Martin Nievera bagets, fresh pa rin kahit 53 years old na

FEBRUARY 5 is a red-letter day para sa mga Martin Nievera followers because he is turning a year older today. Yeheyyyy! And today, he turns 53 – a fruitful one because all his life as a performer, wala siyang sinayang.

Pero kahit 53 na si Papa Martin mukha pa rin siyang bagets at fresh na fresh!  Anyway, each and every performance that he did all these years ay worth everyone’s single cent. Ibang klase kasi talaga si Martin, as a performer and as a human being.

Napakabusilak ng kaniyang puso – napakasarap mahalin dahil totoong-totoong tao. Long time ago, I mean, fifty pounds back (Ha-hahaha!), I was a Gary Valenciano fanatic. Yes, totoo iyan.

Alam ng mag-asawang Gary and Angeli Valenciano iyan na talagang super-fan ako ni Gary V noon. Kasi nga, nu’ng kabataan nila, guwapong-guwapo ako kay Gary. May malisya talaga ako sa kaniya. Ha-hahaha!

He’s oozing with so much sex appeal – I liked Martin’s music too that time pero mas dama ko ang kaguwapuhan talaga ni Gary. But times change – so does our taste as years go by.

Through the years ay mas naramdaman ko ang music ni Papa Martin, his songs lived with me – in my heart, in my veins lalo na nu’ng lumabas ang kantang “Kahit Isang Saglit” na alam ko namang hindi original ni Martin (kay kaibigang Verni Varga kasi talaga ang song na iyon) pero when he sang that for the first time noon, he owned up to that song.

Nakalimutan na nga ng mga tao na si Verni ang original singer noon. Though Verni sang it well too – punumpnuo rin ng puso pero naging mas mabenta ang version ni Papa Martin.

That’s when I think I’ve learned to love Martin more than Gary. Mahal ko pa rin naman kahit paano si Gary ngayon pero not as much as I adored Papa Martin.

Kaya ko nga siya kinuhang ninong ng anak kong si Carlo Brian because I saw the fatherly image in Martin na puwede kong pagkatiwalaan sa nag-iisa kong most-loved na anak, di ba?

There’s something about Martin na wala siguro sa ibang local performers natin. His wit – his humor – his persona, kakaiba siya when he sings. Kailanman ay hindi ko siya narinig sumemplang sa anumang performance niya.

I mean, never ko siyang narinig na nag-sharp or flat in any of his songs. Bihira ang ganyan. Lahat ng kanta niya ay panalo, sarap pakinggan.

Now that he turns 53, he still continues to dream. “All of us continue to dream all our lives. I never stopped wishing for the best, not just during our birthdays but all the time.

Kasi, if you stopped dreaming and wishing for the best, there’s no more reason for us to live. Wala nang challenge. Like in my profession, I am just so grateful that people still love me – my music and all.

“I always enjoy making people happy, singing for them. Sila ang ka-date ko palagi – my audience. I can’t imagine my life na walang music, I want to do shows. Any show basta gusto ng audience ko ang mga kanta ko.

I will continue entertaining them through my music thill the day I die,” totoong-biro ni Papa Martin na parang walang kapaguran.

Ngayong araw ay kakaibang selebrasyon ang gagawin ni Martin sa mismong birthday niya. He will do a two-night show sa Grand Convention Center ng Cebu City with very special guests KZ Tandingan (isa rin sa mga love namin) and his son Robin.

Sa pagkakaalam ko, sold out na ang tickets for Martin’s show tonight and konti na lang ang natitirang tickets for tomorrow kaya dapat mag-rush na ang mga kababayan natin diyan sa Cebu para makakuha ng seats for tomorrow.

Sa Feb. 13 and 14 naman ay magkakasama sila nina Regine Velasquez, Lani Misalucha and Gary Valenciano sa SM MOA Arena in a concert entitled “ULTIMATE”. Gosh! Casting coup nga ito.

Four of the biggest names in the music industry in one Valentine show – Diyos ko Lord, anong laban ng ibang shows dito, aber?
“Sa February 13 and 14, para kaming quartet dito.

We will be singing each other’s songs – hindi yung songs namin. Ibang collaboration ang gagawin namin. Hindi ito yung usual na shows that Martin sings Martin’s songs – Gary singing his songs – no! Maraming bago rito.

Masaya ito kaya we’re very excited to do these shows. Huwag kayong mawawala ang you will surely enjoy them,” paniguro ni Papa Martin.

Anyway, ibang klaseng kaibigan din si Martin. Aside from making you feel good by making you laugh, he also cries with you. He is very HONEST! Ibang klase ang honesty niya.

May times na baliw-baliwan siya – may times na seryoso siyang nakikipag-argue with you. Ganoon siya ka-open with his feelings towards anything.

Mali ang akala ng iba that he is suplado or madamot – that’s completely WRONG! Martin is one of the most generous artists and friends we have on earth – ALIVE!

“I am not perfect but I know I am a good soul,” he reaffirms. Kaya guys, see how Martin rocks centerstage today and tomorrow sa Grand Convention Center sa Cebu City and see how he fares with his colleagues sa Feb. 13 and 14 sa SM MOA Arena.

Basta kami, ipupusta namin ang buong buhay namin sa pinakamamahal naming kaibigan who happens to be the best performer this country has every produced – our birthday boy – PAPA MARTIN NIEVERA. No less!

Lastly, just want Martin to know that we truly LOVE him! 10,000%, ok?