Anthony Rosaldo. —OLIVER PULUMBARIT
He may not have ended up being the grand winner of the reality talent search “The Clash,” but still, Anthony Rosaldo feels like one.
As a finalist in the said GMA 7 tilt, the singer landed a regular slot in the Sunday variety show “Studio 7,” and signed a contract with GMA Records, under which he will be releasing his upcoming first single.
“I have always dreamed of becoming a contract artist and penetrating the music industry. And just like all my fellow finalists, I wanted to win badly. I didn’t. But somehow, I got what I wanted,” he told the Inquirer in an interview, after his performance at the recent Inquirer Indie Bravo! Awards.
Before entering “The Clash,” the 25-year-old talent tried his luck in such singing contests as “Spogify Singing Bae” in “Eat Bulaga!” and “Tawag ng Tanghalan” in “It’s Showtime.” “I did try to make the rounds. But things led me back here to GMA 7,” added Anthony, who finished sixth in “The Clash.”
Anthony’s debut song, whose title he has yet to reveal, will be a ballad with a “fresh sounding” production. “My song will bring out the feels, but it’s not dragging. It has a nice, catchy melody, too,” he said, adding that it was inspired by his own story.
“It’s about being in love with someone in love with another person. I think that’s something many of us can relate to. I want to capture the hearts of the Filipino music listeners, and I will work hard so that it reaches as many people as possible,” he said.
Anthony is chiefly a balladeer, with a wide range and an easy access to power when belting. And some of his singing affectations are occasionally reminiscent of Gary Valenciano’s.
That shouldn’t come as a surprise, he said, because Gary is one of his biggest musical influences. “I don’t consciously mimic his voice. But because I listened to him a lot growing up, I guess these nuances naturally come out,” he said.
“I want to follow in his footsteps. Gary V is not only an amazing singer, but also a great storyteller. That’s something I hope to emulate in the future,” he pointed out. “I do a bit of dancing myself, but his energy is something I can only dream of matching.”
Anthony didn’t have formal vocal training growing up. But he has been singing for as long as he can remember. “My late father loved singing, and used to show off to his kumpares by making me have a go at the karaoke” he recalled.
He continued honing his skills, as the lead vocalist of the band Fahrenheit, which played in various bar and hotel gigs in Malaysia, Singapore and Japan. The job helped him become a versatile singer, he related, because it required him to tackle different kinds of genres, from rock to reggae.
“I also developed my stamina and endurance. I used to perform around 30 songs each night,” said Anthony, who also admitted to being piyukin when he was younger.
“My voice wasn’t always this high. But through constant work and practice, my range eventually improved,” he said. “One time, I lost my voice after doing an all-rock song set. But after my voice recovered, I realized that I can now hit notes I couldn’t reach before. My falsetto and head tone are stronger. And I can use mixed voice (blending of head and chest voices) better.”
He knows that singing competitions are a dime a dozen these days, so there’s no room to be complacent. “There are always new talents coming out. I just have to keep working hard and do my best,” Anthony said.