By Nestor Cuartero
JUST A THOUGHT: Whoever is happy will make others happy too. – Anne Frank
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INSPIRED BY THE MASTERS: Loosen up. Let go. Bare your soul. These pieces of advice from veteran songwriter Jim Paredes keep ringing in Ferdie Gardon’s head each time he sits down to compose a song.
The up and coming songwriter and music producer says he has taken Jim’s words to heart that he has now become more daring, more open, in pouring real, raw emotions into every song that he writes.
‘I used to be shy about opening up through my compositions, but after attending a music camp where Sir Jim was one of our mentors, I felt liberated and more free,’ Gardon tells us over a candle-lit dinner recently.
His new song, Walang Forever, is a case in point. Interpreted by new singer Erard, the song sums up Gardon’s life experiences after three failed relationships. What’s remarkable about the song is its ability to connect to the language of today’s millennials.
Listen to a few lines from Walang Forever:
Walang forever laging game over
Ganyan ang takbo ng pag-ibig
No happy ending, no happy feelings
No happy memories.
Pre Chorus:
Kahit pa ireset ang ating puso
Kahit pa ireformat ang ating feelings
Talagang hindi na ma-reretrieve
Dahil na-corrupt na ang files ng pagmamahal.
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EXTENDED PLAY: Walang Forever is the carrier of an extended play album that launches career of Erard, a new yet not so new artist. It is one of six cuts in the EP which has been picked up for distribution by Star Music and is now available on line via Spotify and other music platforms.
Gardon has written songs for Ariel Rivera, Chad Borja, Ara Mina, Rica Peralejo, Kris Lawrence, Kell Gatdula (now lead singer of Southborder), Ace Espinosa (now based in Canada with his own family), Shirley Fuentes, and 14k of Ryan Cayabyab.
He started his song writing career with Tascaro Music, under the tutelage of Nonoy Tan, whom he considers his mentor and navigator. Tan, a veteran composer, is currently president of FILSCAP (Filipino Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, Inc.).
He considers landing a finalist slot on ASOP Music Festival 2016 a milestone in his career. The festival unveiled his composition, “Patawarin Mo Ako,’ as interpreted by RnB singer Kris Lawrence.
