SUCCESS OF THE SONGWRITER
It’s been said that the success of the Philippine recording industry does not lie solely on the artists.
Lito Camo once lorded over the OPM scene with his novelty hits that shipped Golds and Platinums. In a rare interview, he shared tips on how new songwriters could follow suit.
“Hindi ako natatakot mawala sa sirkulasyon... Pero ang importante, habang nandu’n ka pa dapat iningatan at ibinahagi mo ng tama at maayos ‘yung talento mo para sa mga tao.”
It’s been said that the success of the Philippine recording industry does not lie solely on the artists. The country has always had great singers yet new local smashes aren’t as aplenty as before.
Lito Camo who laughed all the way to the bank in early 2000 with his slew of novelty hits “Ye Ye Vonnel,” “Spaghetti Song,” “Bulaklak”, “In or Out,” “OtsoOtso,” thinks the key to revive glory lies in the hands of Pinoy songwriters.
“Keep your songs simple,” he said in an interview at the awards ceremony
of the 8th Mayor Benhur Abalos Golf Tournament. “More importantly, keep at it.”
He recalled his struggles when he was just starting out.
“Sulat ako ng sulat, gawa ako ng gawa (ng mga kanta) pero parang walang nagtitiwala. Bigay ako ng bigay ng demo, pero walang nakikinig sa mga kanta ko,” he said. He could have simply given up but he didn’t. “Ginawa kong inspirasyon ’yung kahirapan ng buhay namin. Ginawa kong inspirasyon ’yung mga magulang ko at kapatid ko. Sabi ko, ‘Hindi ako titigil hangga’t ’di ako nakikilala.’”
Fate smiled on him with BMG signing him up in the mid-’90s, and the rest as they say, is history.
Though inclined at present to serving the public as Board Member of Oriental Mindoro, Lito acknowledged that he hasn’t turned his back on music, noting, “Tuloy-tuloy pa rin ako (songwriting). Kasi ’yun ’yung aking buhay, eh. Bread and butter ko ’yung pagsusulat ng kanta.”
He admitted, however, that the industry is not like it used to be. “Malayong malayo kung ikukumpara noon. Parang patay ang industriya natin. Hindi mo alam kung saan ba patungo,” Lito said.
He added that this is mainly because of the growing number of non-talents being given the chance to strut their stuff on TV. “Talo na nila ’yung mga dati pang alam mong nag-tiyaga ng matagal at talagang pinagsikapang makilala sila. Lumabas lang sa TV, artist na agad,” he shared.
Not that he harbors rancor towards them. “Ang musika, kailangan ng respetuhan. Pana-panahon lang ’yan…”
The drastic changes in the industry might scare others but not Lito. “Hindi ako natatakot mawala sa sirkulasyon; dahil lahat naman tayo lilipas. Pero ang importante, habang nandu’n ka pa, dapat iningatan at ibinahagi mo ng tama at maayos ’yung talento mo para sa mga tao.”
It is as such that he advised those currently lording it over the scene to simply “enjoy.” “Hindi habang panahon ay hit ka so, kumbaga, ‘strike while the iron is hot,’” he said.
“At ’wag niyong sayangin ’yung pera,” he added. “Itabi at i-invest niyo sa tama para ’pag sakali kayo’y bumaba, meron kayong mahuhugot at meron kayong pwedeng sandalan.”
As for those yet to be noticed, he said, “’Wag mawawalan ng pag-asa. Tuloy-tuloy lang kayo. Mas sipagan niyo pa. Dahil nasa mga kanta niyo ’yung pag-asa niyo para maka-ahon kayo sa hirap.”
Lito cleared, however, that he didn’t use capitalize on his fame in carving a career in politics. In fact, he didn’t even write jingles for his campaign.
He said, “Ayoko kasi na mananalo lang ako dahil gagamitin ko ’yung pagiging kilala ko. Gusto ko manalo ako dahil talagang gusto ako ng tao na maluklok du’n sa ganu’ng posisyon.” (With report from Jojo P. Panaligan)