A Living Testament of Filipino Artistry (Part 5 of 6)
Filipinos are known to be one of the most hardworking people in the world. Whether rich or poor, they have the sense of determination and urgency that drives them towards greatness and reaching their goals. The perseverance of Filipinos is what inspires not only their fellow countrymen, but also people from other countries.
Various Filipino music figures have been an inspiration and motivation for the Filipino nation. Filipinos like Lea Salonga, Paulo Tiról, and Jose Mari Chan represent the Philippines with great honor and pride through their talents in music - whether singing, film scoring, songwriting, or even composing. This article on Jose Mari Chan and his career focuses on how he worked hard for where he is right now.
Jose Mari Chan was born in Iloilo city. As an elementary student, he worked as a radio deejay on weekends. At a young age, Chan showed natural talent for music which he knew should not be talent alone. Thus, he further refined his skill during his high school days at St. Clement’s in Iloilo. During college, he majored in Economics in Ateneo de Manila University. Despite taking up a course unrelated to music, he still found time for writing songs and performing.
Other than his insurmountable contribution to the Philippine music industry, ranging from his classic Christmas carols to his involvement in songwriting and performing for various media outlets, Chan's career continues to thrive in the Filipino culture.
We Filipinos have distinct characteristics that sets us apart from other nations. Chan's Christmas carols for instance, though it is written in English, narrates to us what Christmas means in our country. His other songs that reached the Filipino Pop music industry speaks about our distinct way of perceiving romance.
Ultimately, Jose Mari Chan is a Filipino artist that is considered to be one of the greats, not just because of his skill, but because he was able to make music that seems inherently Filipino, regardless of what language he uses to write—something that any striving, Filipino artist should aim for.