Yeng Constantino receives Honorary Licentiate Award from Singapore music school |
| by Rachelle Siazon | March 05, 2013 9:48 AM | |
Pop Rock Princess Yeng Constantino brought pride to the country as she was given an Honorary Licentiate Diploma during the graduation rites of music students of the Academy of Rock in Singapore held last Friday, March 1. She graced the said event as the ambassador for the Philippine franchise of the said school of music. “Nagulat nga ako. Hindi ko nga naintindihan nung una kung para saan yung diploma. Inexplain sa akin sobrang naoverwhelm ako, bakit ako napili. Sabi ng head ng Academy of Rock ng Europe, si Sir Jeremy Ward, he just wants to honor me for being an excellent performer and singer. Sabi niya, ako yung ika-seventh na binigyan ng ganong recognition in their 15 or 17 years in the industry,” she said in an interview with ABS-CBN.com last March 4.
Yeng was overwhelmed with the fact that she received a standing ovation from the founder, other owners, and the rest of the foreign audience when she performed “Salamat”—her original Tagalog composition back during her Pinoy Dream Academy days. “Kasi ‘pag nag-perform ako, kahit 20, 200 or 2,000 people ‘yan, I will always give my 200 percent, hanggat sa makakaya ko ibibigay ko yung heart ko. Ang weird kasi naappreciate nila yung kantang ‘Salamat,’ eh Tagalog song yun samantalang British and Singaporean yung audience. So parang for them to connect with a song they don’t understand, nakakagulat. At yung mga bossing sobrang na-appreciate nila ginawa ko.”
Interestingly, Yeng encountered some technical problems as her CD refused to play when she was onstage. She was supposed to sing “B.A.B.A.Y.” from her latest album Metamorphosis. The 24-year-old singer kept her cool and decided on the spot to perform her hit song “Hawak Kamay” with guitar accompaniment. “Biglaan yun. Nakakawindang. Pero mas nanaig yung kaba na baka ‘di ko mapagbigyan yung tao. Eh ‘di naman palagi kang mabibigyan ng pagkakataon na mag-perform para sa ibang nationalities. So ayaw ko iwanan sila na hanging, gusto ko ma-satisfy sila, na ’pag umalis ako masaya sila. Tsaka ang daming kababayan din natin ang nagpunta dun. Nakakita ako ng gitara sa gilid, hawak ng guitarist. Sabi ko, ‘Can I borrow your guitar?’ That’s the time na kinanta ko yung ‘Hawak Kamay.’”
Yeng further showed her passion for music when she personally arranged the beat for her rock rendition of “Fame.” “Paakyat ako ng stage nun. Iniisip ko kung paano kakantahin. Narinig ko lang sa head ko [yung beat]. Strings lang dapat una. Lumapit ako sa keyboardist. Singaporean siya. English-an moment! Sabi ko, ‘I will sing. You and me will go first. You just use the strings effect.’ Ginawa niya.Tapos sabi ko sa stanza lagyan natin ng breaks. Ginawa nila. Tuwang-tuwa kami kasi inareglo namin. Sabi ko more rock tapos half time. Sobrang nakakatuwa na lumabas ganon kaganda yung song.”
After such unforgettable experience, Yeng admitted that she really wants to pursue her dream to go international with her music. “Yun talaga panagarap ko makapag-release ng album sa Asia. Yun ang gusto ko ma-achieve ngayon. Kasi naniniwala ako na kung yung K-pop artists nakakapasok sa Philippines kahit ‘di natin naintindihan kinakanta nila. I don’t have anything against them though. Sobrang naiintindihan ko na excellent sila kaya natsa-challenge ka rin mag-excel kasi parang, ‘Wow ang daming competition.’ Kailangan mag-produce ka rin ng something na worth listening. Kung nagagawa nila yun kaya rin natin gawin.”
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