Erik Santos to direct his own show to mark his 15th year in the biz

Erik Santos

While experimenting with different musical styles or genres is important to an artist’s growth, one shouldn’t lose touch with his or her core in the process, singer Erik Santos said.

And in his case, he knew what he wanted to do from the get-go and stuck with it—soaring ballads about love and anthems that uplift.

“I have recorded up-tempo tunes, but that kind of music isn’t exactly something people associate with me. I’m a balladeer and people expect me to sing love songs—not dance or rap,” he pointed out at a recent press conference for “My Greatest Moments,” his concert at SM Mall of Asia Arena on Sept. 22.

The show will be a celebration of his 15th anniversary as a professional singer. But Erik doesn’t want to stop there. His goal now is to have the same kind of longevity that his idols Martin Nievera and Ogie Alcasid enjoy.

“To have longevity in the business, you have to find your niche and stay true to it,” Erik reiterated. “I come from a talent search, which I won with ‘This Is the Moment.’ That’s my branding. I try other things like acting once in a while, but singing will always be my priority.”

Mounted by Cornerstone Concerts and Lucky 7 Koi Productions, “My Greatest Moments” will be another chance for Erik to hone his skills as a budding concert director.

“This is the third concert I will be directing, this time with John Prats. I want to put my creativity [to good] use and share my ideas with the fans,” said Erik. “I’m hands-on with the process and I want my production numbers to be unlike anything I have done before.

“I attend a lot of concerts. And when I do, I don’t just enjoy the show—I watch out for the do’s and don’ts; what I could try or avoid for my own shows,” related the 35-year-old recording artist, who’s dubbed the King of OPM Theme Songs for his work on various television series.

The show, Erik said, will have a “musical feel” and with an emphasis on strong “visuals.” “About 80 percent of the setlist will be composed of my original songs and popular covers. And I will do them all with a twist. The show will narrate my journey,” he said.

He will have 15 guests, including Ogie Alcasid, Regine Velasquez, Christian Bautista, Yeng Constantino, Moira dela Torre, Angeline Quinto and Jaya.

Erik is also working on his 15th anniversary album. “I’m thankful that some of my idols are now my friends, whom I get to perform with. I look up to them because they’re worth emulating,” he enthused.