Rob Deniel
For many young music artists who debuted and broke through during the pandemic, going out and performing live postlockdown was a daunting prospect.
But not for singer-songwriter Rob Deniel, who couldn’t wait to hit the stage after restrictions started easing up two years ago.
“I was busy during the lockdown, but all I did were online gigs and prerecorded performances. And I didn’t really feel them. I just saw the messages and comments. I thought, ‘I bet doing live shows would be way more fun,’” he told the Inquirer at a recent press conference for his latest single, “Ang Pag-Ibig.”
He was right. In June 2021, he played his first gig, an intimate bar session with R&B artist Arthur Nery. And hearing people sing along to his hits for the first time was a moment he will never forget.
“This time, I finally got to feel and hear the crowd. And then you realize that they know the lyrics to your songs, because they start singing along with you,” said the 19-year-old artist, who’s behind the hit “Ulap” (more than 70 million streams across Spotify and YouTube) and other fan favorites, like “Gabi,” “Sinta” and “Kundiman.”
Fearless performer
“It was just a small show, but it was so much fun. It feels nice being able to have a chat with your fans and listeners,” added Rob who’s signed under Viva and Vicor Records.
And with an appreciative audience amplifying and reciprocating his energy, Rob could finally let go and lose himself in the music. “Playing live makes me feel like I can give the songs more justice. I can move… Mas nakekembotan ko ang mga kanta, which makes them more fun,” said Rob, who looks up to Elvis Presley and Harry Styles when it comes to showmanship.
“I love watching concerts and when I see these performers, they give the impression that they’re fearless,” Rob added. “And that’s something I would like to emulate. I want to just play and enjoy myself onstage without worrying about what people think about me.”
There was a time when people knew his songs but not who sang them. That’s starting to change, too. “People come up to me now and ask for photos. I get shy at times, but it feels heartening being able to meet them,” he said.
Timeless songs
Rob is known for incorporating old-soul musical influences and sensibilities into his compositions. And the result is contemporary-sounding pop with an unmistakable retro vibe. His new song, “Ang Pag-Ibig,” is in the same vein.
What makes retro-inspired pop so appealing to the young generation? “It’s simply timeless. It’s the type of music that will capture people’s hearts. And that’s what I want to achieve with my music. I want to put out songs that people will still play 20 years from now, songs that only get better through time,” he said.
“And I want to share that with people my age, so they can appreciate that kind of sound, too,” he added.
While his experience with relationships or romance is admittedly still limited, Rob just couldn’t help but write love songs. “When I write songs, they somehow end up being about love. And I think that’s true for most of us—we always go back to love,” he said. INQ