Fil-Am Jared Martin continues rise in entertainment industry
Jared Martin
PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania—Currently preparing himself for his summer shows, singer Jared Martin, is booked through the end of August with a performance-filled itinerary. He was last seen at “An Evening of Original Philippine Music” while paying homage to the OPM composer Cecile Azarzon in New York City.
Martin, however, is no newbie when it comes to being in the spotlight and performing on stage. He has performed alongside legends such as Martin Nievera, Gabby Concepcion and Lani Misalucha.
Martin has always had a talent for being on stage and performed in musicals and school plays from a very young age. His various roles earned for him recognition and awards such as the coveted Maestro Award in Vocal Competition and The Presidential Scholarship from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia.
“I have grown up in a family that values the arts,” explained Martin. “My grandmother was an art teacher and also directed many musicals, which I have had the privilege to be part of in my life. That is where I received most of my motivation to perform. For me, performing on stage was truly a gift that I cherished, and to this day, I never forget where I got my start.”
Martin’s musical career grew quickly and steadily over the years. He began to sing at the early age of six. A year later he enrolled at his elementary school’s choir. He took more professional strides and invested in private voice lessons when he was 14 and began to take his singing more seriously. Besides learning and strengthening his voice, he learned how to play the trombone and piano.
Martin said, “I can sing virtually any style of music, but I feel that my strongest suit is the love ballad. I can also sing classical music very well. In my hometown, people call me the Josh Groban of New Jersey. Musical theater songs are also one of my passions, and I can thrive in that genre as well.”
When Martin was in grade school, he joined the Filipino American Cultural Enrichment School of Ocean County, Toms River, New Jersey. This was where he developed a stronger interest in his Filipino culture. He learned about the rich heritage of his family and also was taught cultural dances and songs.
“Without my Filipino heritage, I would not be the musician, or even person, that I am today. My mother has laid a very strong foundation for my Filipino culture. I grew up listening to Martin, Pops and virtually every other singer from the Philippines.”
While looking up to his inspirations such as Andrea Boccelli, Coldplay and Luciano Pavorotti, he considers his big break to be last year when he shared the stage with the “Concert King” also known as Martin Nievera. This was a shock to him as the original plan was to sing at the same concert, but once Martin had heard his voice, they decided to perform a duet.
Martin added, “When the day of the concert came, we were practicing together for the first time in the sound check, and he was so impressed with my voice that he demanded we sing another duet together that night. That concert was a dream come true for me. Since then, Tito Martin has been my unofficial mentor.”
When Jared Martin went back to the Philippines early this year, he met with his mentor again during a taping of “ASAP 19” and Nievera pulled him up on stage to perform for the audience. Martin and Nievera will meet and perform again on August 17 at Fiesta America in New Jersey. For a full list of his performances and to stay updated check out his website https://www.JaredMartinSings.com
