Bryan Adams gets candid about his 40-year career journey and his love for his Filipino fans
On Saturday, iconic rock icon Bryan Adams warmly greeted the Philippine media during a brief virtual press conference arranged by Wilbros Live, the organizer behind his Philippine concert. The artist happens to be in Tokyo for the Japan leg of his “So Happy It Hurts” tour.
Adams, who has been active since the 80s, thanks to his timeless songs such as “Do I Have To Say The Words,” “Please Forgive Me,” “Summer of ’69,” “(Everything I Do) I Do It For You,” “Heaven,” and “Straight From the Heart,” among others, opened up to the media about his career, his songs, and his thoughts about the Filipinos’ love for his music.
The Grammy-winning artist began the event by expressing his delight at the idea of coming back to the Philippines. Three years into the pandemic, Adams has made sure to prepare more materials to offer to all of his supporters. He explained that, while the pandemic disrupted the a musician’s usual routines, it did not prevent him from writing new songs. He admitted that it was the “strangest moment,” but it also became the most creative time for him.
“I particularly needed to be writing music that was uplifting and positive. I was not gonna let the pandemic get me down. Even though it was the strangest time and also the most creative time I’ve ever had. During that time I was able to put out so much music and material,” the singer said.
Indeed, 2022 became a good year for Adam’s career. The singer-songwriter released an album titled “So Happy It Hurts.” Its title track then bagged a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Performance. Many of Adams’s famous 80s and 90s released songs—”Summer of ’69,” “Heaven,” “Run to You,” and “Please Forgive Me”—were re-recorded by the artist himself, giving them a new flavor that modern listeners would find even more interesting. In response to how he felt about it, he remarked that it was like “a breath of fresh air” for the songs. “It sort of opening it up to new audiences. That’s the exciting thing about music because you can re-introduce your music once again,” he said.
“[I’m] very excited to be coming back here,” Adam stated, saying he’s really looking forward to performing for his Filipino fans once more.
He knows very well that Filipinos have nothing but love for his ballads –and that they express their love in a unique kind of way. “I love it. It’s very sweet. Unlike any other country in the world, how much they love our love songs there. I’m excited to go and sing it all for you,” he said.
As he was talking about his Filipino fans, he suddenly thought of adding a couple more songs to the set list for his Manila leg. He asked for some song recommendations, saying, “I would love it if somebody would send me a list of all the songs they wanna hear in the Philippines. If anyone has recommendations, send me a message on my Instagram, and I’ll try to fit the song in.”
He also got a chance to talk about his passion for photography. Aside from being a legend in the music industry, Adams also works as a professional photographer for 25 years now. He shares how being one gives him an advantage when it comes to designing his own albums and promo pictures. “What’s nice about being the writer of the songs is that I can also try and visualize how I want to create my videos and create my albums. I find it really interesting. It’s kind of an extension of what I do as a musician,” he revealed.
Diving into more personal questions, the hitmaker reveals his secret to career longevity. “I think looking after yourself is number one—making sure you keep fit and healthy. Second of all, always remember where you came from. Where you come from is one of the biggest sources of inspiration, I come from nothing, so I’ve been able to work my way up to the top in my field. I am extremely grateful for the fact that even after so many decades, we’re still able to tour, record, and make new music,” he said.
Certainly, it takes a lot to sustain the kind of success that he has. To become commercially successful while still maintaining musical integrity, he told the press that it’s also important that songwriters write their “truth.” “When you write songs, it have to come from a place of either experience or they have to have some conviction to it. It actually has something that comes from inside,” the singer shared.
“I never sing unless the song comes from somewhere that I can relate to. I never sing songs that are out of my range, I never sing songs that have lyrics that I don’t believe,” Adams added.
If given a chance to talk to his younger self, this would be his advice: “Stay true to yourself, don’t get swayed by influence, just stay on course, trust your gut, and have a laugh.”
Adams has definitely learned a lot all throughout his 4-decade-long career. He learned that staying on course, having conviction despite rejection, and choosing the right people to work with brought him to where he is today. As he looks back, at the end of the day, it’s always the music that he is most grateful for.
Bryan Adams is set to hold ‘So Happy It Hurts’ concert on March 15, 2023, at the Araneta Coliseum, presented by Wilbros Live.
via Wilbros Live
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