Markki Stroem
In 2006, a then aspiring singer Markki Stroem auditioned for “Philippine Idol”—his first stab at a talent search. He impressed the judges and made it into the competition’s Theater Round held at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP).
However, Markki had to drop out midway through, because his family wanted him to pursue college education in Switzerland. And in that moment, he thought that his first time performing at the CCP would also be his last.
First as solo artist
But tonight (Oct. 14), the 35-year-old crooner returns to the complex for “Leading”— the first of three installments of CCP’s “Triple Threats” concert series. “I thought, ‘Oh my God, I’m never performing here again. I had to go to college. It was a big thing etched in my memory,” he said at a recent press conference.
Though Markki had previously performed at the CCP as part of the 2016 dance musical “Awitin Mo at Isasayaw Ko,” this new show will be his first at the venue as a solo artist. “I have always held this place dear to me because this is where I found my place and my passion and my love for the music and arts,” he said. “It feels great to be doing this concert.”
After two years without live shows, it’s “so surreal,” he said that the scene is coming back to life. “It’s just so fantastic to see. We, live performers, are coming back in full force. It’s so great to see people going back and supporting us,” said Markki, who’s come fresh from the successful run of the musical “Mula sa Buwan.”
Markki has always been fascinated about the technical nitty-gritty of mounting a concert. And he felt it’s about time he put his creative hat on. “I have produced shows before, this is the first time I got myself into creative direction. It’s stressful, but I believe it’s paying off,” he said.
Extra act
The concert—to be held at the CCP’s Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez (Black Box Theater)—revolves around Markki’s 12 years in show biz. He also described it as an “ode to live performance.”
“Act 1 is basically, in terms of my performance, band arrangements and compositions, all mine. Act 2, meanwhile, is arranged by Vincent de Jesus and focuses on musical productions: “Next to Normal,” “Camp Rock,” “Carrie”… And I owe these shows; they’re part of my life. And in the end, I will introduce my guests,” Markki said.
“I added an extra act at the very end, because I did a television series about a drag queen,” he said, referring to the drag-themed, romantic comedy series, “My Delivery Gurl.” “Let me just keep it at that! But it’s going to be very, very interesting to see how everything will unfold.”
If there’s anything good to be gleaned from the pandemic-induced lull in the live music scene, it’s that he was able to process, at last, all the creative ideas he had in mind. “I had so many things brewing in my mind. So, when I learned that I was going to do this show, I already knew what to do with it,” he said.
There’s no take two in a live performance. One has to be fully prepared before stepping onstage. But it’s also important, Markki said, to give yourself a breather, especially in the days leading to the show. “I used to give it my all during the rehearsal runs only to lose my voice on the day of the show itself,” he said.
“Pacing is important. It’s something that took me several productions to finally figure out … You need to pace yourself, because you don’t know what will happen to your voice. You have to allow yourself some rest,” he added.
One of Markki’s strengths as a vocalist is his versatility; he’s equally adept at pop, contemporary jazz, standards and showtunes. But in his upcoming concert, the goal isn’t to impress, but evoke emotion.
“If you’re just trying to impress, that’s no way to really get into people’s heartstrings. What I have learned from doing musicals is that it’s about relating to each person sitting in the audience; telling a story that makes people go, ‘I have gone through that,’ ‘Maybe I can do that, too,’” he said.