I AM gay. And a human being. And I have rights.
Yes, those rights you fight for—whether it’s freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of assembly, or “Freedom” by George Michael (whichever version)—are rights that should be given to all regardless of gender.
And whatever bigoted statement you throw at me, I will stand proud and tall and continue to assert that we all should be afforded those rights…especially the right to love.
That’s why when I come across a personality who fully supports our cause, I will give her as much support, too. The latest one I have encountered is 21-year-old Pinoy Big Brother alum Maris Racal.
The actress-singer recently launched her debut album, titled Stellar, which features her debut single, “Love is Easy.” It is one of the five tracks in the solo album released by Star POP, a subsidiary of Star Records. Of the song, Maris related that it’s about the feeling of love, and that love is “meant to be celebrated, no matter what aspect, gender or belief. Love is free and love is for everyone.” Tama ka dyan, girl!
The song, which Maris herself wrote, is actually an easy listen, a pop ditty that opens with quizzical guitars setting a ruminative tone. Her description of easy love includes how she’s enthralled by his eyes and how “they shine so bright, wanna see them every night/I’m drowning.”
Tori Amos, she ain’t, yes, but give her a break. She’s barely out of her teens and based on this song, Maris actually has a finger on good pop songwriting. The verse-chorus-verse pop formula, she got that down pat, including a break before the end of the song that features her delicate voice in the chorus, singing, “Love is easy if we’re all free/But many always make it hard, they always make it hard.”
It’s hard not to be won over by the lack of guile of Maris’s song, with her starry-eyed lyrics of how the one she loves is from Venus and she from Mars. There lies the peculiar charm of the song—and even of the songwriter.
On “Love is Easy,” Maris is believable as a vulnerable everyday teen, swinging between unrealistic romanticism and the dramatics of young love’s failing. She deftly balances her pop sense and acoustic appeal. While she’s still not there yet, to be considered a brilliant quintessential singer-songwriter type of artist, Maris is definitely on the right track. Give her a couple of years and more life experiences and musical exposure, and I am fearlessly forecasting she will emerge as one of the most important musical artists of her generation.
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Congratulations to my anak-anakan Drew Arellano for winning the Best Travel Show Host Award (for Biyahe ni Drew on GMA) given by the EdukCircle. The awarding ceremony was held on September 8 at the AFP Theater in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City. According to its web site, the EdukCircle-International Center for Communication Studies is an institution that provides a venue for the advancement and essential evaluation of communication practices in different academic fields.
Drew has received various recognitions for Biyahe ni Drew, where he introduces viewers to exciting destinations and provides travel tips and recommendations. The show is one of the longest-running of the genre in television.
“As a TV host, I have responsibilities to the viewing public. The shows that I host must be wholesome, educational and values-oriented. I also learn from doing my shows, while the viewers gain knowledge from watching them. I’m blessed to be given this wonderful opportunity. It’s fun traveling while working. I’m grateful and honored to receive this prestigious recognition from the EdukCircle,” said Drew.