(Mc)Knight in Shining Armor
It won’t be, to paraphrase the title of his most popular song (One Last Cry), one last hooray for Brian McKnight when he performs (“For maybe the eighth time,” he shared in an exclusive phone interview with The STAR) at the Kia Theater (at the Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City) on June 20. And neither will it be, again to paraphrase his other hit song (Back at One), back just one more time because he has fallen in love with the Philippines and made so many friends over the years that he looks forward to coming back again …and again.
Brian is among the international artists who have virtually become “adopted Filipinos,” also including such frequent visitors as Jack Jones, David Pomeranz, Rex Smith and Air Supply. “It’s the people,” said Brian, “the warmth and hospitality.” Born on June 5, 1969, in Buffalo, New York, Brian was quoted saying in a social-media write-up, “I’m the fifth generation of Seventh Day Adventists and the youngest among four brothers. When I was still small, we formed a gospel quartet. Our models were the great gospel groups the Swan Silverstones and Mighty Clouds of Joy.” Brian and his brothers — Claude, Freddie and Michael — listened to jazz away from church. “Church music thrilled me,” he confessed in the same write-up, “but jazz stimulated me.”
On the phone (calling from L.A.), Brian was upbeat about his forthcoming visit during which he looks forward to reuniting with friends like Martin Nievera, Gary Valenciano and Regine Velasquez. You’ve been coming and going. You’re almost like an “adopted” Filipino.
“I love coming back to the Philippines. I always look forward to going back just singing and performing and entertaining or just having a great time. I have so many friends there and so many fans over the years that I’ve been going there. I’ve been in the Philippines for maybe eight times.”
Your last visit was …two years ago?
“Yes, that was quite a while. I remember attending a party at the house of (Dr.) Vicki Belo. Also there was David Foster who is one of my great friends. Anytime he wants me to do something with him I always make myself available.” You sang a few songs with Filipino singers at that party, didn’t you?
“Oh yes, I did. I think I did a duet with Kyla who has also performed with me in a concert. There are so many Filipino artists that I’ve met, aside from Kyla. Like Martin Nievera and Gary V who are my favorites and with whom I’ve become good friends over the years. I’ve also performed with Regine Velasquez many times, one of the great singers in the entire world.” Are you including a Filipino song in your repertoire during your Big Dome concert on June 20? “Ahhh, I do have one song in Tagalog that I have done. I will have to learn it, though. I wrote the song in English and Martin, who was in the studio with me, translated it into Tagalog. He sent me every line. I have a month to study the song. Maybe I will work it out.” There have been sad events recently, such as the sudden death of Prince. How did you react to it?
“Yeah. You know, it was such a shock; he was such a loss. It’s been over a week now and it still hasn’t completely sunk in yet. We lost probably the most musically talented person on the face of the earth and it’s really sad. But he did leave us a treasure trove of music that we can listen to for the rest of our lives. He really gave himself to us through his music.” What is your fondest memory about him?
“Ah, wow. There are so many. For me, it’s all about the song, the songwriter. I was introduced to him by my older brother who has a huge collection of Prince’s His music is his armor and he uses it to enliven people’s lives. Asked what legacy he wants to leave behind, Brian McKnight said, ‘If somebody says that I wrote good music, I will be happy.’
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What can you say about the new generation of artists?
“Well, I think that artists of today are a lot more concerned about themselves. I’m not sure that they have the same mind as that of the previous generation’s artists. It’s a different world out here. Every generation is different from the others. I’m not saying if they are better or worse.” What have you learned from your idols, your musical influences?
“That you have to live like there is no tomorrow. You know, you can’t rely on the fact that you’ll always gonna be here. You have to live your life in a way that sort of reflects the idea that you are giving your all on a daily basis, that you are doing everything that you probably can and you’re leaving a legacy that people can be proud of as well.” What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind? “As long as somebody says that I wrote good songs, I will be very happy.” Which of your songs describes the essence of Brian McKnight?
“Not just one but all the songs. Every song has its own story. Every song has something that is relatable for the author. I give all of myself to all the songs that I write.”
Do you spend all your time writing songs …no time to, you know, relax and enjoy yourself?
“I spend a lot of time with my other half and I play a lot of golf. I do work out but I play golf more often than not.” How do you take care of your voice?
“You know, I don’t do anything to take care of my voice other than living a good life. I don’t smoke, I don’t drink …oh, I do but only occasionally. I take good care of myself and my voice will take care of itself.”
You started in the business quite early. At what age did you realize that you wanted to be a musician?
“I think when record companies started getting interested in me and what I was doing. I didn’t really know what the process was; I was just writing songs. Then record companies started encouraging me. And, of course, my brother. When his group won a Grammy, I told myself, ‘If my brother can do it, maybe I can do it, too.’”
How do you think has social media affected the way artists promote their songs?
“It’s a great thing and a bad thing, too. Social media is full of all kinds of artists and that’s a good thing. But then it can be hard for you to be heard. There’s more music than ever before. You just have to try your best to navigate the waters of social media. I long for the time when there was no social media but that will never happen again. So you just have to embrace social media the best way you can.” Have you ever been bashed on social media? “No, never. I don’t know how it is to be bashed. But you have to realize that there are people out there who are trying to get you to engage them. The best way to deal with it is just to ignore it because the number of people on social media who loves you far outweighs the number that doesn’t.” Have you ever cried over a song?
“Oh yes, I’ve cried over many songs. When you put the right lyric with the right note with the right melody, the song can make you feel emotional. Everybody is susceptible to that no matter how strong you think you are. That’s the beauty of music. It can bring you to a whole range of emotions.”
By the way, what’s your fondest memory about your (more than eight) visits to Manila?
“As I’ve been saying, it’s the people. They are just so real, so warm and so friendly, they treat you so well and that just makes you feel like going back again and again.”
(Ticket prices to Brian McKnight’s concert at the Kia Theater on June 20 are: P5,300 SVIP; P4,240 VIP; P3,710 Orchestra; P2,120 Lodge; and P1,590 Balcony. Call Ticketnet at 911-5555.)
(E-mail reactions at entphilstar@ yahoo.com.)