An exclusive interview with David Pomeranz
By Kristhine Robiso-Gestano
I came to see the man whose songs were the highlight of my growing up years but I walked away from the experience having so much more.
David Pomeranz catapulted in the limelight during my adolescent years when love is equated to “magic” and lovers are “kings and queens of hearts”; those years when mainstream songs evoke hope and not hatred or pain. His music enriched that untainted phase of my life so I was looking forward to conjuring up nostalgia, but I was proven wrong. David was to unconsciously teach me about his art and the loveliness of being a Filipino.
Meeting David
It was a beautiful Wednesday in June when this unassuming multi-platinum award-winning pop singer/songwriter and Broadway composer walked in 15 minutes early for the interview. It was his second time in Melbourne but his first time to relish the sights and sounds of the city so he might have tried to absorb the artsy ambience of Malthouse Theatre café before Purple Media’s Magda Petkoff called his attention.
It was not long that they caught sight of us and David approached with sincere warmth. I was unexpectedly overwhelmed. I have painted a hundred or so images of how that introduction would go and none perfectly turned out. The man was refreshingly honest, nice, and humble that he instantly made us feel that talking to him was the most ordinary thing to do in this world.
Being in Melbourne
David was in the city for the Melbourne Cabaret Festival which he would open that night along with other world-renowned artists which he described as an “eclectic group”. As part of the festival, he was showcasing a musicale in which he stars and whose songs he wrote and composed. He was pleasantly surprised to observe that Melbourne is a burgeoning city, very unlike the others he has seen which seemed to have reached their peak and have lost their direction.
Reliving Chaplin
Chaplin: A Life in Concert is an offshoot of the full-cast production, The Little Tramp, that David started with other artists in the 1990s. This is the first time that he has taken Chaplin outside of America. He was looking forward to the experience of sharing this one-man show, which his father convinced him to do in 2008 after seeinghimincountless backers audition, trying to raise funds for The Little Tramp.“I was toying with the idea but it was my father’s prompt that put me over the line…And now it’s this crazy show where I play 30 to 40 characters,” David smilingly explained.
David took interest in Charlie Chaplin’s life because he believes that the present generation should be aware of the greats of the industry. He even emphasized this in his Master Class, a two-hour session he did for free for aspirants in the music industry. He realised that most of the young composers do not know the legends, which he found to be quite saddening.
“I bring back the old brilliantly written things that are timeless like Charlie Chaplin and it’s not emphasising nostalgia or longing for the good old days. I bring this to the present and tell my students, ‘look at this’ and they are very touched. It gives them a new perspective,” David said of his encounters.
To date, Chaplin is one project, which David is most proud of being the first of its kind and having overcome the challenges that came with it. “The biggest challenge in dramatising a life in a play especially with someone as colourful as Chaplin is to what not to leave out…My job is to make it a real story and that someone would relate to that story. That it is Chaplin who is fascinating but it could also be anyone. If you could crack something like that, then it works.”
Love for the Filipinos
Even as David spoke of this different venture, he had the Filipinos in mind. He would interject on how he would love his Filipino friends to see it and how they would be surprised. When asked about this special bond he has with the Filipino people, the artist resounded of humility. “I’m appreciative everyday. It’s a blessing. It’s a cliché to say that but literally that’s it. I am honoured and moved. The Philippines is my second home.”
Second home it is and when David recalled fondest memories of the Philippines, the names of the artists he has worked with over the years seemed to easily roll off his fingers. He loved singing with most of them like Martin Nievera, Gary Valenciano, Christian Bautista, Regine Velasquez, and ZsaZsa Padilla, who is his personal favourite. He described them as world-class. He was toying with the idea of doing a duets album with different female singers in our country since he enjoys recording in the Philippines.
But it is not only the Filipino artists that David spoke fondly of. He spoke of the Filipinos with a sense of familiarity. “Filipinos are the dearest group of people I know and the people that I know who have been to the Philippines and know Filipinos all say the same thing. There is a loveliness about you. Generally, for the most part, Filipinos are very warm and sincere. They communicate straight and I love that. It’s what I look for.”
The singer went on saying with honest affection, “Filipinos touched me so very deeply and you are great people. Your love of family, insistence on education, on doing well, on honour and pride…it’s easy to say that the government is corrupt but the man or woman on the street is straight, honourable, you could trust them. What I want to say to every Filipino if I had something to say is I like you to be aware of your greatness as a group. You have every right to be proud as you are.”
This relationship that started with his early hits and peaked with his Born For You album, which earned ten-times platinum in the Philippines, has definitely gone a long way. And David does not take that relationship in stride. This first international artist to be awarded the key to Manila and a star at the Walk of Fame, is back in the Philippines to hold a provincial tour this July. He exudes humble gratitude, as if his talents have not earned him any right to all of the love he is getting.
But that is David. Even after his first night of doing Chaplin: A Life in Concert at Chapel Off Chapelin Prahran, he tried not to draw attention to the merits of the show which was a solid display of his genius as a composer, singer, and piano player, and a 
surprising revelation of his acting skills. To him, it was all about honouring Charlie Chaplin. That the show was a fun, crazy project was an understatement. David and the project are inexplicably one. It provides a venue for his fulfilment as a multi-talented artist. Yes, he is not a theatre great but the depths of his spirit and how he uses his incredible talents make him great.
When he said that there isn’t anything else that he would rather do in this world than make music, David was being downright honest. His every performance shows it. His contagious passion overcomes his age. I could not imagine another pop artist doing the same thing. And as the audience capped his performance with a standing ovation, I was left in awe of how this legend proudly adores us, which undoubtedly proves that he rightfully deserves the Filipinos’ love.
