Inamin ni Top Suzara na hindi maaaring kantahin ng dating Freestyle vocalist na si Jinky Vidal ang hit songs ng banda.
Ang Freestyle ay OPM band na nabuo at sumikat ng mid-90s hanggang 2000s.
Ilan sa mga sikat nilang kanta ay "Before I Let You Go," "So Slow" "Till I Found You," "Bakit Ngayon Ka Lang?" at "Once In A Lifetime."
Read: Top Suzara says his comeback in Freestyle was unexpected
Sa panayam ng PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal), kinumpirma ng lead vocalist/guitarist/songwriter na si Top Suzara na may isyu sa pagitan ni Jinky at ng Freestyle.
May insidente raw kasing pino-promote ni Jinky ang sarili na parte pa rin ito ng Freestyle kahit umalis siya sa banda noon pang 2011.
"You see, there’s a legal restriction on her and she knows, she knows.
"Kasi, when she sells herself for the show, she sells herself as Freestyle. Ongoing, that’s happening till now," saad ni Top.
Ang tinutukoy ni Top ay kung paano raw prinomote ang shows ni Jinky sa Canada nitong early February 2026.
Si Jinky ay nakabase sa Canada.
Lahad niya: "Even the producers from Canada, they verified that she advertised herself as Freestyle.
"But more accurately, it should be, former Freestyle. Kasi, she’s not the vocalist of Freestyle.
"Freestyle exists now and you’re not the vocalist, yun lang naman.
"Kasi, she sings songs that I wrote and it led to confusion, di ba?"
Tila iyong mga nasa IG feed ni Jinky ay iyong updated poster na dahil sinasabing may poster ito ng show nito noon na walang nakasaad na ito ay "former" Freestyle vocalist.
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Nami-mislead daw kasi ang mga manonood ng shows ni Jinky na hindi aware na wala na ito sa banda.
Isa sa mga sikat na kanta ng Freestyle ay ang "So Slow" na ang original performer ay si Jinky, at ang songwriter ay si Top.
At bilang composer ng mga kanta ng Freestyle, si Top ang may karapatan sa paggamit ng mga kanta ng grupo.
Paliwanag ni Top: "No. 1, I will give her credit enough to say that she knows what she’s doing. And I think, anyone who’s doing that to anybody else, it’s not nice.
"No. 2, it’s not right.
"No. 3, evidently, it’s not legal. I own the trademarks. Those are my songs, I wrote the songs.
"So when you’re saying it as yours, it’s wrong because it’s mine, it’s us [Freestyle].
"Yes, you were the original singer, cover it if you want before, but the way she promoted it, she’s Freestyle.
"That's when it becomes tricky. Kasi, you’re claiming things to something that still exists in your absence, and you should not."
Ibinigay pang halimbawa ni Top si Arnel Pineda, frontman ng American band na Journey pero meron ding sariling shows bilang solo artist.
"I mean, let’s say, we’re just assuming... Arnel Pineda is my friend and he is the singer of Journey, but he would never do a show of his own and say he’s Journey."
Idiniin ni Top na ang pagkakaroon ng malinaw na representation ng artist ay respeto sa banda.
Read: Side A on forbidding Joey Generoso from singing “Forevermore”
TOP SUZARA TO JINKY VIDAL: "ADVERTISE CORRECTLY"
Sina Top at Jinky ay parehong original members ng Freestyle.
Si Top ay umalis ng Freestyle noong 2005, pero bumalik siya noong 2022. Nakuha niya ang karapatang gamitin ang trademark o ang pangalang Freestyle.
Ang current members ng band ay sina Top, IJ Garcia (keyboards, vocals, music director, songwriter), Bouy Manalo (guitar, visuals), Ian Tan (bass guitar, vocals), at Gibson Viduya (drums, vocals).
Ipinunto ni Top na malaya naman si Jinky na mag-promote bilang dating Freestyle vocalist.
"And you can say it at any given time, because it’s a fact," sabi niya.
"Like, producers can say 'please support our show when, wherever, however, it’s gonna feature former Freestyle vocalist [Jinky Vidal],' because it’s true.
"But if you’ll say [you are still currently a] Freestyle vocalist, that’s not true.
"The Freestyle vocalist is me and my bandmates. That’s Freestyle now. Advertise correctly because there’s also truth in advertising."
Sabi pa ni Top: "For career, you sing, then sing.
"But why don’t you release your own songs? Write new songs and promote your song."
Read: Jinky Oda opens up about struggles living in the U.S.
NO REUNION FOR NOW
Huling nagkasama sa stage sina Top at Jinky noong 2013.
Posible kayang magka-reunion ang former members ng Freestyle lalo na't nauuso ngayon ang reunion concert?
“No,” nakangiti pero mabilis na sagot ni Top.
Paliwanag niya: "We had a great run. And you know, we put our marks together, all of us, we were fortunate enough.
"Timing was incredible, I guess. Wala pa ang piracy nang mag-start kami. Wala kaming kalaban na piracy. Piracy became a problem sa second album na.
"But going back, we’ll see. If it's meant to happen, it will happen."
Hindi pa raw siguro sa ngayon.
"We had countless offers, we had a lot of inquiries, but maybe not.
"Because my priority is my bandmates. I want our works to speak for ourselves, not just for me.
"There’s always a chance to unite. There’s always that prerogative siguro, but again, timing.
"Every time I go on stage, I look forward to deriving joy with my mates, with our guests, it’s a joyful endeavor for me."
Prangkang sabi pa ni Top, "I don’t think at this point, it’s joyful.”
With other past members, nilinaw ni Top na wala silang problema at sadyang may kanya-kanyang pinagkakaabalahan ang mga ito.
Nakausap ng PEP si Top, pati na ang bandamates niyang sina IJ Garcia at Bouy Manalo, sa pocket interview na ginanap sa Wildflour restaurant sa Quezon City kamakailan.
Para ito sa Valentine concert ng grupo, ang Stages of Love, na gaganapin ngayong Biyernes, February 13, 2026, sa MOA Arena.
Read: Paulo Avelino turns the tables on stalkers by posting their photo
TOP SUZARA ON STAYING POWER OF FREESTYLE
Tatlong dekada na ang Freestyle.
May umalis, may bumalik. Pero may staying power pa rin ang banda sa music industry.
Ano ang sikreto?
Sagot ni Top: "As you would know, the staying power of Freestyle would not be attributed to the people because the faces have changed over the years.
"I was there at the start. I left. And now, serendipitously, I’m back again.
"And this time, I’m here to stay."
Malaking bahagi para kay Top ang mga tumatak na kanta ng grupo.
"I would say it’s the songs and how the old songs have become indelibly part of many a fan’s life’s soundtrack.
"That’s why today, as we perform all the hits, it’s always very meaningful for us and our audience.
"It’s a time machine, music. And we all get to reminisce memories, good and bad, together with each songs."
Determinado si Top na mas palakasin pa ang Freestyle mula nang bumalik siya tatlong taon ang nakararaan.
"Very excited" si Top sa "new chapter" at "resurgence" ng grupo sa music industry.
Lalo pa't sa unang pagkakataon ay magko-concert ang banda sa MOA Arena.
Sa Stages of Love, makakasama rin ng Freestyle ang '90s band na Neocolours at ang solo singer na si Gigi de Lana.
Sabi ni Top: "We’re preparing a lot of songs of our own, and also Neocolours have their own favorite na pinili rin nila at puwedeng gawin sa show.
"Of course, we’re embracing each other’s song recommendation. Hindi necessarily na sa amin.”
Nang tanungin kung ano ang kaibahan ng mga kanta noong '90s kaysa ngayon, sinabi ni Top na may iba-ibang purpose ang musika.
"Siguro, magkakaiba lang po ang pagkuwento.
"Siguro meron din kasing mga kantang walang kuwenta, but it’s really intended to be [that way]. Pero minsan, yun ang naghi-hit.”
Sabi naman ni IJ Garcia: “I think it’s different kasi ang generation natin ngayon, everything is fast paced, instant.
"Even yung attention span nila with songs, maximum na three minutes.
"If it’s longer than that, well, I don’t want to say naman na they can’t, but most of the younger generation prefer a fast-paced song."
Dugtong ni Top, kadalasan ngayon ay pinipili yung mga kantang "Pwede ko bang i-Tiktok ‘to?”
Pagkatapos ng Valentine concert ng Freestyle, magkakaroon sila ng series of concerts sa March at April sa Canada at U.S.