Song composer na ang veteran at award-winning TV host na si Boy Abunda.
Anim na kantang isinulat ni Boy ang nilalaman at mapakikinggan sa Extended Play o EP album ng Say It Clear, Say It Loud.
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"Bilang," "Say It Loud, Say It Clear," "Ideal World," Diyos Ko, Diyos Ko Po!," "Kalbaryo," at "Papa Alleluia" ang pamagat ng mga kantang isinulat ni Boy.
Inawit ito nina John Mark Saga, Raven Heyres, at Anton Antenorcruz—mga grand finalist ng "Tawag ng Tanghalan" at pawang mga miyembro ng LGBTQ community.
Ang "Bilang" ang unang single mula sa album na ilalabas ngayong Biyernes ng hatinggabi, Hunyo 7, 2024.
Susundan ito ng "Say It Clear, Say It Loud" sa Hunyo 14 at "Ideal World" sa Hunyo 21.
Ang mga solo song naman nina Saga, Raven, at Anton ay ilulunsad sa Hunyo 28.
Si Boy ang nag-produce ng Say It Clear, Say It Loud, sa pakikipagtulungan ng Star Music.
Itinuturing ito ni Boy na kanyang kontribusyon sa LGBTQ community.
Ayon kay Boy, nalaman niya noong Lunes, Hunyo 3, 2024, na ang Say It Clear, Say It Loud ang kauna-unahang LGBTQ EP album sa kasaysayan ng musika sa Pilipinas.
“I was told that this is the first LGBT Extended Player or EP album in the history of Philippine music," sabi niya sa panayam ng PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal).
"Wala naman sa plano yon, pero ang interesting is parang lahat na lang tumama sa tamang panahon. Everything fell into its right place, nangyari pa Pride Month.
“We started this project in 2019. I wanted to form an all-gay group kasi may boy band, may girl band.
“Gusto ko lang mag-organize ng group who would do serious music. Meaning, music na hindi gagawing biro.
"I wanted to organize a group that could sing about LGBT life, discourse, love. Ang hirap.
"Tapos naabutan kami ng COVID. We started to audition online, may solo auditions. Ang dami-daming mga pinagdaanan hanggang makabuo kami ng grupo."
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BOY ABUNDA ON MANAGING MUSIC GROUPS
Pagpapatuloy ni Boy, “Nung nabuo na namin ang grupo, sabi ko, I used to manage groups but I shied away from managing too many groups kasi mahirap.
"Although, I managed The Company for a long long time pero napaka-professional naman nila.
“I managed Gladys and The Boxers—si Gladys Guevarra and K Brosas.
“Meron akong natural, hindi naman takot. But if I had the choice, I would prefer to manage solo artists, lalo na kapag may banda.
“Naka-organize kami, five boys. Sinabi ko sa mga miyembro, very talented, pero gathering them was a challenge."
May isa raw ipinagbawal si Boy sa mga miyembro ng kanyang all-male group: bawal magkainlaban.
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Lahad niya: “And then, one of the rules was, 'Okay lang kung may boyfriends kayo, biglang may karelasyon kayo, pero bawal na magka-inlaban kayo kasi napakalaking problema.'
“So first month, may nagka-inlaban pero proud ako dahil napakadisente nila.
"They talked to me. Pero sabi ko nga, hindi talaga puwede. Ang hirap ng may magsyota tapos grupo. It’s tough. It was really challenging."
Habang nagaganap daw ito ay nagsimula si Boy sa pagsusulat ng kanya,
“Hindi ako marunong kumanta pero alam ko kapag sharp, off key ang singer ko.
"Alam ko kung mali ang pasok. But if you make me do it, I can’t.
“I pride also to the fact that I know how to do a repertoire of a concert—from Ariel Rivera to Monique Wilson to Dessa.
"All the singers that I’ve managed and represented as a publicist—from Martin Nievera to Regine Velasquez and everybody.
“So, sulat ako nang sulat ng kanta. Nakabuo ako ng about 21 songs.
"Minsan pala, just jumping from the edge really works."
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BOY ABUNDA'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY
Sa kabila ng mga adbokasiya at pagtulong niya sa LGBTQ community, sinabi ni Boy na wala siyang naiisip na kontribusyon niya sa grupo na patuloy na nakararanas ng mga diskriminasyon kaya ang pagsulat ng mga kanta ang kanyang pinagtuunan ng atensiyon.
Saad niya: “We started recording. I must admit, I’m going for legacy.
"Ano ba ang contribution na nagawa ko sa LGBTQ community?
"Wala akong palpable na bagay na masasabi na ito ang bagay na aking nagawa. Wala talaga except for doing what I do which is teach in school, do television shows.
“I wanna do something. I must also admit na inside and outside of the community, ang ingay. Ang daming disagreements, ang daming debate, ang daming iba’t ibang mga diskurso.
“What is ironic is we haven’t thought of using music, dance as a tool to tell our story.
“Parang sporadically, may one song about gay love, but wala talaga yung pagtutuunan natin ng pansin."
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Si Boy rin daw ang gumastos lahat mula sa writing, recording, hanggang sa production.
Aniya, "And I spent every single centavo for all the production, the writing, lahat.
“Mahal man siya pero nadahan-dahan kasi nga, matagal na panahon. Pero kung biglaan, aaray ka talaga.
“I wanted more presence. I wanted to be heard more. I wanted to be seen more in certain spaces, like legislative houses siguro.
“Bakit hindi natin gamitin ang kanta? Maaaring sayaw at sumubok tayo kasi hindi polarizing.
“And this is a business, this is an industry, this is a tool that I’m very familiar with.
“I am doing this for the young generation of gays and lesbians na ayokong isang araw sabihin nila, 'Si Tito Boy, walang ginawa.'
"Nakakatakot, not that I am demeaning the little contributions I have done as an advocate.”