You really can’t blame showbiz stars who put out records after gaining traction as an actor or TV personality. Besides, some of them really have the skill and flair to excel in music.
CJ Navato is by far an example of one truly deserving of a spot because he has the voice and the ability to write songs. He just happened to have the looks, too.
Judging from how he performed live during a virtual media conference for his latest digital single “In My Imagination,” you could tell he really has it. With him relaxingly singing and backed by his playing of an acoustic guitar that’s even slightly off-tune, he vocally soared as high as he did on the classy and bluesy master recording. He made it look easy, and so I further appreciated the raw beauty of the song that he wrote.
The track released last month and distributed by Ivory Music & Video is a follow-up to his other penned song released earlier this year, “Anumang Dulo.” This one, described by his camp as a “more mature take on love and relationships” is evidently a reflection of growth in his songwriting craft.
“First love ko talaga ang music and I feel so free when I’m doing it. At heart I am really a musician,” CJ answered when it was my turn to ask questions during the presser.
CJ has long been around, having gotten his first mainstream exposure in Star Circle Quest Kids edition in 2004. Fans should recall him appearing on TV shows Goin’ Bulilit, and Wansapanataym, as well as in movies Pagpag: Siyam Na Buhay, and Class of 2018.
But it’s in music that he made bigger impressions, with his celebrity performer stints in “Tawag Ng Tanghalan” and Your Voice Sounds Familiar. Thus, this year marked his re-entry in the recording scene, this time as a full-pledged singer-songwriter.
While he is not quitting on his acting or dancing which made his passage to the music scene less challenging, CJ found himself even more attuned to the life of being a musical artist. The way he expresses his experiences gives you a glimpse of a person who found his true calling.
Dubbed as the “Viral Crooner,” CJ is working on more songs to record. He shared, “Suddenly may madi-discover akong chord na ngayon ko lang na-play. Whenever I sing my unrecorded compositions, parang narinig ko na sila kahit hindi pa talaga sila na-compose.”
I told him that even Sir Paul McCartney thought that “Yesterday” was somebody else’s tune. It’s a mark of a songwriter with deep pop sensibility.
“In My Imagination” is “about fighting for love, choosing to stay together, learning from mistakes, and making things work.” I am not aware of whatever mistakes or crucial decisions he must have made in the past, whether in matters of the heart or career moves. But as far as his music is concerned, he is for sure making things work.