chrisbelison

2013-06-20T23:43:00.001+08:00

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Do Over? Or Start Over?

2013-05-15T16:09:00.002+08:00

Right now, I don't really know what I need to do. I guess I'm gonna "play it by ear", then. Is this quarter life crisis?

And yes, I'm using an "Awkward" reference for the title of this post.

Finally (A New Post And Then Some)

2013-05-01T00:18:00.000+08:00

It's been a looong time since I last posted anything here and a lot has happened to my life in those past seventy (yes, 7-0) days of uhm, writing dormancy. As much as I want to fill you in about everything that happened, I'll save you the burden of a very, very, very long post and just write about two major, major (Raj, insert year here) life events which transpired recently.

April 5, 2013

I was very blessed to have been given the chance to be the front act of The X Factor Philippines' TOP 6: LIVE IN RHAPSODY which was held in Metro Concert Bar, West Ave., Quezon City. Not only did I get to sing for an entirely new and bigger audience, I also got the chance to catch up and bond with my friends from TXFPH. Missed all of them so much and I'm really praying that I'd get to perform with them again in their coming shows. Check out my performance that night below!

(Video taken by my best bud, Bryan Katigbak.)

(A closer view of my performance. Posted by Johnny Legaspi.)

I know the above-mentioned event might be too grand and it somehow elicits the feel that nobody can top it. But something did. Something I've worked hard for for so many years. Something that my family, especially my mum, has been waiting and praying for to happen.

April 27, 2013

I finally graduated from the University of the Philippines in Los Baños with a degree in Biology, Major in Plant Biology! It was a very long and tough ride, but looking back, I wouldn't have it any other way. My longer than usual stay in the University gave me the chance find my niche and to find all the missing pieces I've been trying to find. Hashtag cheesy. I just want to grab this opportunity to thank everyone who became a part of my college life. BLD Youth Ministry, UPLB Street Jazz Dance Co., UP ECOSS, and UP Entrepreneurs' Club. I've learned so much from being a member of all those amazing organizations!

As you can imagine (and see), my family, especially my mum (Haven't I typed this before? LOL), was very ecstatic at the thought of me finally finishing my degree. They've always been supportive of everything I do and I love them for that. I may have given them a lot of stress, but they never gave up on me. A year ago, I was so sold on the idea of me moving to Manila and work there, but right now, I'm looking hard for a job near Elbi. I guess it really is hard to leave this place. I'm excited to go get a job and earn and help and give back to my family while staying with or close to them.

To end this post (finally), I'd like to thank my Ultimate Best Friend. I wouldn't have gotten this far without my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! Thank You, Lord, for the wonderful life filled with so many amazing opportunities. I may have stumbled a lot of times, but You're always there to pick me up, support me, and give me another chance. I may be one of your most stubborn son, but I'll always try my hardest to follow Your commandments and Your will, for I believe that there is no other way to live my life. Thank You, Lord! I love you!

First Time.

2013-02-19T00:37:00.002+08:00

As some of you may know, I've been joining singing contests since late 2011 and with God's grace, I've managed to bag a couple of runner-up spots but I've never had a WIN. Well, that changed a couple of days ago when I won Dream Catchers Vision's LOKAL RHYTHM: The Search For The Next PINOY ONLINE SENSATION!

A little background: I came across one of my Facebook contact's post about joining this certain contest in Dream Catchers Vision's website and I got a lil curious so checked out the mechanics and found out that the contest is open to all Filipinos aspiring to make it big in the music scene. Dream Catchers is a Singapore-based talent showcase platform with global ambitions. It is an online community for musicians/artists/performers which regularly holds contests for registered users. Aside from the amazing platform of hosting the users' videos on their website, Dream Catchers Vision awards winners of their contests with cash prizes!

So, anyway, I signed up, uploaded my video, and prayed to God (seriously) that my video gets chosen. I wasn't even praying for the top prize. I guess that's what happens when you've been a runner-up all your life. Ha ha! Kidding aside, I wasn't really expecting anything, so imagine my surprise when I received an e-mail from none other than the CEO and Founder of Dream Catchers Vision herself, Miss Shalima Motial saying this:

This couldn't have come up in a better time. I'm really grateful to all the judges and to everyone who voted for my video! I seriously won't forget this because this is my first actual win! And with $500 to boot! But more than the cash prize, I'm just really thankful that there are people who actually appreciate what I do and there are those who are overly supportive of my music. Thank you guys, from the bottom of my heart! :)

Really cool to see my video on the number 1 spot in their website! Argh! By the way, I uploaded my cover of One Direction's "More Than This" as my entry for Lokal Rhythm. Who knew a 1D song can win me $500? Ha ha! Thanks to Sir Caio Cadiz of 10-0-71 Digital Post for helping me out with the track! Watch the video below :)

Again, thanks to everyone behind Dream Catcher Vision's Lokal Rhythm and to everyone who voted for my video! I encourage everyone to visit Dream Catchers Vision's website and register so y'all could join their contests, too! Such a wonderful community of talented people! See you there, okay? :)

Down Time.

2013-01-30T16:44:00.003+08:00

I'm down with the flu and I wasn't able to get up this morning for my classes because I was feeling really sick. These late nights-early mornings ~~sleeping~~ habits (which continued even when I served last weekend in BLD Youth Ministry's Youth Encounter weekend, separate post, I promise) are taking a toll on me. Add to that the uhm, weather. See, even I can't think of an adjective for the weather that we've been experiencing for some time now. I'm really not that sickly, but when I do catch something, it just screws up my entire system. Anyway, I'm just so glad that I have no exams and major papers to do and submit this week so that means I can rest. And by resting, I mean having a White Collar marathon. Definitely number 2 on my list of series; the number 1 spot goes to Suits, of course.

Evidently, this post has no central theme and yes, I'm bored, thus the creation of this post. But hey, I guess being sick and bored has got some upside, too. My study table was a mess because I've been studying for the last two weeks for exams, which by the way, I think I did ~~great~~ good in, I decided to rehabilitate it and try and make it less cluttered. And as of typing this, the table's still organized so yeah, that's more than an hour of being organized! I'm getting good at this cleaning thing! Here's what it looks like right now.

I did not dare take a photo of what it looked like before I cleaned it so as to save myself from shame and you guys from eye sore. Anyway, again, I'm cooking up a giveaway for February so y'all better check out the blog for mechanics. I'm also gonna be releasing three covers in the coming month so please check out my Soundcloud and my YouTube channel. I'm gonna go back to resting now. Season 2 Episode 2.

Killing Time.

2013-01-25T08:55:00.001+08:00

Killing time.

That's exactly what I'm doing right now. I'm in the University's Main Library, tucked away in a chair facing the window overlooking the staircase and I'm typing away because, uhm, I don't know. Fine, I'm bored and I've got around an hour and half til my next class, so forgive for this humdrum post. I've been going to the Lib regularly ever since the semester started and it has somehow grown on me. It's actually relaxing here, well, at least during times when there are not too many students who can't stop retelling and singing songs from Pitch Perfect. Ha ha! I like the movie, but please, people go to the library for academic reasons. Sheesh, I sound extremely old. Like, librarian level old. Anyway, they just turned on the airconditioning unit now so it's starting to get cold here. How random this post, no? Ha ha.

In a more exciting part of my life, the BLD Youth Ministry will have its Youth Encounter #2 starting tonight and I'm really excited to serve! I'm not gonna be facilitating but it'll be fun working as an auxi. I'm excited for the participants because the weekend's gonna be filled with exciting talks and activities! On that note, I believe I still haven't packed my things so yeah, I'm gonna have to cram that later after my classes. Wait, I think I have to do a checklist of things to bring. Plus, I'm getting bored with typing, so yeah.

Thanks for wasting your time reading this entry! :)

Kuyi Mobile's Second Serving of Streetfood Tycoon.

2013-01-24T01:33:00.000+08:00

It's past 1:00AM as of typing this and I should really be studying for an exam ~~tomorrow night~~ later tonight but let me sneak in a blog entry for all you guys. Worth the read, I promise! Plus writing this actually helps me by not boring out myself too much with all the studying I've been doing since the weekend.

For all iOS device users out there, y'all can now download Streetfood Tycoon: World Tour, or what I'd like to call, the second, bigger and better serving of a truly great Filipino-made app! Following the success of the original Streetfood Tycoon gaming app, Kuyi Mobile, an independent game development company based in Manila, decided to feed us with the newer version of one of their games.

Streetfood Tycoon: World Tour was released at 12:00AM of January 24, 2013 and I downloaded it IMMEDIATELY.

The game's pretty simple. Anyone who's ever played Diner Dash or any of those Facebook games will surely get the drift of this one easily. Heck, even those who haven't played even a single game in their lifetime will be able to play and enjoy this game in no time! You're given a food cart and you start serving customers and earn money and get rich ~~and party hard and buy cars and get l...ove from your customers~~! What's amazing with Streetfood Tycoon: World Tour is that it has several places in the World where you can have your streetfood cart placed at first, with different food cart offerings from burgers to fries to kikiam and even betamax, that's grilled coagulated blood for all my non-Filipino readers out there!

Streetfood: It's More Fun In The Philippines! :)

As I've said, the game's pretty simple but there are times when you'd panic because the food stocks run out and there's an influx of customers, so overall, it's a thrilling game! Plus, the upgrades are cool! Oh, and the graphics are top-notch plus it runs super smoothly! I'm getting addicted with this one and I'm encouraging y'all to go to the App Store now and download it! For Android users, bleh! Kidding. Kuyi Mobile's releasing an Android version soon so y'all better visit and like their Facebook page and follow them on Twitter to get more updates about Streetfood Tycoon: World Tour as well as their other games.

Okay, back to ~~playing Streetfood Tycoon: World Tour~~ STUDYING now.

P.S: The awesome guys of Kuyi Mobile and Mikael Daez are giving away two (2) iPad Mini's in connection/celebration of the launch of Streetfood Tycoon: World Tour. Do visit Mikael's blog and follow him on Twitter for more details!

P.S.S: It'd be great if you could also follow me on Twitter! Ha ha! Just saying! It's @ChrisBelison :)

P.S.S.S: It'd be great to win one of the two iPad Minis, awesome guysss from Kuyi Mobile and Mr. Mikael! HAHA!

Fire Away.

2013-01-20T13:57:00.000+08:00

Posted another cover on my YouTube account last night! Do check out my cover of the phenomenal song "Titanium" which was originally done by David Guetta and Sia. I chanced upon this amazing yet very tough to sing orchestral instrumental of the song by Jamie Cleaton so I decided to finally record it, being it one of the most requested songs in my inbox. I decided to do it in one take so it'd be more raw. I struggled with the belts because the arrangement's about a step high from my range but I took it as a challenge and did what I could.

It's weird (not really) because as of typing this, I can actually hit the notes better now. Ha ha. Talk about muscle memory. Anyway, do check it out and feel free to LIKE, COMMENT on it and SHARE it!

Let Me Kiss You.

2013-01-10T16:51:00.000+08:00

So, I finally have a new cover up on my YouTube channel and what do you know?! It's another One Direction song! Ha ha! I got several requests for this song ever since management (One Direction's, not mine coz I still don't have one. Yet.) announced that it'll be the next single off of their sophomore album. I copped a high-quality instrumental of the track and started recording while trying out several audio interfaces and editing software. Halfway through the track, I felt that something wasn't right so I took a break from doing it. After a couple of hours, I decided to do a live, acoustic cover of the song instead of just putting vocals on top of the track. I was hesitant at first because I haven't played the guitar for a long time and since I'll be recording it live, there was added pressure to do good. After n takes, here it is! My live, acoustic cover of One Direction's "Kiss You"!

I used my Samson C01U Condenser Microphone for this and Garage Band. I also added the back-up vocals after the live recording because I just love doing harmonies. Blame it on my dream of becoming a back-up singer. Ha ha. Feel free to LIKE, COMMENT, SHARE and SUBSCRIBE! :)

Gig-less.

2013-01-08T01:10:00.001+08:00

Nope, I did not misspell giggles.

It's kinda ~~frustrating~~ to face the reality that I'll have no gigs slash rakets up until March. I made the decision to not accept invites from January to March (except my primary school best bud's wedding on February) so I could really focus on my last few months in the University. I'm excited to graduate and the days are rolling by so fast and yet a bunch of academic stuff still have to be done before I can finally finish my degree and walk in the graduation grounds with a sablay on. T'was tough saying no to some invites especially this one big thing which could've given me decent exposure on the telly again. Anyway, I believe na pinapagraduate na muna talaga ako ni Lord and that He'll give me more time for my craft after I give my mum my college diploma.

I had no intentions to blog tonight (this morning, really) but because my body clock's still on holiday mode, I tried to update this thing to make me even just a tad sleepy. To no avail, apparently. Thank God I only have a 7am-10am class later. Hello, Cell Biology. I missed you.

Sound Check.

2013-01-03T15:26:00.002+08:00

After months of ~~lusting~~ thinking of getting a condenser microphone, I finally emptied out my wallet and got myself a SAMSON C01U. It's one of those USB microphones and it's pretty cheap but it's been getting a lot of great reviews since 2009! Yup. the mic's been around for almost four years and yet it is still touted as one of the best USB microphones out there today. I initially wanted to get an XLR type of mic but then it'd mean that I'd have to get a pre-amp/mixer as well and that it'd take more time of studying and tinkering with it and I don't have the luxury of time especially in the coming months since I'm finally graduating from the University and y'all know how busy graduating students are. Or not. Turns out even USB mics need an ample amount of time, too. Sound quality's really good and it even captures the sounds from 25 feet away. Eavesdropping at its finest. Anyway, I'm still "breaking in" to it plus I've been studying and practicing mixing and mastering for over a week now and so far, so good. I think. Ha ha. I'll be uploading a new cover hopefully next week so y'all better check out my YouTube channel for that.

As much as I'm lovin' the SAMSON C01U, I know I have to upgrade to an XLR mic soon and soundproof my room if I really want to get serious with this music-making stuff. And dead serious I am, so alam na kung saan mapupunta ang ipon and TF. Ha ha! Leaving y'all with a sexy photo of my mic. Should I give it a name?

This Year.

2013-01-02T15:51:00.001+08:00

I've been mulling about a year-end slash welcome 2013 blog post since the third week of December and obviously, no such post ever surfaced on this blog. I've been thinking about it for a couple of days and this year, I would want my blog to be more, uhm, me. I remember starting my very first blog around 8 years ago and how I'd write random stuff that has happened and although they're very random, they're kinda personal and I like it that way. How I used to post poetry, among my other literary works. How I'd talk to myself. How I'd marvel at my previous posts and say to myself that yes, maybe I am a literary genius waiting to be discovered. Or some other delusional crap like that. Ha ha. I guess I just want to really write again.

Last year, my New Year's Resolution was to be better. I can honestly (and humbly, LOL) say that 2012 was my best year yet because I got better at everything that I know and do. And I'm keeping that resolution for 2013. This year, I'll be better. Better than I've ever been. And I'm starting by writing again.

Coloud's "The Pop" In-Ear Headphones

2012-12-29T18:56:00.001+08:00

Happy Holidays! It's been more than a month since I've updated this thing and I hope I still have readers even after a month-long (short LOL) hiatus. I was blessed to have been invited to perform in several events during the past month and that plus school took so much of my time. Anyway, those nice-paying gigs (LOL again) have helped me in copping some really nice stuff this holiday season. I was able to treat my family, some of my friends, and even get myself a condenser microphone for my home recordings! But probably one of the best item I got for myself is a new pair of headphones from Coloud.

"The POP" by Coloud

See, I've been earphone-less for a loooong week now (YES, THAT'S LONG) and I've finally found a more than worthy replacement for my now retired Apple earphones. I've read a lot about this specific pair of in-ears from different tech blogs so I decided to finally get myself a pair. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, Coloud's "The POP" in-ear headphones.

The POP in White/Red with the documentation, a sticker, and extra earbuds of different sizes.

I refuse to be too technical with this blog post so let me just tell you this, this pair is probably the best pair of in-ears I've ever had. Aside from the amazing sound quality, here are a few more things that I love about The Pop.

The Pop in White and Red

The Pop, like the other Coloud headphones The Knock and The Boom, also has flat cables which are virtually tangle-proof. The rubber material used doesn't feel and look cheap. The Pop comes in a plethora of colors, so there's definitely a Pop for everyone!

The Pop with Zound Lasso

If you still doubt the flat cable's promise of no tangling of wire while the headphones are in your pocket or bag, then you'll definitely love the (patent pending) Zound Lasso. It's cleverly designed to, well, lasso your cable and securely lock it just by inserting the end of the jack to the special hole found on the cable. Neat, eh?

The Pop's Microphone and Remote

Of course, since The Pop's probably designed to suit several gadgets, it was very generous of Coloud to build it with a microphone and remote. The microphone's really clear and the you can use the single button of the remote for several things. One click is for the music to PLAY/STOP, two clicks make makes the music player play the next track, and three clicks makes the music player play the previous one.

Overall, I'm very glad I got my own pair of Coloud's The Pop in-ear headphones. It looks great, sounds amazing, and comes in a very nice price, too. Coloud's The Pop retails for just PhP 950.00. Yup! Under a thousand pesos but it's performance can rival or even beat several wallet-depressing in-ears that are out in the market today! You can check out Beyond the Box, Digital Walker, Power Mac, Astrovision and other major stores nationwide for Coloud products.

Visit Coloud's official website and their Facebook page or Twitter account for more information.

(Slightly) Better Than Naked.

2012-11-12T12:01:00.001+08:00

I like my gadgets naked. There's something about the feel of wonderfully crafted materials against the skin. However, I can't risk bringing them out without something that can protect them so I searched for a case that I could put my new toy into whenever I need to go out of the house. It took me around three days to finally get a case/cover for my Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 (Thanks, The Peninsula - Manila!) because 1) it was quite hard to find something that suited my personal preference and 2) I was waiting for my TF from a gig so that I'd be able to get something without having to ask money from mum. Ha ha! And so the morning after the gig, I scoured SM City Calamba for a case and I was lucky enough to find this leather folio case from Swisstech.

Swisstech Protective Case for Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 from the Lucerne Series

Swisstech Protective Case for Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 (Lucerne Series)

Shock-absorbing
Slim design
Prevents fingerprints and scratches
Ergonomic design
Easy access to headphone jack and sync port
Open style display access for maximum comfort
Complete protection for body of device

It has a garter strap to bind the case when closed. Security, check!

Back side features a dedicated hole for the 3MP AF Camera.

Looks like a book, opens like one, too!

The case acts as a stand for the device, too. Perfect for when you're watching videos!

Side view. Neat, eh?

Dedicated holes for the microphone, headphone jack, the volume rocker, and the lock/power button.

Dedicated holes for the sync port and speakers.

And the BEST part? The price! Definitely a steal at just PhP 695.00!

I got the one in brown leather because I think I already have a lot of black stuff. Plus, it looks more classy but still youthful (LOL) at the same time! The Swisstech kiosk in SM City Calamba has black, pink and brown cases for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9.

The Swisstech kiosk is located in Cyber Zone at the 2nd level of SM City Calamba.

The Peninsula - Manila's SING@NING Samsung Galaxy Tab Giveaway Winner.

2012-11-11T13:43:00.000+08:00

As I've mentioned in my previous post about the Grand Finals of The Peninsula - Manila's SING@NING Search for the Ultimate Voice, Samsung gave out Samsung Galaxy Tabs to the Top 7 contestants and boy were we (other contestants who were part of the Top 20) jealous! Ha ha! Never did it cross my mind that I'd be going home the next day with my own tablet! How, you ask? Well, The Peninsula - Manila's Facebook page held a "liking" contest which was kinda like a "guessing game". The "liker" should "like" the link of the video of whoever he/she thought would win the SING@NING Search for the Ultimate Voice. Being the good friend and room mate (HA HA), I liked all three videos! Besides, I really can't choose among the three because they're all really talented and all of them deserve to win! So yeah, I remember I was still in the shower when Sir Joseph Arias phoned our room. I was intrigued about the call and I scanned my memory of the things me and my room mates did in our room. Baka kasi sobrang ingay namin kaya gusto ako kausapin para pagalitan. Ha ha! I returned his called right after fixing up and he told me that I was the "lucky one" who got chosen as the winner of the contest. I was dumbfounded at first because I've totally forgotten about the contest, but then I remembered it and man, was I ecstatic about the prize! Sir Joseph told me to meet him for lunch and then meet The Peninsula - Manila's Director of Marketing, Ma'am Cristina Cruz. I was really giddy after the phone call and was jumping around in 420! Ha ha!

Receiving the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 from Ma'am Cristina Cruz (The Peninsula - Manila's Director of Marketing)

I didn't have the chance to use the tablet once I returned to 420 because the boys wanted to go swimming and make the most out of the remaining hours of our stay at The Peninsula - Manila. Upon my arrival at home that night, I immediately tinkered with my new toy! Here it is! My very first Android device! Ha ha!

Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 16GB WiFi (GT-P7310)

I never knew it could be so sexy! Ha ha!

Sexy back, eh?

All the basics, covered.

Surprisingly excellent stock earphones!

Some features of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 (GT-P7310)

8.9" WXGA (1280 x 800) TFT
3MP AF Camera + 2MP VT
Dual-Core 1 GHz Processor
HD Recording & Playback
6100mAh Battery
Android Technology
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n
Bluetooth 3.0

My very first Android device and being the iOS and everything Mac addict that I am, kinain niya 'ko when I used it for the first time! Ha ha! I'm getting used to it, though, and I'm really liking how it's soooooo customizable. I haven't changed/upgraded my software or ROM (because I'm scared LOL) but I'm having so much fun using the tablet. It's got everything a social media junkie like me needs! Here are some screenshots of my homescreens!

Easy access to everything! I put the apps I frequently use on the first homescreen.

Second homescreen features apps and widgets for the world wide web!

Third homepage features all my social media needs. Plus memos and e-book readers!

The fourth homescreen serves as my very own "music studio"! My favorite homescreen! :)

The last homescreen houses the games. I've downloaded a lot more after this screen cap was taken! Ha ha!

I have yet to learn more about Android devices! I've been meaning to get a tablet for the longest time to use for gigs and music sheets and fine, academics, so this was a very pleasant surprise! I want to thank The Peninsula - Manila, especially Sir Joseph Arias and Ma'am Cristina Cruz, and of course, Samsung Philippines/Samsung Mobile Philippines, for this wonderful, very early Christmas gift! Definitely a worthy addition to my weapons for social media! I promise I'll put it to good use! Ha ha!

I've never won in online contests up until now so I guess they're real! Ha ha! Don't forget to visit the official site of The Peninsula - Manila and also view and LIKE their Facebook page for more information about reservations, events, promos and exciting contests and giveaways! Y'all can also follow them on their official Twitter account.

The Peninsula - Manila's SING@NING Search For The Ultimate Voice Grand Finals.

2012-11-10T18:02:00.000+08:00

Last November 6, The Peninsula - Manila's SING@NING Search for the Ultimate Voice held its grand finals in Salon de Ning. After more than 200 initial auditions and 2 months of eliminations, rehearsals and coaching (and eating), the final 3 took the stage and showed the audience and the esteemed board of judges why they're in the Top 3. Each of the grand finalists was given 15 minutes to impress the judges, and audience alike, with their musical talent and witty spiels; pretty much like having their own show.

Joselle Feliciano (Photo by Jamin Lim)

21-year old Joselle Feliciano from the Ateneo de Manila University started the competition with her set aptly named "Jazzelle". She opened her set with "Let Go", a Mon David Original, and was followed by "Memories" by Joey Albert. She also shared an almost a capella version of "Blue Skies" by Irving Berlin, which she used as one of her audition pieces during the live audition stage of the competition. She ended her set with a jazz-bossa version of Rivermaya's "214". Joselle's elegance, wit, and genuine "jazz-y" style and voice truly enchanted the audience as well as the judges.

Garrett Bolden Jr. (Photo by Jamin Lim)

Garrett Bolden Jr., a 21-year old student from Lyceum of Subic Bay, impressed Salon de Ning with his soulful voice. Garrett opened his show with a tribute to one of the country's acclaimed jazz singers, "The Vamp", Miss Vernie Varga, by doing her song "Being With You". This was followed by a very soothing yet still heartbreaking version of Bamboo's "Much Has Been Said". He more so tugged the hearts of everyone in the venue when he sang a snippet of Luther Van Dross' "Dance With My Father" right after he told the story of how music helped him get reunited with his father. He closed his show with his own English interpretation/translation of the George Canseco hit, "Ikaw", or in Garrett's version, "You".

Rafael Gutierrez (Photo by Jamin Lim)

Representing the University of the Philippines - Diliman, 19-year old Rafael Gutierrez wowed the audience with his suave singing style, technique, and humorous spiels. His show featured his own understanding of the "Stages of Love". His first song, which corresponds to the first stage of love aka the courting stage, was an English translation "Para Sa Akin" which was originally done by Sitti. He then sang Boy Katindig's "I Will Always Stay In Love This Way" which represented the "being in love" stage. He even dedicated this to his girlfriend, Karen, who was present in the venue. He then called up on stage two of his pals and they did a very funny impromptu song making segment using words that the members of the audience had given them. Rafael did a heartbreaking performance of Martin Nievera's "How Can I" as a representation for the "break-up" stage of a relationship.

Joselle performing "Kalesa" (Photo by Pixelado Productions)

Garrett performing "Sitsiritsit" (Photo by Pixelado Productions)

Rafael performing "Pen Pen de Sarapen" (Photo by Pixelado Productions"

The 3 finalists were also given the task to interpret a classic Filipino folk song and make it their own. Joselle performed "Kalesa", Garrett sang "Sitsiritsit" and Rafael did "Pen Pen de Sarapen". This part of the show was really fun and it was exciting to hear folk songs which were given several musical twists!

The Company (Photo by Pixelado Productions)

Shiela Valderrama (Photo by Pixelado Productions)

The Company, probably the most acclaimed vocal pop group in the Philippines, graced the event with several songs, including my favorite APO Hiking Society song "Mahirap Talagang Magmahal Ng Siyota Ng Iba". It was fun to see one of our mentors, Teacher Sweet Plantado, and one of our previous judge, Sir Moi Ortiz, perform! Miss Sheila Valderrama sang a medley of Disney classics while a video montage of the whole SING@NING experience was being shown. I reckon several semi-finalists, myself included, were fighting back tears while seeing what had transpired over the past couple of months. Ha ha!

Top 7 Finalists with their brand new Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9!

Before the winner was announced, the Top 7 contestants were called on stage. They were surprised when it was announced that each of them will receive a brand new Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9! The other finalists included in the Top 21 were jeering for tablets, too! Ha ha! Never did it cross my mind that I'll be getting a tablet, too! More on that on the next post, though :)

The top three finalists were called up on stage again for the announcement of the winner. Garrett got the 2nd Runner Up award. Rafael finished in the second spot and got the 1st Runner Up award, while Joselle bagged the top spot and was awarded the Grand Prize Winner of the first-ever SING@NING Search for the Ultimate Voice competition! Along with the P100,000 cash prize, Joselle also received a scholarship from John Robert Powers and Spotlight Artist Centre, plus a three-month contract to perform at Salon de Ning!

Joselle Feliciano wins the first-ever SING@NING Search for the Ultimate Voice!

Joselle with our Musical Director Sir Onyl Torres and the members of the SING@NING band. (Photo by Jamin Lim)

SING@NING Finalists :) (Photo by Jamin Lim)

Congratulations, Joselle! I know that our Lord God has so many amazing plans for you and this is just the start! Keep on dreaming and performing your heart and soul out and just let go! Ha ha! We'll be here to support you always! EK! EK! EK! :)

I'm gonna post a separate entry for thank yous and kadramahan, so y'all better check the blog in the coming days for that! Ha ha!

And Then There Were Three.

2012-11-01T22:23:00.000+08:00

And, I'm back! "Abandoned" the blog for a little over two months 'coz there's too much happening with school and with my eternal quest to be a singer. Ha ha. Anyway, I was chosen as one of the final 21 contestants for The Peninsula - Manila's SING@NING Search For The Ultimate Voice and I can't stress how much I'm thankful for everyone who viewed and liked my video on YouTube and especially those people who prayed for me. After three grueling rounds, the SING@NING finalists are down to just 3!

I'm really excited for these three! They're all unbelievably talented and really good and genuine people! If you have time, drop by Salon de Ning at The Peninsula - Manila this coming Tuesday, November 6, 2012, at 7:00PM for the Grand Finals of SING@NING Search For The Ultimate Voice! Get to listen to these three amazing singers while experiencing world-class ambience that only Salon de Ning can give!

I'm gonna do another entry solely for my SING@NING experience so y'all better watch out for that!

CHRIS BELISON for The Peninsula - Manila's Sing At Ning

2012-08-27T00:04:00.000+08:00

Hello, guys! Kindly LIKE and SHARE my Self Introduction Video for The Peninsula Manila's Sing@Ning :)

The top 3 SELF INTRODUCTION VIDEOS with the most number of LIKES in YouTube by August 31, 2012 will automatically be qualified for the next round. If you don't have a YouTube account/channel, you can still LIKE this video by simply logging in to YouTube using your G-Mail/Google account :)

Here's my LIVE SINGING AUDITION video for Sing@Ning! This is "Tuwing Umuulan" by Sir Basil Valdez.

I cannot express how thankful I am for my good friends Matt Baguinon of Matt Baguinon Films and Jeremiah Pilapil of JePe litratography for helping me out with my online video entries! Please don't forget to visit their Facebook profiles and pages! Also, don't forget to check out and like my Facebook page as well :)

Thanks, guys! :)

Los Baños Idol 2012 Auditions.

2012-07-30T12:27:00.000+08:00

Ever since I got eliminated from The X Factor Philippines, I've been blessed with a number of opportunities which gave me the chance to showcase my, uhm, singing ability, if you may. Ha ha. I had the chance to perform in The Indie Culture's INDIE OVERDRIVE 2 ("Sure Thing" and "Ulit-ulitan"), several private events, and in the UPLB CAS Freshman Night 2012 ("I'm Going Down" and "Use Somebody"). And recently, like last Saturday recently, I got the chance to perform in Robinsons Town Mall Los Baños when I auditioned for Los Baños Idol, a singing contest which is one of the activities for the upcoming Bañamos Festival.

My stint on The X Factor Philippines fueled my desire to make it as a singer and I knew then that it won't be easy. I also knew then that for me to get "noticed" and get someone interested to "manage" me, I have to get myself out there. More exposure, the better. A number of people actually discouraged me from trying out for LB Idol, for the sole reason that it is not a "big" contest. But every time they tell me off, I'd always say that for me, there are no big or small opportunities; what we make of the opportunities given to us make it big or small. So yeah. I registered a week before the auditions and I was set to perform a ballad for the screening. A few days before the event, a good friend of mine reminded me that I should place my style out there. That I shouldn't conform to the traditional "biritero" singers in singing contests. That's why I changed my piece and chose a song that can showcase my style but still have highlights for my voice.

I arrived late for the auditions which resulted to me waiting for around four hours before going on stage. No big though, since I enjoyed watching the other aspirants. It's amazing how many talented singers Elbi has! When it was my turn, I didn't feel any jitters at all. One thing's for sure, I think I'm growing more and more comfortable on stage. I sang my piece and got very good reaction from the audience, and a very good comment from one of the judges. They'll be picking 50 singers which they'll put through to the next round. As of the moment, there's still no announcement so I'm still praying that what I did last Saturday is enough for me to get one of the 50 spots. I'll be posting updates over at CHRIS BELISON so y'all better check that page out and like it and share it if it ain't asking too much! :)

For now, I leave you with the video of my performance last Saturday!

Entrance.

2012-07-23T11:44:00.000+08:00

"Look on every exit as being an entrance somewhere else."

(Tom Stoppard)

Things are gonna be a lot harder but everything will be worth it. I'll make 'em worth it. I'm ready to take on challenges and grab opportunities that God sends my way. There is no big or small opportunity 'cause what's important is what you make of the opportunity given to you.

The photo above was taken by my good friend Jeremiah Pilapil of JePe litratography. Oh, the perks of assisting in his shoots. Ha ha! Please, please visit his Facebook page and be amazed with his portraits!

Oh, and please visit and LIKE Chris Belison on Facebook, too! :)

Exit: Chris Belison on The X Factor Philippines (ABS-CBN)

2012-07-22T15:03:00.000+08:00

Pulled a Mac Arthur during my exit interview for The X Factor Philippines and I got bombarded with tweets, wall posts and messages about it. I guess it's about time I write about the amazing time I had during my TXF journey. Photo dump coming right up! Pardon the not-so-good quality of some of 'em.

First screening. December 8, 2011 in SM City San Pablo Activity Center. Quede up at 7:00AM, got to sing at 1:00PM.

Performed "Breakeven" by The Script for the first screening aka the pre-audition. Watch/listen to my studio version of the song here.

Got called back for the Producers' Auditon on April 20, 2012 and I performed "Look At Me Now" and "One and Only". Click on the links to watch/listen to the studio versions of the songs.

Blessed to be called back again for the LIVE AUDITION in front of the celebrity judges (Sir Martin Nievera, Sir Gary Valenciano, Ma'am Pilita Corales and Charice) which was held in PAGCOR Grand Theatre last May 31, 2012.

Registration jitters. Ha ha!

Live audition pieces. British pop and a lil soul/RnB. Watch/listen to my studio versions of "Glad You Came" and "I'm Going Down".

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Was able to perform after more than 12 hours of waiting.

Performed "Glad You Came" by The Wanted and I can honestly say that that was one of the fun 2 minutes of my life! :)

Received very good feedback from the audience and most importantly from the judges. 4 YESes and it's all because of God and the talent He lent me! :) I, along with 171 acts from all over the Philippines went straight to BOOT CAMP!

Checked in at Remington Hotel for BOOT CAMP.

BOOT CAMP stage!

Some of the talented boys I was with during BOOT CAMP.

Our category (Boys under the age 25) was assigned to perform the Basil Valdez classic "Tuwing Umuulan" a capella. Received a "Great job!" from Sir Martin Nievera for this one :)

Unfortunately, I was one of the 106 acts which got sent home the first day. Of course, I was devastated at first but the amount of things I've learned, the friends I've gained, and just the ultimate blessing of being one of the TOP 35 BOYS or one of the 172 ACTS OUT OF THE 20,000 who auditioned made me feel happy again. The announcement that I was eliminated broke me, but once I got my thoughts back in place, I began rebuilding myself and I'm now in the process of working even harder just to achieve what I want. It's like I finally know what I want to do for the rest of my life. Those few minutes I've spent on that stage, in front of the camera, in front of thousands of people, in front of the 4 judges, were just "previews" of what I could be doing if I work hard enough and if I'll be given the right break/opportunities.

I know this entry's quite long already but I'd like to take this chance to express my gratitude to everyone who supported me with my The X Factor Philippines adventure! Thank you all especially for your prayers! Special thanks to my family, especially my MUM, for letting me do this. For sacrificing money and time for the screenings and for the live auditions. To all my friends and organizations (BLD Youth Ministry, UPLB Street Jazz Dance Co., UP Entrepreneurs' Club, UP ECOSS) in UPLB, thank you all for your unwavering support! Wouldn't have done this without all the things I've learned from the times I've spent with y'all.

Last but definitely not the least, I'd like to thank the Lord God, Almighty for this wonderful experience. For the talents and skills you've lent me. For making my family change their minds about this thing. For always guiding me. For always being my inspiration. For always keeping my hopes up but still keeping my feet on the ground. For Your never ending affirmations. Most especially, thank You for Your love. Lord, I'm not really the best servant or follower and yet You still bless me with these amazing things. For that, I'm really grateful. I love You, Lord. And I'm always praying that in everything that I do, may YOU always be GLORIFIED.

My TXF journey might have ended already, but this is just the start of my journey towards the realization and actual fulfillment of my dream. You'll see me around :)

"Basta, babalik ako. Babalik ako."

CHRIS BELISON's exit interview for The X Factor Philippines.

Don't forget to LIKE my Facebook page! Click here! :)

One Direction - More Than This (Cover by Chris Belison)

2012-06-17T12:38:00.000+08:00

Yes, I listen to One Direction and honestly, I think their songs are good! Try listening to all their songs from their debut album Up All Night and I'm pretty sure you'll be listening to a track or two (or the entire album) everyday!

Here's my take on one of my most favorite songs off of the album. I love the lyrics and the harmonies so much and I decided to try doing the harmonies myself.

This was recorded and filmed in 10-0-71 Digital Post and mastered by Sir Caio Cadiz.

Please feel free to LIKE, COMMENT, SUBSCRIBE and SHARE! :)

Vans Waffle Sole iPhone 4/4S Case

2012-05-13T23:08:00.000+08:00

Aaand I'm back! I got caught up with tons of things these past few ~~days~~ months, thus the hiatus. Summer 2012 ain't that good, too, since I haven't had time to go away from the hometown because of summer class, service for BLD Youth Ministry's YLSS, ~~getting fit~~ and this other thing which I can't really talk about here, or anywhere, for that matter. Ha ha! Anyway, let me make it up to you by posting about this recent purchase I made.

Called up Vans Off The Wall's store in ATC to reserve me a piece since these cases are selling like waffles, I mean pancakes! Got the chance to drop by the store earlier and I've been using it since this afternoon. The case is made of Van's new flexible rubber and is a replica of their famous Waffle Sole series. It added a bit of thickness to the iPhone but it's something that you'd get used to easily.

I'm really digging the look and feel of my iPhone right now! If you wanna cop a case (or two), drop by any Vans Off The Wall concept stores right away since these cases are only available for a limited time only. Priced at PhP 1,198.00, the Vans Waffle Sole case is definitely one of the best-looking iPhone cases in the under PhP 1,500.00 category.

Be sure to check out Vans Off The Wall's Facebook page and follow them on Twitter for more updates!

Chris Belison - One And Only (Adele Cover)

2012-04-11T21:49:00.001+08:00

Can't get enough of this song so I decided to make a cover!

Thanks to Juls Parado for playing the guitar and to Caio Cadiz of 10-0-71 Digital Post for playing the keyboard and for engineering the track!

DOWNLOAD THE AUDIO HERE:

http://soundcloud.com/chrisbelison/chris-belison-one-and-only

Chris Belison - Biglaan (6 Cycle Mind Cover)

2012-04-05T17:03:00.001+08:00

Finally got the chance to have another session in 10-0-71 Digital Post yesterday! I did two songs and here's the first one. Here's one of my most favorite OPM song from 6 Cycle Mind, "Biglaan".

DOWNLOAD AUDIO HERE: http://soundcloud.com/chrisbelison/chris-belison-biglaan-6-cycle

Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to my channel and share my videos if you like 'em!

I do not own the song. This is just for entertainment purposes. No copyright infringement intended.

"Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use."