SINGER-SONGWRITER KEIKO NECESSARIO started playing the guitar in grade 5 with her mom as her first teacher, but it was in high school that she seriously started playing it. The guitar is the most important object in her life now.
As a songwriter, she was first noticed when she joined the 2012 Philpop Music Festival. Her song “3 AM” sung by Marie Digby was the grand winner.
That year, another composition of hers, “My Name is Single”, was used in the shot film titled “Mr. Single”. She also sings and her cover version of the song “Both Sides Now” was later used on the sound track of the popular British show, “Ackley Bridge”.
She attended the Elements Song-Writing Camp which changed her life completely after she met so many top musicians National Artist Ryan Cayabyab, Yeng Constantino, Chito Miranda, Gloc 9 and Ebe Dancel who encouraged her all the more to pursue a career in music.
Abroad, her two faves are John Mayer and Taylor Swift. One her hits is the 2018 song “Nakalimutan Ko nang Kalimutan Ka”.
Keiko has now signed up with Warner Music Philippines and releases her new album titled “Ready, Let Go” which includes the sinbgles “Right Next to You” and “Dangerous”. It is available on iTunes, Spotify, Apple and Youtube Music.
The album is a collaboration between Keiko and UK-based producers Rusti Russouw and Tristan Charmichael, collectively known as Chasing Fantasia.
“I’ve been keeping some of the songs in this album for years now, while some of them, I just started writing while in process of the recording the album,” says Keiko in a mini-zoom presscon. “But technically, I only started working on the production last November 2019. I recorded two of the songs in London and the rest of the album was done here in the Philippines.”
The British producers, Chasing Fantasia, flew in from London. “We worked on the album for 3 weeks in Baguio,” continues Keiko. “I think I’ve been working on this album nonstop for a total of six months. I finished all of it just a few days before the lockdown.
"The process of making this album has been an adventure because there’s been a different kind of high in figuring things out, what sounds good and what doesn’t, or trying to make the elements work or even just listening to Rusti and Tristan throw ideas for every song and witnessing them talk about some of the technical stuff I know nothing about. It’s been really fascinating and just fun getting to make a record that way.”
It took them three weeks to arrange the ten songs in the album.
“It was a bit nerve-racking yet exhilarating at the same time because of the timeline, plus the feeling of, ‘I can’t wait to finish this record and hear what the tracks would sound like in the end.’ All of it was awesome.”
On the collaboration between Keiko and Chasing Fantasia, her manager Graham Perkins says: “This collaboration with Keiko, Chasing Fantasia, and Warner Music Philippines has been something very special to me. It's playing a huge part of my plans as I build my management business across the globe.
"It's been the catalyst to creating new partnerships and friends and the merger of my company with Open Door Artists in the Philippines has been a major outcome from the collaboration. For me, it's all about making music that can come from anywhere. Here we have a Filipino artist, managed by a UK-and-now-global management company, produced by South Africans.
"The UK as a market has had this kind of concept for many years now and I’m hoping with Keiko, this body of work and others to follow, we can begin to make a bit of difference to the rest of the world. Certainly, the UK is going to be a major part of our plans for Keiko and with a strong population of OFWs and a powerful festival scene, do expect to see Keiko back in the UK in 2021.”
This is Chasing Fantasia’s first time to work with a Filipino artist. When asked about the possibility of collaborating with more talent from overseas, Rusti and Tristan say: “We definitely welcome it! It’s amazing when people from different cultures come together and create music. You learn so much and grow as both artist and producer.”
What have they learned about Filipino culture? They exclaimed: “Main thing we learnt about Filipinos? You love to eat!!! Haha! Honestly, we were blown away seeing the amount of talent while attending a few festivals during our time in Manila.
"We could see a real support for the fellow artist! This is sometimes lacking in the west. There also seems to be a real openness to collaborate and build cross-border relationships.
"We felt so welcome and were treated incredibly well! Thanks! We would be thrilled to do more work in Asia. The west needs to hear more of the diverse talent coming out of these time zones!”
Follow Keiko Necesario, Chasing Fantasia, and Warner Music Philippines on social media for the latest updates.
