(SPOT.ph)Â Once the -ber months roll in, the Philippines goes into full Christmas mode on instinct. This means putting up decorations, scheduling yearend reunions, and yes, the rise of Jose Mari Chan from hibernation. You've seen a bunch of memes about it and yes, he does have other songs aside from the favorite "Christmas In Our Hearts." While that may be your fave holiday track, you might just get a new one: the father of Christmas worked with Ben&Ben, I Belong to the Zoo, Moira Dela Torre, December Avenue, and Julie Ann San Jose for Asia's first Spotify Holiday Single "A Perfect Christmas."
"I am proud that my song has been picked by Spotify to celebrate the holidays in Asia. Even more than proud, I feel blessed," he shares when asked how he feels about song being the first Asian Spotify Holiday Single.
The song is a new take on Chan's original song of the same name from his 1990 Christmas album Christmas in Out Hearts. He has several holiday songs under his belt, but Chan chose this song specifically because of love: "Globally, in any happy celebration, romance is very much a part of it, especially because Christmas itself means the giving of love. My song "A Perfect Christmas" has that universal romantic theme."
Chan has been in the recording industry for 52 years and while it feels new to work with younger artists, he's still honored to have met up with them to give a new spin to an oldie but goodie. "It gives me great pleasure singing with our young contemporary artists. We all belong to the same community of OPM artists," he says. It can get challenging to work with different personalities and voices, but the team overcame that "by making sure we are all in the same key and for the musical arrangement to fit the song and the spirit of the Christmas celebration as well," he adds.
The jolly man has seen a change in tides over the years and he's still around to spread the Christmas cheer. Chan is very much aware of the struggles young artists face, and admits that their probelms are different, but just as daunting and difficult. Despite that, he is hopeful and offers encouragement: "Our young composers need to have a wide exposure of influences and a wide audience horizon to sell their music to. Be inspired and keep writing new music."
