"It's the best Christmas gift that I've ever had."
Christian Bautista, balladeer and actor, has much to be grateful for. If anything, he is reaping what he sowed.
This 2011, Christian had a remarkable journey highlighted by an album comprised of international collaborations with other artists and producers from Japan, Indonesia, and Singapore to name a few. The romantic balladeer also had a chance to showcase his singing and acting skills in the musical-drama television series The Kitchen Musical, which was shot in Singapore.
To cap the year, Christian was awarded last December 2, Friday, a Diamond Record award for his special album, A Wonderful Christmas. The 15-track album was released last year in a marketing-tie up with the donut giant franchise Dunkin Donuts. Since then, 200,000 copies of the album have been sold.
Achieving the top sales for an album is quite rare these days as OPM artists (Original Pilipino Music) fight against piracy continues—this the balladeer is fully aware of.
"Oo nga. Kasi sa tamang partnership, sa tamang management, sa tamang label, sa tamang pagtulong ng mga sponsor at ng mga tao, mga fans, puwede pala," states Christian.
"Parang kung ang movie industry akala natin wala, next thing you know meron tayong mga 300 million, 200 million.
"Akala natin wala na tayong music industry and then next we have a Diamond [Record]! So puwede pala kahit na yung sitwasyon na walang-wala na, somehow meron isa o dalawa diyan na magpu-prove na kaya pa," he beams.
The hardbound-packaged A Wonderful Christmas album contains 15 tracks of holiday songs from the timeless "chestnuts roasting on an open fire," or "The Christmas Song," to the pop-ish classic "Last Christmas." The album likewise includes an original Yuletide single by Christian himself, "Christmas Time," and the Tagalog Christmas ballad, "Nakaraang Pasko."
2012 PLANS
As the singer plans to wrap up the year by spending quality time with his family in hometown Cavite, Christian mentions that the early part of his 2012 promises a good start.
"There's this one big plan [that] we're gonna do at the beginning of the January. We're gonna release... a very beautiful song with a very beautiful girl.
"Na-shoot na namin ang music video. It's gonna [be] launched in January.
Christian reveals that he will be mounting a major concert as well. "It's about time. Gusto ko na mag-show. Gusto ko na yung sumasabog na mga fireworks, mga ganung klaseng shows. So we'll see where."
INTERNATIONAL CAREER
2011 has witnessed Christian prove his appeal in other Asian countries, especially in Indonesia where he is seen as a pop idol.
