MANILA, Philippines - "Help! Naghahanap [k]ami ng magandang name ng vocalist na papalit, yung tunog nag-sstay. Suggest kayo dali!" — ito ang pasaring ng Original Pilipino Music (OPM) band na Lily, dating "Callalily," sa dating frontman at si Pinoy rockstar Kean Cipriano matapos umalis ng banda.
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Matatandaang ngayong Hunyo pa nang magsimula ang "Search for the new Lily Vocalist," kung saan nagpapa-audition ang banda para sa kanilang bagong bokalista sa tulong ng LX2 Entertainment.
Batay sa requirements, naghahanap ang banda ng "22 to 27 years old” na “oozing with confidence,” may “stage presence,” “audience appeal,” hindi pa hawak ng “managing individual or company,” atbp.
Kaugnay nito, hiling ni Kean na makita ng banda ang hinahanap nilang bagong lead singer.
“I hope they find it, kung sino man," ani ng singer-actor sa isang pahayag.
"I mean you know, I wish them really all the best. Like I said, Callalilly is done… ‘[Y]un naman talaga ang point nito ‘di ba na in 10 years babalikan naming lahat at magpapasalamat kami sa isa’t isa and that was a good call, 'di ba? ‘Yung growth natin, iba na siya ngayon. I really wish them well,” pagpapatuloy niya.
'Magbalik' no more
Nito lamang nakaraang linggo nang kumpirmahin ng musician-actor na hindi na siya bahagi ng naturang bandang nakasama niya sa loob ng 17 taon.
“Callalilly is done. I’m moving on, I’ve moved on, moving forward and I wish them all the best," sambit niya sa isang pahayag.
“I think in a group na magkakasama for 17 years, marami na rin nangyari and... medyo matagal na rin kaming hindi okay, so alam mo ‘yun? Parang ibang chapter for us,” dagdag pa niya,
Nilinaw naman ni Chynna Ortaleza, misis ni Kean, na "nag-disengage" lang sa grupo ang singer at hindi ito nang-iwan.
Ani ng aktres, gusto pa umano mag "grow" ng kanyang mister bilang artist ngunit hindi niya ito magawa kasama ang banda.
"He wanted so bad to experiment but because the band sells a certain way, he felt like he wasn’t being listened to,” ani Chynna.
"He was trying his best [t]o do his own thing... [h]e just felt like it’s been 17 years. It’s time for each individual to grow artistically... [t]hat's why he decided it was time to retire the band [b]ecause he wanted to preserve that kind of legacy for everybody," dagadg pa niya.
Nang tanungin kung posible pang magkaroon ng reunion gigs ang Callalily, diretsahang sumagot si Kean nang: "Hindi na magbabalik 'yung dating Callalily."
Taong 2005 naitatag ang banda na binubuo nila Nathan Reyes, Lem Belaro, Aaron Ricafrente, Alden Acosta at Kean.
Ilan sa mga pinasikat nilang awitin ang "Magbalik," "Stars," “Pasan,” at “Pansamantala." — Philstar.com intern Vivienne Audrey Angeles