Gari Escobar, thankful sa best new male recording artist of the year award

SOBRA ang tuwa at pasasalamat ni Gari Escobar nang manalong Best New Male Recording Artist of the Year sa 11th PMPC Star Awards for Music para sa kantang Baguio. Aminado siya na hindi halos makapaniwala sa karangalang natamo.

Ani Gari, “Nang tinawag po ang name ko as winner, sabi ko sa mga kasama ko sa upuan, ‘Ako nga ba ‘yun?’ Tapos hinila nila ako para tumayo at lumapit sa stage, kabang-kaba po ako, lalo na po nang nakita ko ang mga idol kong celebrities na nakaupo sa frontrow. Parang tumigil po ang oras, hindi ako nakahanda. Sabi po kasi ng manager ko noong umaga pa lang, ‘Gari tinawagan ka ba ng PMPC kagabi? Sabi ko po, ‘Bakit po ako tatawagan?’ Sagot niya, ‘Kung ikaw kasi ang winner, tatawagan ka nila the night before para sure na aattend ka’. Sabi ko, ‘Ah ganoon po pala, wala pong tumawag kuya. Pero okay lang po, malaking karangalan na po sa akin ang ma-nominate alongside mga finalists po ng TNT at the Clash, magagaling po sila.’”

Inusisa rin namin siya kung ano ang kuwento sa kantang Baguio. Sagot niya, “As a young boy, I had dreams of little depth or so I thought. To go to Baguio was one of my biggest dreams. So when I saw the opportunity, I grab the chance. I opted to take the Real Estate Brokers Licensure Exam in Baguio. I was doubly ecstatic that not only did I pass and was recorded to be the youngest ever to pass the exams but also was able to go to my dream destination. Thereafter, my mother would bring the entire family to Baguio eve­ry birth­day of hers. It became a favorite vacation place for us. Baguio was also the dream place of my girlfriend then. I granted her wish, not knowing that she only had six months to live. She was full of life, hope and dreams. Never did I have the slightest idea that she would take her last breath and be taken away from me so young. Reminiscing the look of love in her eyes, our warm embraces, the merriest moments, and the promises we made to each other, I know it was worth every second of my life and hers.

“Mine was a story of a triumph and a loss. In retrospect, I could not have written the song Baguio if not for the two most important women in my life. The depth of my understanding of love will never be same again,” mahabang tugon niya.

Ano ang plano niya sa kanyang singing career? “Plano po naming i-release ang isang cover na sobrang paboritong love song ng mother ko. OPM po ito na sumikat noong 70s po yata, secret muna po. May series of shows po ako starting this month sa iba’t ibang key cities sa bansa at may mga radio at TV guestings po na naka-schedule na,” saad ni Gari.

Aniya, “Ini-invite ko po ang aking supporters to subscribe to my YouTube channel at sa FB page ko po na Gari Escobar para updated sila sa aking activities.”

ALAM MO NA!
ni Nonie Nicasio