Jed aims even higher

MANILA, Philippines — Holding his solo concert at the Smart Araneta Coliseum for the first time thrills Jed Madela no end. Aside from having mixed feelings of excitement and nervousness, he admits that there’s pressure to fill up the seats at the Big Dome. But he knows that it’s always been every artist’s dream to stand onstage and be able to scream “Good evening, Araneta!” and this has been Jed’s long-time dream that’s finally happening on Nov. 16 at 8 p.m. via Higher than High, which marks his 15th year in showbiz.

He says, “I am just so blessed for having reached 15 years. If given the chance to have another five or 10 or 15 more years, I would happily accept it. Pero ako naman, I go along as how the industry would accept me. I’ve reached 15 years so perhaps I’m doing something good, I’m doing something right and people still accept me. And tuloy-tuloy lang. As long as there are people who continue to support me, as long as there are people who continue to hear my voice, my songs, I will continue performing.”

Jed’s showbiz journey is not a walk in the park, so to speak. He says he also had low moments to the point that he almost quit showbiz because he felt ignored and underappreciated by the industry.

“The feeling of not being wanted anymore was one of my frustrations. Na parang dati lahat puro si Jed, si Jed. Si Jed i-guest natin dito...pakantahin natin. Then suddenly biglang pahinga ka (because) there were new artists, may mga mas sikat so sila yung tinutukan. Then kahit anong labas ng single or album hindi talaga pinapansin so that’s one of the lowest points in my life that I’ve realized anybody can be disposed of, everybody is dispensable and anyone can take your place,” Jed recalls.

“Nawala ako for a while. I stopped social media. I went home and then I assessed myself. But (thinking that) I was just surrounded by the right people during that time (so I was able to cope with it). They were the ones who told me to just stay there because people love you, people want to hear you sing pa rin.”

Despite all this, Jed says he doesn’t regret anything at all.

“Honestly, I have no regrets because the things that I’ve gone through for the past 15 years siguro have made me who I am today. I’ve learned a lot. Kasi ako totoong tao. Whatever I say and whatever I do, it’s there all the time kaya minsan napapa-trouble ako sa social media kasi whatever I think, I post. Then bigla na lang mami-misunderstood. I’m very upfront. Whatever you see and read on my socmed, it’s me. And same thing with the concert, whatever you’re going to see there is my personality talaga. That’s what you’re going to see because I think (I) owe that to (my) audience. I don’t believe in putting up an image just to entertain people. You can be entertaining enough for them.”

Asked about his biggest achievement as an artist aside from winning awards internationally, Jed says it is being able to mentor new artists in Tawag ng Tanghalan, in Your Face Sounds Familiar and at WCOPA.

“Until now, I’m very active as a mentor of new artists. Iba yung satisfaction that I get as an artist kasi more than the awards…of course, I appreciate all the awards that I received but then seeing these new artists strive and do their best tapos ginagawa nila yung tinuturo ko sa kanila…then they start to achieve their dreams unti-unti. Nakakataba ng puso na in one way or another I’m part of their journey as an artist. That’s probably my happiest moment in my 15 years.”

What is his advice for new artists who want to stay long in the industry?

“More than your talent it’s the attitude that’s going to keep you in this industry. Well, the talent is one thing but it’s the relationship/s that you build on your way up that will keep you.”

(Higher than High: The 15th Anniversary Concert is directed by Marvin Caldito. Jed is set to perform with the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra — under the baton of maestro Gerard Salonga — and the Philippine Madrigal Singers. Guest performers include Regine Velasquez, Vice Ganda, Nyoy Volante, Darren Espanto, Isay Alvarez Robert Seña, the TNT Boys, Carla Guevara Laforteza, Kakai Bautista, BoyBandPH and Tim Pavino. For tickets, call Ticketnet at 911-5555.)