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Troy Laureta on his final OPM album 'Dalamhati' and the joy in coming out

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Yong Chavez | TFC News Hollywood

<figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XQG-lftPx6M?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>Filipino-American music director and producer Troy Laureta is releasing his third and final Original Pilipino Music album named &quot;Dalamhati&quot; (Grief) soon.Laureta said the album is about breakups and finality, as he added that &quot;all good things come to an end.&quot;&quot;I think when I was curating the project, I wanted it to be like a story,&quot; he said when asked why it would be his final OPM album. &quot;My first album was called &#x27;Kaibigan&#x27; (Friend). My second one was called &#x27;Giliw&#x27; (Beloved). So I wanted to kind of round it out and just bring it all home with a breakup album.&quot;The talented producer and musical director has collaborated with some of the biggest names in the music industry including Ariana Grande.But working on OPM is where he nurtures his connection to his roots and his parents who heavily influenced his love and appreciation for the genre.For Laureta’s OPM albums, he enlisted not only some of the best Filipino singers but also international talents - like “Never Enough” singer Loren Allred, who learned Filipino to sing “Araw Gabi”.It may be his last in the OPM series, but “Dalamhati” has a special place in his heart, as he said it is the first album completed as an openly gay man.The artist became emotional as he shared what it means to, in his words, finally be fully himself.&quot;A lot of the reasons why I was so afraid to pursue certain parts of my life including parts of music is because I was closeted,&quot; said Laureta. &quot;I was afraid that what I did or what I said would embarrass my family or people would judge me.&quot;He added: &quot;The whole catalyst for that was just the pandemic and there was us being surrounded by so much sadness and so much death. I told myself that I am not leaving this earth, honey, not telling people who I am.&quot;Laureta and Martin Nievera&#x27;s version of Ryan Cayabyab&#x27;s &quot;&#x27;Kay Ganda ng Ating Musika&quot; is the first single in the album.Other already announced artists include Regine Velasquez, and American Idols’ Jordin Sparks and Katharine McPhee. It has 24 songs performed by artists from the U.S., the Philippines, Asia, and Latin America.He also shared a recent career milestone.&quot;I worked with David (Foster) because he had a run of shows in Manila, and it’s the first time that I was able to be a guest on &#x27;David Foster and Friends,&#x27;&quot; Laureta said. &quot;This was the first time he invited me as a featured guest and we did an OPM song. So that was such a big, full-circle moment for me.&quot;“Dalamhati: A Troy Laureta OPM Collective, Volume 3” will be out on Oct. 27.