Cholo dela Cruz, iniwan ang solo career para sa 'To The Top'

By MERYL LIGUNAS



Bago siya sumali sa To The Top, aktibo na si Cholo sa music industry.

“I was a singer/songwriter for Flip Music. On the side, I write songs for different artists and then I also have my own songs and other songs lined up,” kuwento niya.

Pinili niyang iwanan muna ang kanyang kinagawian nang dumating ang opportunity na maging parte ng first multi-platform boy band competition ng bansa.

“I had to stop that for this [which I think is] a good choice. [This is] a great experience, I get to learn more about my craft, get to learn more about myself [and] my talents… things that I can’t learn by myself when I’m a solo artist,” dagdag niya.

Hilig talaga ng Mr. DJ ng Marikina ang pag-co-compose. Ibinahagi niyang nakaka-isip siya ng lyrics kahit habang naliligo.

WATCH: Cholo dela Cruz, ang Mr. DJ ng Marikina 

“Sometimes, I have random words in my head. Whenever I would go to the shower, I suddenly talk or sing random words and then ginagawa ko na lang is kapag may naisip akong magandang lyrics, I turn on the recorder of my phone and then I just sing in the shower hanggang sa matapos ko yung song, then I finish it in my room,” sabi niya.

Tingin niya’y higit na makakatulong ang To The Top para mahasa niya ang kanyang talento, at may matutunan rin siyang iba.

“[When I get to perform here], sobrang nakaka-overwhelm. I haven’t seen that much appreciation for [my] craft, for what I do. [After the first time I performed onstage for this show], sabi ko this is something I’m excited to experience again and again, so ang motivation ko is [to] keep winning,” aniya.

Inamin rin niya na hindi niya pinangarap makasama sa boy band dahil naka-focus siya sa pagkakaroon ng solo career. Gayunpaman, binago ng programa ang kanyang mga plano at pag-iisip.

“I actually wanted a solo career talaga ever since but then seeing [how much] talent we have in the show, parang it’s actually a great idea [to be part of a boy band] kasi this show is changing how Filipinos should perceive boy bands. We’re not just the cheesy, pa-cute boy bands. We’re actually boys with talent. [We want to show that] we’re not just some boy band. We’re a boy band to watch out for,” idineklara niya.