Martin Nievera: I’m lowering the bar

MARTIN Nievera attacks each show as if it were his last. EDWIN BACASMAS

These days, Martin Nievera sings for the sheer pleasure of it.

In his 33 years in the industry, Martin has packed numerous venues, sold thousands of records, and has had his share of glorious highs and dire lows—been there, done that, so he says. And as far as he’s concerned, he has nothing left to prove.

“I’m not worried anymore about being No. 2 or being last. The best thing about falling on your face is the getting up. Throughout my career, I’ve learned to simply brush the dirt off my knees…I don’t think about being the next hitmaker or coming up with a song better than so and so,” he said at a press conference.

What about the thirst for competition? It’s still there, Martin said. Not against young, upcoming artists, however, but against time, and ultimately, himself. “What I ask myself is, ‘How much longer can I keep this up,’” said the balladeer, whose philosophy in life is that there’s no such thing as a big or small gig.

“Whether I’m performing in a theater, before a crowd of 500 or in a show overseas, I attack each gig as if it were my last,” said Martin, who’s known for his gab and his spontaneity onstage as much as for his vocal chops.

Catalogue of hits

On Sept. 18, the 53-year-old balladeer will headline a concert dubbed “Martin, Home at The Theatre,” at Solaire Resorts and Casino. The one-night show also includes the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra and will shine the spotlight on Martin’s catalogue of well-loved songs.

It will be his first time to perform solo at the 1,760-seater lyric theater. Martin admitted that he’s a little pressured. There’s a sense of stiffness at such swanky places, he said, which makes him feel like a child at a grownup party. Neither is he a tuxedo-and-tie kind of guy.

“I’m lowering the bar,” Martin quipped. “I want to promote fun; I want the audience to be just as comfortable. I’ll be myself and not pretend I’m some big star. It’s the image I want to keep because it helps me keep my sanity.”

The concert likewise reunites Martin with longtime collaborator and musical director, composer-arranger Louie Ocampo. “We have so many memories together. Working with him is like being with a brother…There’s no tension whatsoever,” he said of the musician, who gave him some of his signature hits like “Kahit Isang Saglit,” “You Are My Song” and “I’ll Be There (For You).”

Meanwhile, Louie, who also attended the press conference, related that while the two of them had not been as active together lately, performing with Martin was always a “blessing.”

“What I love about being in a show with Martin is that even if we’re doing a song we’ve done thousands of times, he will always do it differently. I think he can even hold a show without singing at all,” Louie said.

For tickets, call Solaire at 8888888 or TicketWorld at 8919999.