A celebrity (child) who can really sing
Nine summers had passed since I first heard the song “Not Like the Movies” by KC Concepcion. A decent OPM song I’d say and I give it 4 stars out of 5. One of the few good songs I first heard that year (which also included “Gave It All Away” by Boyzone and “Safe” by Westlife) and one of the most memorable too… All those memories are coming back to me now.
The daughter and only child of actor Gabby Concepcion and megastar Sharon Cuneta, KC Concepcion is one of the most beautiful celebrity kids in Filipino showbiz and one of the most sought-after brand endorsers. TV channel ABS-CBN did a special series on her which aired every Saturday in 2007(?). (Don’t know what she did to get her own TV series about her life except that she was extremely popular that time.)
I think that was the only major TV project she ever did; I can’t remember if she starred in a drama series or movie. What I know is that she had a song which I first heard nine summers ago. It wasn’t a popular song; it was a forgettable one.
The radio played my favorite songs… long time ago
Nine summers… or nine years ago, radio was my major source of music and entertainment. The internet (MySpace) was second. R&B and hip-hop were getting popular, and so was Kpop. Meanwhile, pop and rock were slowly dying.
Music was slowly losing its beauty and meaning; even R&B and hip-hop were not spared. Music was no longer serious business; it was becoming a farce.
Music was no longer a point for reflection; it was becoming garbage… disposable like sanitary napkin. Music was no longer something to keep and cherish for eternity; it was becoming something to be only enjoyed at the moment and to be discarded later.
Nine years ago too, I read FHM Philippines. The men’s magazine was my source of fantasy. But FHM Philippines is not all about bootylicious gals, ladies’ confessions, sex tips, etc. There are articles on a wide range of topics, such as movies, music, politics, sports, history, culture, career planning, and personal finance. Of course, FHM Philippines does not only teach men how to get the ladies and do better in bed but also how to save money and where to invest.
And with the ownership of FHM Philippines magazines came along the urge to go to places and have fun with friends. I used to hang out with friends. We would visit the mall; eat at some of the most popular spots in the city; go island-hopping; spend the night at their places; enjoy happy hour; etc. And whenever I can, I would make a quick trip to a bookstore to buy an issue or two of FHM.
Those were the times until I got myself a Hitachi laptop six years ago. With internet modem that I bought secondhand from an ex-workmate who still owes me pay for a side job, browsing and streaming became my hobby.
I threw away my radio; I now listen to Spotify, which gives me the freedom to listen to music I like anytime I want. I gave away my FHM collection; I can just visit the website and even follow beautiful gals on Instagram. I limited my interaction with friends; sometimes, I drop them a message to ask if they have links to certain movies or TV series.
Marie Kondo would be proud of me. I wonder if she listens to music, particularly “Not Like the Movies” by KC Concepcion. Why should she listen to it? It’s a good song.
Memories of KC
Back to the artist and her song, thanks to Spotify, I was able to reconnect with the song… after six years. The music streaming website’s “Discover Weekly” feature made me revisit KC Concepcion’s place in the Philippine entertainment industry.
As a daughter of celebrities, KC had an easy passage into showbiz, escaping the pain, pressure and humiliation one has to go through in entering Filipino showbiz. Because she’s beautiful, she got commercial endorsements. Because she’s a celebrity and because she’s beautiful, she got the chance to become a recording artist.
Unlike most Filipino celebrity kids that ventured into music, KC has the voice to back it up, plus her material (two albums to date) was 4 stars out of 5. Too bad her songs were not popular.
Like everyone else, she had her share of intrigues and malicious rumors. She was romantically linked to Piolo Pascual. And malicious tongues spread rumors that she’s the biological mother of one of Sharon Cuneta (her mother) and Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan’s (her stepfather) kids, and that the couple adopted and passed the baby as their own.
Wherever KC is now, I don’t know. I don’t know what she does today. (I read that she went to Paris to continue her studies.) Whether she settled down or remained single, I don’t know. But I’m happy that she released better music that most Filipino celebrities nowadays. She should be proud.
If my memory serves me right, KC Concepcion was the subject of my first ever Facebook (social media) fight, which is something I’d like to forget.
Music and Memories 