Gloc-9’s new album features Rico Blanco and Regine

If there is no song about super typhoon Yolanda in Gloc-9’s new album “Liham at Lihim” or if there is nothing forthcoming from him as a stand-alone single, he has this to say: “It deeply saddens me that the poor and underprivileged have to bear the dire consequences. I am not at all comfortable using such an unthinkable calamity to even be inspired to write a song. I believe my solidarity with the survivors of Yolanda is a very personal and private matter. Let’s leave it at that.”

It’s understandable.

Gloc-9 is more at home with unraveling small human tragedies and transforming them into statements of larger significance. Last year, the single, “Sirena” from his last album “MKNM (Mga Kwento Ng Makata)” told a detailed and heartbreaking tale about growing up gay. It propelled the album to such heights that less than a year after the album was released, the follow up was out.

The pressure to top ‘Sirena’

Is he concerned that he has to live up to the success of its predecessor?

He admitted it was a concern.

“Jett Pangan of The Dawn advised me that I shouldn’t be pressured by a need to exceed or equal a previous feat,” he told Yahoo Philippines OMG! “If I intend to do a new album, it’s because of my love for the craft of songwriting. The ideas and the songs themselves will come in due time. I don’t have to force them out of my head.”

Still, it was something he already knew. “At the back of my mind, I don’t think it was the right attitude to record a song or an album just to go over the triumph of ‘Sirena’ or ‘MKNM.’”

Inspiration strikes

Gloc-9 says that inspiration strikes him mostly while he’s stewing in traffic. He keeps a notebook handy to write his lyrics on and hums a tune into his mobile phone.

Thanks to Manila’s gridlock, in two months he completed a batch of fully formed songs.

The next challenge lay in the collaborators he wanted on his album: Rico Blanco and Regine Velasquez.

Working with Rico Blanco

With Rico, Gloc-9 sent the new single “Magda” for Rico to work on.

When Gloc-9 received the demo from Rico two days later, the rapper was blown away.

“I tell you. When I first heard the demo of the song ‘Magda,’ I almost fell off the chair. You could feel the guy invested time and effort to do a great job on the song. He worked on it beyond expectations.”

The Rapper and The Songbird

As for Regine, Gloc-9 had always dreamed of composing a song for The Songbird.

It helped that “Sirena” had become part of Regine’s repertoire. And Regine once told Gloc-9 she wanted to sing back-up vocals on one of the rapper’s newer compositions.

Still, when Regine texted him she was on the way to the recording studio, Gloc-9 was so nervous he practically hid behind the door while waiting for Regine. He just couldn’t imagine himself giving instructions to The Songbird on how to sing his song.

‘Nalusaw ang garter ng brief ko!’

When she finally arrived, Gloc-9 said he was so happy,“parang nalusaw ang garter ng brief ko!”

Regine was the ultimate pro. She practiced the song twice then casually called out to the tech that she was ready to record.

“In 30 minutes, the session was over and you can hear that flawless take on the album,” he marveled.

Making sense of ‘Magda’

He explains why his new single “Magda” packs an emotional wallop.

“When I was composing ‘Magda,’ I was asking myself why a woman who has parents who loved her dearly would get stuck in an unforgiving occupation. I am a father too so I was trying to make sense of her situation.”

The video of the single stars Jennylyn Mercado and Alex Medina in a cinematic take on prostitution and true love.

Tearjerkers and an anti-bullying anthem

There are other songs on “Liham at Lihim” that express themes Gloc has always wanted to do.

“KMT” featuring Gracenote’s Eunice Jorge is “Kanta para sa Masa” from the viewpoint of an ordinary workingman. The tear-jerking “Hindi Sapat” with his protégé Denise Balmaceda on lead vocals pays tribute to all the mothers in the world. And “Katulad Ng Iba” features Zia Quizon in an anti-bullying anthem.

Gloc pegs the emotive content of his songs to the music he used to listen to such as those from Eminem, Missy Elliot, Timbaland and Mary J. Blige.

But, in the end, what drives him to write the songs he does is pretty basic: “Mahilig lang ako magkwento.”