The recent Justin Bieber concert at the SM Mall of Asia open grounds enthralled, not so much because of the Canadian teen pop star’s performance (his vocals and dancing were not up to par, reportedly due to ill health); but because of the presence of his Fil-American backup singers who call themselves Legaci.
The group, based in the San Francisco Bay Area and currently composed of Chris Abad, Delfin Lazaro, Dominic Manuel and Micah Tolentino, nearly stole the show with the guys’ mastery of harmony and counterpoint technique, illustrated during a solo spot number— an a cappella medley of contemporary pop hits.
Legaci has released two studio albums, 2006’s “Little Black Book” and 2007’s “Sessions.” The guys chatted with the Inquirer via e-mail, while they were still in Singapore waiting for storm “Bebeng” to pass before flying to Manila for the concert.
What motivated you to form Legaci?
Del: Growing up, I loved listening to Boyz II Men, so to be in a vocal group that would sing harmonies as they did was my dream. Legaci is the realization of that dream.
Chris: It was also my dream, and I wanted to pursue it with friends.
Micah: Singing on stage was my first love. Surrounding myself with harmony made that experience better.
Dom: I grew up singing in church, so harmony was something I got exposed to early. There were many R&B vocal groups around when I was growing up, so singing in a group became one of my dreams. Boyz II Men and Jodeci were the ones that inspired me.
The first Legaci videos posted on YouTube were intended to gain attention and a fan base. What helped the videos attract a huge following?
Legaci has been posting videos on YouTube for the past three years. What made our videos stand out was that we took Top 40 songs and made them our own. We did this by stripping off all the synthetic elements like Auto-Tune, and performing the song either acoustically (with piano or guitar) or a cappella. Four Filipino-Americans singing R&B wasn’t something people were used to seeing on YouTube.
Did the group cover Justin Bieber’s “Baby” to catch his attention?
Legaci originally covered “Baby” as part of our bi-weekly videos. We always made it a point to take what we heard on the radio and try to add our own spin. “Baby” was on the rise and the fact that it was a very young-sounding pop song challenged us. For this cover we wanted to do a special collaboration with popular YouTube artists Cathy Nguyen and Traphik. When it did catch Justin’s attention, we were completely surprised!
Was the offer to sing backup for Bieber the kind of break that Legaci was aiming for?
Del: We can honestly say we never thought of backup singing as a platform to gain exposure. We knew that by posting consistent, high-quality YouTube videos, someone would notice us, but we thought it would be a record label or manager. From there we would record an album and… gain popularity. Instead, becoming backup singers for Justin has been a huge stepping stone for us, and has allowed us to be exposed to millions of people, more than we ever could have imagined.
Chris: The offer to sing backup for Bieber was a pleasant surprise. We have every intention of taking advantage of this opportunity to build the Legaci brand.
Dom: The interesting thing about this gig is that it’s only a piece of the puzzle. Halfway through every one of the shows on the “My World Tour” (over 115 shows so far), Justin plays a montage of our YouTube videos on the big screen. He announces that he was found on YouTube and how we were as well, then gives us our own set.
Touring with Bieber, what have you learned so far?
Chris: It’s a full-time job that requires us to be consistent with each show. We’ve realized that we must stay as healthy as possible and keep our vocal chords in tip-top shape. Unlike a regular job, however, there is no such thing as “calling in sick” for a show.
Micah: The lesson is that fans are everything to an artist. They can make or break an artist, and the more an artist interacts with his/her fans, the better off they are in the future. Being on tour with JB has enabled us to meet our fans from all over the world, as well as make new fans.
How is touring with him difficult?
It’s been difficult to write music and do YouTube videos while on the road, which is what we love to do and which, ironically, was our ticket to touring with him. But the most difficult part is being away from home. We miss our family and friends. Being on the road is a bittersweet experience because the joy of visiting different countries is mixed with feelings of homesickness. But what gets us through is knowing that people at home are supporting us 100 percent.
Has the attention made people interested in Legaci’s own songs?
Yes! There has been a substantial demand for us to release our own material. Touring with JB has [brought us] so many fans who enjoy our singing and want to hear our own original music.
Are you ready to record a new album?
Never been more ready! We’ve been working on a few originals during this tour and plan on finishing them right after. We have an all-star production team on board.
How are you able to express the Fil-American experience in your songs?
Chris: The Filipino-American experience isn’t too different from the lives of regular Americans. We have a unified culture, especially when it comes to music. Legaci was brought up listening to R&B and acoustic music, so our songs reflect that.
Micah: Never giving up and working hard at something until you get results is a very Filipino trait. We are proud of our heritage for instilling that in us. I think it shows in our music.
Dom: I believe this experience and our story as a whole have proven how talented and determined Filipinos and Fil-Americans are. It’s no secret that Filipinos and Asians in general haven’t had an easy road into the American mainstream entertainment industry. And if not for Manny Pacquiao, Charice, Arnel Pineda, apl.de.ap and the Filipino perseverance and drive and a “never say never” attitude, we probably wouldn’t have pushed as hard as we did. We feel like it’s our responsibility to pave the way and inspire other Filipinos.
How long is this tour and what’s next for Legaci?
We’ve been touring for almost a year now and this leg ends in two weeks. After this, Legaci will record an original album and continue touring on its own. We want to build our fan base, and get our name out there until we are a major act, just like Justin Bieber.