” he said.

Asked if he feels pressure about being the son of a hitmaker, JC replied in the affirmative but insisted that he feels prouder every time people recognize him as the son of April Boy. “Mas masaya ako na sinasabi ng tao na anak ako ni April Boy na may ibang klaseng naiambag sa musika (I’m happier if people address me as the son of April Boy who has a different contribution to music).”

When one writer asked what music fans can expect from him after signing a recording contract with GMA Music, JC promised to offer more original songs that speak about love and inspiration.

He further shared that he’d like to continue pursuing songwriting. He has written quite a number of songs and he hopes GMA will give him the chance to release them.

He, too, looks forward to the day that he gets to perform on the All-Out Sundays stage and collaborate with Julie Anne San Jose.