Pinay lounge singer plunks more than P1-M into debut album

Article from Manila Bulletin
by: Jojo P. Panaligan
                             

Tria Bascon (courtesy of mb.com.ph)

MANILA, Philippines – After many years of wowing the international audience through performances in five-star hotels from as far as away as Almaty, Kazakhstan to nearby Jakarta, Indonesia, Filipino lounge artist Tria Bascon has finally come up with an album---to the tune of P1-M plus plus!

Note that these days when technology allows many recording artists to make an album at home, spending a million on one is unheard of. From a business point of view, and in light of the sorry state of the local music scene, the cost of making Tria’s maiden offer doubles the risk of ever recouping the investment.

Yet Tria, who bankrolled the project, just laughed when these things were pointed out to her.

“I knew from the beginning that the cost would reach at least seven-digits. Pero what can I do? I want to work with the best musicians and to use only live instruments in the tracks,” she told Bulletin Entertainment in a recent interview.

One of the best musicians she pertains to is her longtime pianist Moreno Donadel, an Italian. As for the musical arrangements, she even got acclaimed vocal group The CompanY to do back-up singing on some of the tracks.

Tria is probably still abroad as of this writing but she plans to return and stay longer in the Philippines in order to promote her album dubbed “Wanderlust.” As the title suggests, the music and the singing in her opus reflect her travels and how these have influence her musicality. Aside from English and Filipino, Tria can sing in Chinese, Spanish, Italian and Japanese.

The singer makes no bones about her intention to cater to the AB market and foreigners. Although she’d be more than delighted if her songs are played on local radio and if majority of the people here end up embracing her talents, Tria says she is “realistic” and accepting of her niche.

“That’s how I started and it’s how it’s always been. I’ve never sung in bars but always in lounges and five-star hotels. Oh, I’d sing in fiestas if people ask me to---and gladly so---but at this point in my career, I already know my sound, who my audience is, and where I want to take my career,” she said.

“I have no illusions but I have my aspirations.”

Tria was discovered in Cebu and by accident. As bartender then, the owner of the club she worked at chance in on her singing when she thought no one was around. He gave her a break when the featured singer of his club did not show up one time and the rest, as they say, is history.

The singer said she always makes it known to her foreign audience that she is Filipino. In everything she does, Tria is conscious that she will be seen by others not just as herself but for her nationality.

“Kaya nga pinagbuti ko din itong album ko dahil gusto ko malaman ng mundo na ang gawang Pinoy, world-class at quality all the way,” said she whose musical style go from disco and broadway to rock and pop songs.

The promotional single off “Wanderlust” is “I’m Old Fashioned” which comes with a music video. Other tracks in the album are “With A Little Help From My Friend,” “The Party’s Over,” “Baby It’s Cold Outside,” “La Belle Vie,” “Two For The Road,” “Anos Dourados,” and “Magkikita Pa Rin Naman Tayo.”

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