The Greatest Joy for Me is to Sing for You

By Leah Salterio

Martin Nievera

That was Martin Nievera addressing his SRO audience at Captain's Bar of Mandarin Oriental Manila during the repeat of his concert, Milestones, last Sept. 19, to mark his silver anniversary in the music business.

After 25 years of stringing beautiful lyrics and haunting melodies, wowing fans both here and abroad, staging sold-out concerts, charting hits and coming out with best-selling albums, Martin remains a selfless performer who gives more than a part of himself with his audience every time he performs.

Who's performer will sing at the drop of a hat, in a flick of a finger, with a flip of a coin? Martin will do that. He is always ready to perform, whether or not there are two or two hundred people in front of him.

Captain's Bar is a venue close to Martin's heart. He said he will always welcome the chance to sing in the posh concert venue. After the break-up of his marriage to Pops Fernandez nine years ago, when he was pictured as the "bad guy," Martin staged a show at Captain's Bar. He wasn't sure if the public would accept him again, but he was ready to perform even for only five people in the audience at that time. The concert, however, turned out to be very well-received.

He's had humbling experience in performing in Las Vegas, where he has been based for more than a year now with his partner Katrina Ojeda and their 11-month-old son, Santino. A few months back, his nightly stint at the Steve Wyrick Theater of Planet Hollywood Hotel ended prematurely after his Filipino producers abandoned him.

Without being self-deprecating, Martin recalled how he once performed in Las Vegas for only 10 people and "eight of them were related to me," he said. "But there were two who flew in all the way from Alaska and spent extra dollars just to see me. So, I performed practically for only two people that night. I sang my ass off and I gave what is perhaps the greatest performance of my life."

Understandably, typical of Martin Nievera is his unequivocal love affair with his audience. Performing onstage somehow ignites a musical nerve in him that sends out a succession of strong impulses to make him give his best every time he sings. He is not christened "concert king" for nothing. He appears empowered when he's onstage and his powerful vocal pipes and infectious energy never fail to please the crowd.

At Captain's Bar, Martin emerged not onstage, but from the audience to start the show with his upbeat Tom Jones medley — It's Not Unusual, Delilah and Kiss — which immediately perked up the crowd. His first few songs alone truly proved his versatility as a concert performer, one who can carry out ballads, pop, Broadway and upbeat ditties with enviable ease. Never mind the dancing. Leave it to Gary V.

"Thank you for making my life worth singing," Martin said gratefully to an adoring and appreciative audience, who graciously rewarded him with applause for every song and a standing ovation at the end of the show.

Throughout his performance, Martin paid tribute to singing greats. He did a Frank Sinatra medley — I Got You Under My Skin, Witchcraft, Come Fly With Me; performed hits by Toto (Africa, I'll Be Over You, I Won't Hold You Back, Rosanna); and belted a Josh Groban suite (Broken Vow, You're Still You, To Where You Are).

Of course, Martin will not overlook Barry Manilow. "Did you know that when I was a kid, I became one of the 30 back-up singers for Barry Manilow in one of his concerts?," Martin shared with the amused crowd. Thus, popular Manilow ballads made it to Martin's repertoire that night — Weekend in New England, Even Now, Somewhere Down the Road, Looks Like We Made It, I Write the Songs.

Since the concert is a celebration of his 25 years in the business, Martin delighted the audience with some of his original tunes — Love for Real, Please Don't Throw My Love Away. Before singing No Way To Treat a Heart, he said, "I was blessed with beautiful songs and this one is the most beautiful." We couldn't argue enough.

Toward the second half of the show, Martin gave another generous serving of his hits — You Are My Song, Say That You Love Me and Be My Lady (and acknowledged the song's composer, hitmaker Vehnee Saturno, who was seated in the bar) — plus popular cover versions which have been identified with him like The Promise and Kenny Loggins' Forever.

The show also gave the audience peak into Martin's latest album, also titled Milestones, a double CD released by EMI Records Philippines. It was produced by his long-time record producer, Chito Ilacad, who was in the audience that night. "It took only one man to turn this ugly balikbayan (referring to himself) into a recording star," Martin said, acknowledging Chito.

Given the chance to share the spotlight with Chito, Martin enjoined the record producer to sing You Made Me Feel Brand New with him. In that particular spot, Martin jammed with other prominent guests in his audience, singing like Celebrity Duets — his sister Gina Godinez, sexy star Cheree, Cita Revilla. For this interactive portion, Martin sang My Beautiful Balloon, Betcha By Golly Wow, Stop in the Name of Love, I'm Gonna Make You Love Me and Let the Sun Shine. Working as musical director for Milestones is Louie Ocampo, who is one of the three judges in the top-rating Celebrity Duets on GMA 7.

For the first time, we heard Martin's latest original compositions contained in his Milestones album. Meant To Be was written for his three sons — Robin, Ram and Santino. Then there's the poignant I Sing, apparently a testament of why he has become a singer... "I sing because music heals my soul."

He also crooned heart-wrenching Louie Ocampo compositions — Ikaw Lang ang Mamahalin, Ikaw and Kahit Isang Saglit, "one of the most beautiful and painful songs Louie wrote," Martin said.

In his spiels, Martin took potshots at good-looking singers such as Piolo Pascual, Erik Santos and Sam Milby — "But who's the best?," he jests without sounding boastful. "But I'm one who will opt to make way for new singers, not one who would get in the way. Letting others shine should start from singers who are willing to pave the way. We should set a good example. I'm never insecure with new singers around."

Capping the show, expectedly, was the Broadway medley. Undoubtedly, it was still much anticipated. Martin leaving the stage without belting out the powerful Broadway tunes would have been a mortal sin.

For Good from the new musical Wicked, made it to his Broadway medley that included Seasons of Love from Rent, Maria and Somewhere from West Side Story, Music of the Night and All I Ask of You from Phantom of the Opera, Memory from Cats and This is the Moment from Jekyll and Hyde.

There were people in the audience at Captain's Bar that night who must have seen Martin more than a dozen times. Yet, they shared the appreciation of those who also watched him for the first time, enthralled by his performance, inspired by his music, entertained by his wit and enraptured by his unmistakable charm.