How surviving cancer three times changed Joey Albert’s life
THE 1985 HIT SONG, POINTS OF VIEW, of my dear friend Pops Fernandez and Joey Albert never fails to make me feel senti. Has it really been four decades since their duet made waves?
The dashing duo are at it again. Pops is mounting the 45th anniversary concert of Joey, “FORTYfied Joey Albert 45,” on April 25, 8 p.m. at the Newport Performing Arts Theater. (For ticket inquiries, visit Ticketworld.)
For Joey, longevity isn’t just about staying power, it’s about staying felt. In this era of fleeting hits and viral moments, she redefines relevance. Joey’s voice never needed to shout to be heard. Our hearts will always remember the girl who comforted us with her song, I Remember the Boy.
Thank you, Joey, for the music that didn’t just soundtrack our lives but understood them. You told our stories better than we ever could.
Here’s my chat with Joey:
Describe your four-decade career in one word.
“Magical.”
What stands out in your memory about your early days in the biz?
“Dreamgirl Filipina 1982.”
Manila applause or Vancouver peace?
“By God’s grace, I have both.” (Joey is based in Vancouver.)
Secret to staying relevant?
“Joey’s Jams.”
Tell us about Joey’s Jams.
“It all began in the time of COVID. I would go on Facebook live every Saturday just singing covers from all the songs I know all the way from the 1940s to the 1980s. It brought people, especially old friends, together from all over the world. They would chat and talk in the comments as if we were all in one big party. They loved finding each other and reconnecting on my Joey’s Jams.
“As COVID progressed, I could see the depths of the sadness (it) was causing people. So, I put up my YouTube channel and started a program called ‘Dear Joey.’ In this forum, people would e-mail me their worries and frustrations and sadness, and although I would give a few words of consolation, my real reply would be to sing them a song (as opposed to giving advice) then would air it in weekly episodes.
“Fast forward to today, I see how my Joey’s Jams still makes people happy. Some viewers are already such regulars that we almost feel like we know each other. Some watch from as far as Alaska and Mongolia and Dubai.
“I don’t know if relevant is the correct word to describe the effect of Joey’s Jams. All I know is it continues to give me an opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives no matter how few.”
Biggest culture shock in Canada?
“No yaya (Hahaha!)”
As a Big C survivor, what’s your advice to those still battling cancer?
“There are many things I can say depending on their situation, but the one thing I would say to everyone in general who is touched by cancer is never to feel sorry for themselves (self-pity) because I’ve seen for myself how feeling sorry for yourself starts a downhill path that is very difficult to recover from.
“If one can learn to turn cancer into a positive thing like redemptive suffering, offering it up to those who are far worse than you, then this dreadful experience will have purpose and the burden, a little lighter.”
How has surviving the Big C changed you?
“Each of the three times brought new changes to me. But generally, it gave me a wider perspective of life and an even deeper sense of mortality, which I was already beginning to see after losing my father and my sister, both to cancer.
“You begin to make choices based on the legacy you want to leave behind. After three experiences with cancer, you see a bigger and more spiritual perspective of everything that happens in life. You realize your connection with the other world and make choices with that perspective. You don’t sweat the small stuff, you let it go. You choose the things that you have enough energy for. You learned to turn away from the things and the people that take life away from you.”
Among all your songs, which one is most significant to you and why?
“Sa Iyo Lamang… the last song I released before leaving for Canada. This was my personal song of surrender to God at that turning point of my life.”
What’s your take on AI-generated music?
“I’m sure there’s good use for it, but I don’t believe it will ever create music with real heart and soul.”
How do you want to be remembered?
“As someone kind… someone who brought joy wherever I went.”
Rhen and Joseph’s ‘COOLab’
We all need more love, lots of laughter and a little danger in our lives to make our autobiography colorful. Just like the unusual love story of Aemie and Zeke in “My Husband is a Mafia Boss,” where L’amour, laughter and danger share the same screen time.
The series adaptation of the Wattpad phenomenon written by @yanalovesyou streams on Viva One starting April 11. The action-packed romance drew over 390 million reads. It is directed by Fifth Solomon and top-billed by Joseph Marco and Rhen Escaño.
Joseph portrays Zeke, a billionaire who, unbeknownst to many, is also a Mafia boss. Rhen plays Aemie, who’s sunshine in human form but a bit of an airhead. A swift turn of events makes them tie the knot.
Zeke is certain he will never fall in love with Aemie, making her the perfect woman to marry for plans only he knows. But her sweetness and innocence break down his walls. The mafia boss turns into a slave of love.
Watch how love blooms amid chaos in the series that plays like a seductive dance between affection and adrenaline.
Here are quotes from Joseph, Rhen and Fifth:
Joseph: “My tandem with Rhen is the most sincere and genuine one I’ve had so far. We connected instantly. It’s the perfect fit.”
Rhen: “Getting giddy is so easy with Joseph as my leading man. It’s effortless. He has a way of making my self-doubts vanish. He has a soothing effect on me.”
Fifth: “It’s harder to direct a comedy than a drama because comedy requires timing so the punchlines won’t fall flat. As a gay person, it’s quite challenging to direct the action scenes. I came up with stylized ways of holding a gun and car chasing.”
Joseph: “What I like about Aemie is that she has no mean bones in her body. What I don’t like about her is her being quite dumb. I like a girl I can learn from and talk sense with. As for Rhen, she’s more than GF material. She’s wife material.”
Rhen: “It’s tough playing Aemie because she’s a bit OA. But I still have to make her seem natural. I tried to be cutesy without being a laughing stock. It’s a delicate balancing act.”
Joseph: “I have played supporting roles countless times. And now that I portray the lead role, I want to serve as a good example to the younger members of our cast. I have no superiority complex at all. I want to inspire our supporting cast to love their craft and this biz even more.”
- Latest
- Trending
