Jhames Joe, ire-revive If ng Rivermaya na may timplang pang-Gen Z

ALAM MO NA!
ni Nonie Nicasio

ANG Pinoy architect/musician na si Jhames Joe, nakabase sa Singapore for about 14 years ay ire-revive ang hit song na If ng Rivermaya.

Nagkuwento siya hinggil sa naturang kanta.

Aniya, “Maganda iyong song, ang simple ng lyrics pero madadala ka sa mensahe nito. Noong kinausap ko iyong writer ng song through the help of my friend, pinayagan niya ako and he gave me the contact ng mga taong dapat kausapin para ma-revive ko ang song.”

Esplika pa ni Jhames na isang 3D animator and visualizer sa Singapore, “My rendition pays homage to the original while adding a fresh twist to captivate listeners with its emotional depth and contemporary sound. Perfect for playlists that celebrate classic Filipino rock and contemporary indie music, this cover brings a new perspective to a beloved track.”

Sa panayam sa kanya via zoom, nabanggit pa ni Jhames na nang narinig niya ang kantang If ng Rivermaya, nagkaroon agad siya ng kakaibang interes dito.

Pagbabalik-tanaw niya, “One day, my wife was watching a movie and I heard the exact lyrics of the song If and it suddenly took me back when I first heard it on the radio. That was when I started investing my time listening to OPM music.

“I couldn’t believe then how it was actually written by a Filipino musician. That was when I started Investing my time listening to OPM music.”

Dagdag niya, “Most of the songs made by Rivermaya kept me sane through the years, even when the band separated. Until now I just keep coming back to their music.”

Aminado rin siya na bago pa sumabak sa pagbabanda ay idolo na niya ang Rivermaya, noon pa man. “Noong nagbabanda pa lang ako sa Baguio, wala pa ako sa Singapore, Rivermaya na talaga ‘yung iniidolo ko. Their band kasi has that gift na nakai-inspire lalo na sa mga baguhang artist. Look at Rico Blanco, his music style is so refreshing. Si Bamboo, iniidolo ko rin. Kahit noong nagkaroon ng sariling banda si Bamboo, I would listen to him.”

Pahabol ni Jhames, “Mahal ko ang OPM, mayroon na rin akong songs na isinulat ko na na-release na like “Kalahati,” “Sayang,” “Let’s Run Away,” “Sayo” and “Hanggang Sa Panaginip.” These songs ay ginawa ko dahil sa pagmamahal ko sa music.”

Isa si Jhames sa excited sa gaganaping reunion concert ng kanyang idols next month, kaya naman looking forward siya sa panonood nito at naka-score na raw siya ng tickets.

Ang version ni Jhames ng If ay available na sa iba’t ibang platforms sa February 2. Ito’y sa ilalim ng kanyang independent label na 96 Records.