Martin, walang planong mag-retire!

May bagong Christmas Song

Ang saya ng intimate presscon ni Martin Nievera kahapon ng tanghali para sa launching ng kanyang Christmas song na Christmas in Manila.

Isa itong kanta na pinagtagpo ang selebrasyon ng Pasko ng isang Italyano na matagal nanirahan sa Pilipinas.

Ang kilalang Italian Maestro Alessio Benvenuti ang nagsulat ng kanta na collaboration nila ng nag-iisang Concert King, Martin Nievera.

Nagsimula ang kanilang collaboration ng Concertmaster ng Manila Symphony Orchestra habang inaakompanyahan niya si Martin sa isang concert. Bilib na bilib ang Italyanong maestro sa powerful voice ni Martin.

Dahil sa lalim ng kanyang naramdaman sa experience na iyon, sinabi ni Benvenuti na bubuo siya ng isang piyesang para sa boses ni Martin.

Pinaghugutan ng composition ang serene feelings ni Benvenuti   while living through the Christmas season in Manila and across the Philippine islands. Maririnig dito ang phrases tulad ng “children laugh when they meet” and “no one feels the night alone” — draw direct inspiration from the close-knit bonds that define Filipino families.

Inialay ni Benvenuti ang awitin sa kanyang mga mahal sa buhay sa Italy at sa Pilipinas, pati na rin sa kanyang dalawang anak na sina Leonardo at Michelangelo, na ipinanganak sa Siquijor.

Sa kabila ng pagiging isang legendary ni Martin bilang “Concert King” ng Pilipinas, na-touched si Benvenuti sa pagiging simple, palakaibigan, at madaling lapitan ni Martin noong kanilang personal na pagkikita.

For the maestro, having Sir Martin agree to lend his voice to the composition was an unexpected honor and a dream come true.

At habang lalong tumitibay ang ugnayan ni Benvenuti sa Pilipinas sa paglipas ng panahon, ang Christmas in Manila ay isang lasting tribute to the warmth of the country, designed to celebrate the Filipino spirit for many holiday seasons to come.

At kino-consider ni Martin itong Christmas gift sa Italian Maestro. “My first Christmas gift, and that’s what Christmas is about, right? Making dreams come true, so we did it. I told Alessio, What if I do this song? “Really?” He couldn’t believe it.

“So when I sent it to them and they liked it, they said, wait, is this a good song?. I said, I’ll change some lyrics,” and now you’ve heard it. And Alessio could not believe that I did it. He couldn’t believe it until I sent him the rough mix on Viber, so he could hear that we had actually recorded his song. He could not believe it.”

Laging excited si Martin sa Pasko. As in favorite time of the year niya Christmas.

“What makes it different from all my other Christmas is that I will have to really try to find a way to make my time as Santa Claus, as father of families, to represent, to be as good a Christmas giver as I can be for my family.

But what makes it very much the same is that it’s still my favorite time of the year. I still love to be in; I am a control freak, but not to my fault. But during Christmas, I’m the one who likes to be the one to organize the house, to fix the house, and to buy the tree. In fact, we’re going to Australia and we’re going to buy a new Christmas tree.

“The motiff, the color of the house, should be what for what year, what are the decorations and so on. I love it. I don’t know about other guys in my field, but I just love it.

“I can’t wait for Christmas so I can be all of that. That’s the most consistent thing about Christmas. There’s even one Christmas when my kids were small. There’s no joke. I never told anyone this. In Florida, I went on the roof because these kids put milk and cookies, as you should, children, outside for Santa Claus. He likes milk and cookies. And so they’re waiting for Santa Claus to eat the milk and cookies. So I said, what’s that sound? Everyone come to the window.

“And I ran, went up a ladder to the roof and I made the sounds of reindeer. This is Florida. It never snows in Florida.

“I’m stomping on the roof. What’s that? All the kids are looking up. And then all you hear is… I fell off the roof. Now I see the kids going, running to the door.”

At yun ang pinaka-memorable moment niya sa Pasko noong sila pa ni Pops.

Pipilay-pilay siya matapos mahulog.

Samantala, next year ay 40 years na si Martin sa entertainment industry at ngayon pa lang ay excited na siya sa kanyang celebration.

Pero tulad sa ibang mga singer, wala siyang planong mag-finale concert, mas gusto niyang mag-collab sa mga batang singer na aniya ay marami siyang natutunan.

Ang Christmas in Manila ay available now across all music platforms.