By: Nestor Cuartero
JUST A THOUGHT: One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain. – Bob Marley
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GREATEST LESSON: The greatest lesson he learned following a recent bout with controversy, he says, is never to be too trusting with people.
“Tawag ng Tanghalan” champion Noven Belleza told a press conference recently that from now on, he will leave some of his provincial attitudes behind and go with the flow of city life. He thanked God that he survived recent charges of rape filed against him. It’s time to move on, he added.
Noven met media to announce the launch of his debut single, “Tumahan Ka Na.” The tearjerker song chronicling the struggles of families with overseas workers remains faithful to the so-called jukebox sound that was the craze decades back. Noven has jumped into that bandwagon of jukebox singers whose latest star had been Jovit Baldivino.
“I think many people miss the old OPM, the songs of April Boy Regino, Martin Nievera, Rockstar. By singing those songs, I think a lot of people can relate to my music,’’ he said.
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OPM OATH TAKING: Asked what lesson he may have learned from previous singers who came and went ahead of him, Noven promised to take care of his singing career, prioritizing it over his love life.
The eldest of eight siblings, Noven said he has a lot of obligations to fulfill for his Negros-based family. Part of his earnings has been invested on a humble farm lot where he hopes to build a new house for his parents.
In the same occasion, Noven joined the oath-taking of fellow TNT finalists as members of Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mang-aawit.
OPM president Ogie Alcasid, who led the simple ceremony, said the TNT singers are a welcome addition to OPM as they provide new voices to an institution in local music.