Jed first Filipino in LA fest’s hall of fame

JED MADELA

Jed Madela will fly to Los Angeles, California, in July to attend the 2013 World Championships of the Performing Arts (WCOPA) as a hall of fame inductee, joining the ranks of past honorees such as Dolly Parton, Liza Minnelli and Dionne Warwick.

“I received the letter from WCOPA late November or early December, and I had goose bumps reading it. I am the first Filipino and former contestant to make it to the hall of fame; it is a huge honor for me,” Jed told the Inquirer. “I’ll be inducted on July 19.”

The 32-year-old balladeer joined the annual international talent competition in 2005, and was declared Grand Champion Performer of the World after reaping gold medals in six categories: Pop-Male, Broadway-Male, Original Song-Male, Gospel-Male, Pop Duet and Broadway Duet.

When his family and friends heard this latest news, Jed said, they teased him about “being really famous now.” But he still sees himself as “that young provinciano (he’s from Iloilo) just starting to feel my way into the music biz.”

While some critics may point out that WCOPA isn’t the most prestigious of global talent competitions, Jed couldn’t care less. “It’s big for me—a very big deal,” he said.

Fun side

Jed is preparing for a solo concert and tour in May or July. He’s particularly hands-on when planning his shows, which he considers reflections of his personality.

Unlike his weekly appearances on the Sunday noontime show “ASAP 18,” where he performs pieces that showcase his vaunted vocal range, Jed pointed out, doing concerts gives him the liberty to tackle different genres. “I can sing whatever I please—rock, ballad, classical. I want to touch all sorts of audiences.”

Plus, Jed said, it allows him to bare his fun and lighter side. “People always think of me as a balladeer. When they see me perform live, they are surprised that I can be goofy.”

About originals

Jed has been in the industry for almost 10 years. And although he has hit singles like “The Past” and “How Can I Fall,” none of them are originals. One of his biggest frustrations is not having a song that he can truly call his own.

“For me, the worst thing is to be labeled ‘revival king.’ It means you don’t have an image and identity as an artist,” he said. “I’ve been called ‘The Past’ by people many times. It’s flattering, being associated  with the song, but it’s not mine. My goal is to have a song that will make people go, ‘That’s Jed!’”

That’s why Jed decided to do the album “All Original” (Star Records). He admitted, “It’s scary, but I have to do it. Otherwise I’ll be stuck in a rut.”

For this latest endeavor, Jed worked with seasoned composers like Soc Villanueva, Jungee Marcelo and Trina Belamide. He was proud to share that he penned one of the 10 tracks, “Tanging Ikaw.”

He hopes “All Original” reaches platinum status (15,000 copies sold). “I worked hard for this,” he said.