Lessons Martin Nievera and Morissette learned from David Foster

Nievera (left) with David Foster.

Martin Nievera has been in the industry for four decades now. Through the years, he has done countless concerts and sung his signature songs more times than he could ever imagine. Performing can feel like a job at times. But it’s always good to be reminded why he does what he does—for the sheer joy of it.

This was one of the things that stood out from Martin’s experience as part of renowned composer and record producer David Foster’s recent series of shows in Manila.

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“We did eight shows, two shows on some days. On March 25, we celebrated his wife’s (singer Katharine McPhee, who’s also part of the show) birthday. But instead of saying something like, ‘OK, let’s just have some cake because we have two more shows together,’ he wanted us to play music,” Martin told the Inquirer in a virtual conference for his upcoming US shows with Morissette.

“He has been part of what could very well be millions of songs and he still wants to play them offstage or off-camera,” he said. “He just loves music. We were up until 2 a.m., singing … Mori sang ‘Through the Fire,’ while I did a song of his from the ’70s that no one else knew about. The next day, they became part of our setlist. It’s not a job for him; it’s a passion.”

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‘Never lose the love’

A singer’s or performer’s job entails repetition. But there’s always joy to be had, Martin said, from every performance. “We should never lose our love for music. I have sung ‘Be My Lady’ too many times to count. But never lose the love,” he said. Morissette, who was also part of David’s Manila concerts, described working with the music icon as an unforgettable experience that reiterated the value of self-care and discipline.

“It’s unusual for some local artist to do a series of shows like that, wherein you do one almost every day. I wasn’t even part of all the shows, but I realized that you really need to take care of yourself to have the needed stamina,” she told the Inquirer.

“I had a chat with coartist Pia Toscano and asked her, ‘How do you do this every night?’ She performs ‘The Power of Love,’ ‘All Myself’… and her renditions aren’t the easiest! It was an eye-opener. It takes a lot of discipline and self-care to do these kinds of shows and deliver something amazing,” Morissette said.

“But at the end of the day, it’s all about the people. You can be tired on the inside, but you have to remember that there are people who chose to watch you and spend their evening with you. So, it’s important to be present for your audience.”

‘A blessing’

Another thing Morissette realized was that opportunities like this one can come when you least expect it so you always have to be ready. “Opportunity can come at any time. And this one I didn’t expect to come so soon. Being onstage with the likes of David, Katharine … was such a blessing,” she said. “It’s my goal to always be prepared and keep myself motivated.”

Martin and Morissette will reunite for two back-to-back concerts in the US in June. Mounted by Enteng the Dragon Productions, the self-titled shows are set on June 2 at the Graton Resort Casino in East Bay, California; and at the Fantasy Springs Resort & Casino in Indio, California, on June 3.

“It’s going to be a fun show. We’re going to give our best. Our priority is to perform and make sure that the fans enjoy themselves. I will also take this opportunity to catch up with everyone, talk about the things I’m working on, what’s going on in my life and what you can expect from me this year,” Morissette said. Martin, on the other hand, found it “heartwarming” that there are people who continue to believe in his talent as a music artist. “It gives me energy. It makes me feel that I’m still here, that I still have it,” said the veteran balladeer, who, at 61, believes that there’s still a lot to learn as a performer.

“I have had a lot of experiences in the concert field, but there’s still a lot to prove and so many more songs to sing,” he added.

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