CHARO SANTOS CONCIO is having the time of her life now that she has retired as ABS-CBN president. She is making an acting comeback in the Lav Diaz 4-hour opus, “Ang Babaeng Humayo”, that is an official competition entry in the coming Venice Filmfest and we tell her we pray that she’d duplicate Jaclyn Jose’s win in Cannes. As her long-running “Maalaala Mo Kaya” celebrates its 25th anniversary, she now releases a special silver anniversary souvenir album, “MMK Life Songs”, with a total of 13 cuts that celebrate life and love.
“Dream ko talaga ito,” she says. “To come out with a commemorative album with inspirational, empowering songs na puedeng pakinggan ng listeners while they’re cooking or just resting to help them reflect about their own lives. Now, the dream has come true.”
The first single is “Desiderata”, originally written by American poet Max Ehrmann in 1927. “It has always resonated with me since high school,” she says. “I like its very valid messages that offer basic lessons about life and loving. I researched it on youtube at ang dami palang versions in various languages, but walang Filipino, so I asked Enrico Santos to translate it so we can have a local version.”
“Desiderata” (which means “desired things”) is set into music and sung by a formidable ensemble of local OPM icons: Sharon Cuneta, Lea Salonga, Martin Nievera, Gary Valenciano, Ogie Alcasid, Zsa Zsa Padilla, Lani Misalucha, with the TBUP Choir. It was launched in July and its music video has since been seen by thousands online.Charo offers her own insightful reflective interludes for all tracks and she herself gets to sing “Sana” with her own 6-year old granddaughter and Piolo Pascual. And we must say that she can more than just carry a tune. “Pagbigyan nyo na ang lola nyo,” she tells us.
Be sure to get a copy of the album as it’s a real collector’s item you’d treasure through the years. Our own favorites are “Iingatan Ka”, a masterful duet by mother and daughter Jenine Desiderio and Janella Salvador; “Piece by Piece” by KZ Tandingan and Charice (originally by Kelly Clarkson); “Because You Loved Me” by Kyla and Jonah (originally by Celine Dion); “I’ll Be There” by Jed Madela and Darren Espanto and the very cool but stirring rendition of Florante’s “Handog” by Aiza Seguerra and Noel Cabangon. Gary Valenciano has two solos, “Gaya ng Dati” and “Maalaala Mo Kaya”, Sharon and Piolo also have a solo each: “You” for Ate Shawie and “She’s Always a Woman” for Papa P. Charo herself invited them personally and they all gladly accepted her invitation to be part of the album. And they all did it for free. How nice of them!
The album is now on sale at all record bars for P350 only. You can also download it from ABS-CBN Store, iTunes, Mymusicstore, amazon, OneMusic, and Starmusic. And yes, for Charo Santos, the universe is indeed unfolding as it should. Our best wishes when you go to Venice.
