Rhap Salazar stands by his viral tweet

AMID criticisms and support from entertainment and music personalities, 19-year-old Rhap Salazar has stood by his viral tweet, saying that it was what he felt during that time as a young singer.

“Noong time na nag-tweet ako, ‘yun ‘yung na-express ko kasi talaga po. Kung ano man ‘yung na-feel ko. Kasi ‘di ba, normal teenager, mabilis akong mag-react sa mga bagay, and most of them you post it on social media,” Salazar said in a TV Patrol interview aired on Wednesday.

In a series of tweets last July 4, the young singer said he “hates seeing artists lip-syncing on TV,” lamenting how some of them even get to have their own albums.

“Inexplain ko lang ‘yung side ko as a singer,” said Salazar, who is currently in the United States to support the Philippine team in the World Championships of Performing Arts, where he won as “Junior Grand Champion Solo Vocalist of the World,” and the “Junior Grand Champion Performer of the World” in 2009.

Salazar previously said his tweets were not directed to anyone.

READ: Rhap Salazar hits non-singers; Boy, Vice, Gary, Lea react

Salazar also expressed his gratitude to people who echoed his views, which included singers Lea Salonga and father and son Gary and Gab Valenciano.

“Sa mga tao po na nagtanggol po kumbaga, hindi naman kumampi pero kumabaga pareho kami ng pananaw, happy naman po ako kasi kung ano man ‘yung nararamdaman ko as a singer, nafi-feel din nila,” he said.

READ: Lea Salonga: Past non-singers did not sell albums | Anne Curtis, Sam Concepcion weigh in on tweet vs non-singers

As to those who disagreed with him, Salazar said he was open-minded enough to respect differences in opinion.

“Actually kanya-kanya naman po tayong opinyon sa mga bashers and other negative comments. Open-minded naman po akong intindihin lahat,” he said. YG