Cheyenne Suarez

Article (news)

LJ Manzano

Leah C. Salterio

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1755212572087IMG_0880.jpeg" class="fr-fic fr-dib fr-dragging" style="width:950px"/></div><div><br/></div><p>Very few artists or musicians are known for their distinct fingerstyle guitar playing, not just strumming or plucking, but using the fingers in creating melodies or chords for their admirable technique in playing the instrument.</p><p>Singer-songwriter-musician LJ Manzano has made a name for himself in the local music scene for his fingerstyle guitar playing. He counts the late American acoustic guitarist Michael Hedges as one of his strongest influences and the people around the Internet who used to play like him.</p><p>“I like to adapt styles, combine the techniques and create my own style,” Manzano told ABS-CBN News.</p><p>In fact, Manzano, who was born and raised in Davao, has been declared the first champion in the Philippine fingerstyle guitar competition Himig ng Panahon in 2017.</p><p>“It is one [and probably] I consider my best and unique achievement,” Manzano admitted. “I am so blessed that I had won national songwriting competition and fingerstyle guitar competition. It proved that I can do best in both worlds.”</p><p>Being a singer-songwriter, Manzano’s proudest accomplishment was “Hay Nako,” the official music video plus the short film related to it had over 60 million views on YouTube.</p><div><br/></div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1755212593504IMG_0881.jpeg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:633px"/></div><div><br/></div><p>Last year, the song went viral on TikTok, where millions of views and posts were generated. TikTok celebrities such as Sir Geybin, Bini and more used to dance to its dance craze.</p><p>“However, a lot of TikTok videos were deleted because of copyright issues among uploaders,” Manzano sighed. “I am just happy and proud that all of my musical achievements already reached more than 100 million streams online.”</p><p>As a singer-songwriter, the proudest accomplishment Manzano had was a song he wrote for Morissette, “Naririnig Mo Ba?”</p><p>The song is also being rendered in singing competitions like “Tawag ng Tanghalan” or “The Voice” by contestants like Lyca Estrella and many more.</p><p>“It was a lucky song for contestants, because so far, contestants who sang this song in the past will win in that episode,” Manzano said.</p><p>“I also wrote a song for Ben&amp;Ben ‘Magtanim ng Bago’ and that was for a songwriting competition that we son second place for ToFarm. The last one was “&#x27;Kamang Malamig&#x27; with Gigi De Lana and Bite King.&quot;</p><div><br/></div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1755212616444IMG_0882.jpeg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"/></div><div><br/></div><p>His proudest accomplishment was the time when he became a Hillsong guitarist in London. “That’s on a different level: It’s international. The first time I performed, I was one of their highlights, before I became their official guitarist last 2010,” Manzano granted.</p><p>Here’s the video of Manzano’s Hillsong performance starting 5:40 of this YouTube video below: </p><p>EMBED : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUJl6WXDo40</p><p>Apart from that, there was an Awit Award to Manzano’s name. “The song I wrote ‘Naririnig Mo Ba,’ became the best ballad recording of Awit Awards 2018,” he said. “I fought for the trophy against Ogie Alcasid, Cooky Chua and Zsaris.”</p><p>In 2013, Manzano finished in third place in “Pilipinas Got Talent&quot; (PGT) that opened doors and opportunities for him.</p><p>“After ‘PGT,’ I planned to disband my group MP3 Band and go solo since my dream was to actually make a hit song or release guitar instrumental videos,” disclosed Manzano. “Connections after connections led to open doors and releasing my own songs.”</p><p>He also got international endorsements like being part of SE Electronics (artist) and being an ambassador of other brands.</p><p>“If I can’t get any motivation from anyone or anything, I would just remind myself that I am a very talented person, so blessed and I can do some things most artists cannot,” said Manzano. “I should not get discouraged. Especially when I think of my mother who’s the most supportive person in my entire life. Ever! I even want to cry writing this since she passed away just last year.”</p><p>When Manzano was in kindergarten, he aspired to become a doctor. “When I reached high school, I said I wanted to be a detective like James Bond,” he disclosed. “To be honest, my ambitions when I was very young were so irrelevant.”</p><p>“Surprisingly, I was a graduate of three degree courses. Mass Communications in Ateneo de Davao University, nursing in North Valley College in Kidapawan, Cotabato and I also studied HCA at the Golden Green College in London. But as of now, none of those I ever used because I realized that my skills are absolutely for Music and Business.”</p><p> Manzano has an upcoming project, a guitar fingerstyle instrumental for EvoMusic, and some original songs to be released. “I just don’t want to put a jinx on it yet,” he said.</p><div><br/></div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1755212642368IMG_0883.jpeg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"/></div><div><br/></div><p>To date, Manzano manages to juggle his time between work and home and keeps a balance between the two.</p><p>“I actually work at home,” he said. “I make music at home, enjoying my guitar arrangement to the highest level. If you see my guitar videos – ‘Toxic’ and ‘Ang Huling El Bimbo’ – that’s what I love to do at home apart from writing songs.</p><p>“I don’t do out of town that much, but it’s what I do sometimes just to unwind. A simple dinner out is already fine with me as long as I am with my loved ones.</p><p>“I only spend my weekend going outside, jogging, going to church on Sundays and spend time with friends or family.”</p><p>Manzano gets support from his family and loved one in the work that he does. “I think, my family are proud of me,” he beamed. “The best one was my mom. She’s so proud that every visitor in her house, she used to show my YouTube videos to them especially my Hillsong video. My guitar instrumentals, too.”</p><p>Manzano’s role model is martial arts superstar and actor Jackie Chan. “Since I was invited to his 60th birthday last 2014, I was so amazed. I also saw one of his interviews saying, ‘We should do and achieve our passion while we are still young.’ It interprets as ‘procrastination kills success’ for me.”</p>

<p>In 2013, LJ Manzano finished in third place in “Pilipinas Got Talent" (PGT) that opened doors and opportunities for him.</p>

In 2013, LJ Manzano finished in third place in “Pilipinas Got Talent" (PGT) that opened doors and opportunities for him.

'PGT' finalist LJ Manzano continues to make music

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'PGT' finalist LJ Manzano continues to make music

Leah C. Salterio

Published Aug 15, 2025 04:38 PM PHT

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