Proactive action leads to uplifting ballad

Marq Dollentes

As a creative associate for Kuh Ledesma, singer Marq Dollentes helps conceptualize and mount several of the pop diva’s concerts and tours, both here and abroad.

As such, most of his career has been spent behind the scenes. But it’s about time, he realized, that he began being more proactive in pursuing his dream career in music.

“It’s something I had been raring to do, but I wasn’t sure if I was ready, if it was the right time,” Marq said in a recent interview for his latest single, the inspirational song “Lipad.” “Music is that what I enjoy doing most. It’s my passion.”

From the get-go, he knew that nothing would be more satisfying than writing his own material and performing them. “There’s just a different thrill from singing your own songs. That’s why I trained myself to write songs regularly—if not every day—to get the hang of it,” he said.

“Some of my early work I wasn’t happy with. But I kept at it. And little by little, things started falling into place,” he said. “In 2018, I was able to release my first studio album, “Kathang Puso,” which was three years in the making. It features 12 of my own compositions.”

He also wrote the inspirational anthem “Dear World,” which was dedicated to the victims and survivors of Supertyphoon “Yolanda”; it features singers like Jona Viray and Tim Pavino.

The singer-songwriter describes his music as a mixture of “pop, R&B and soul.” “Some of my musical influences include Michael Jackson, Maxwell, Mariah Carey, Ed Sheeran, The Script and OneRepublic. There’s a bit of rock in there, as well,” said Marq, who has also appeared in a number of indie films like Will Fredo’s “Sa Pagdapo ng Mariposa.”

“Lipad” is an uplifting ballad that aptly describes his journey as a music artist. And while the song is deeply personal for him, the message it conveys is universal.

“It’s about going after your dreams, despite moments of doubt. Sometimes, you go through darkness, but there’s always a light in you that pushes you to go on. “I believe my struggles are something others can relate to.”