Bashers make Makki Lucino stronger

Tawag ng Tanghalan Season 4 grand finalist Makki Lucino began joining singing tilts in grade school after his teacher discovered his ability to carry a tune. He, too, became a member of a choir in the biggest cathedral in his hometown Sorsogon that also served as his vocal training ground.

“Since I was little, whenever I would hear music on the radio parang dumidikit sa tenga ko at parang pumapasok s’ya sa puso at isip ko,” shared Makki about his passion for singing. “That’s why, even at a young age, I knew that I wanted to be a singer just like those artists I saw performing on TV before. Pero s’yempre dahil bata pa ako noon, I was not that so confident with my voice.”

Thanks to his grade school teacher, who heard him singing and convinced him to try out in talent searches in school. “It was the beginning of my journey in singing because I also got to compete and won in other singing competitions. I would give all my prizes to my Mama and Papa at masaya ako na dahil sa pagkanta ko nakakatulong ako sa pamilya namin.”

Makki would also compete in inter-barangay and inter-town amateur singing contests to his heart’s content but not without escaping the painful verbal beating of bashers, who took a swipe at his looks, if not for his gender preference.

But no amount of lambasting could ever dampen his spirits and stop him from realizing his dream of becoming a singer. Yes, he admitted to have almost given up yet he came up with a resolve not to focus on the negative.

“Whether my performance is for TV or not, they (bashers) always have nasty things to say. There was even a time when bashers already had a verdict before my performance. Did it affect me? I felt as if my vocal cords stopped functioning, parang nag-fold,” recalled Makki, who also admitted to having reached the point of doubting himself because people seemingly found it hard to accept him for being gay.

“I sing like a girl,” added he, “Boses babae ako even after the adolescent stage but I didn’t look like a girl kasi hindi pa ako ganito manamit noon so they found me weird.”

Fast forward to the present, Makki has learned not to mind critics and their harsh remarks. Instead, he focused on his singing and entertaining the people who have been truly supportive of his music endeavor. “Bashers are everywhere — be it on my live stream or on YouTube — but they don’t affect me anymore. They only make me stronger and more inspired to work harder.”

Being part of the LGBTQIA+, Makki affirmed, is not a hindrance to him entering the music scene.

“For me, music has no gender talaga and especially now that we’re celebrating Pride Month, in order to lessen the stigma, just don’t be afraid of who you are. Show your true self.”

Dubbed as the Queer of Soul, Makki aims to represent the LGBTQIA+ community and inspire Filipinos through his heartfelt rendition of songs. In fact, Makki offers an emotional ballad version of She Used To Be Mine for his debut single released under Star Music.

“We want it to serve as a reminder to everyone to not be afraid of change, to always celebrate life and to celebrate one’s age,” declared Makki, who first performed the song as a contest piece in Tawag ng Tanghalan. “I received good feedback for it, with people telling me that they were touched by my rendition, naiyak sila.”

Written and composed by American singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles for the musical Waitress, the song reflects the disconnection a woman feels between her past and present self, and who she might have become if her circumstances had been different.

“Actually, I dedicated the song to my sister, who is a single mother nung kinanta ko sa Tawag ng Tanghalan. I truly admire her strength and ability to face whatever difficulty there is in life.”

The release of the song as his debut single all the more made Makki doubly happy. “I’m so thankful and at the same time excited that one of my dreams has come true.”

Makki only proves the aphorism “What doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger” true.

(Makki’s Used To Be Mine is now available on various digital music streaming platforms. He has also ventured into livestreaming on Kumu via Queer of Soul Monday and Wednesday nights at 6 on the SeenZone Channel.)