Matteo Guidicelli… the singer

At the grand media launch of Matteo Guidicelli’s upcoming concert, Hey Matteo, event host MJ Felipe had one request: “I had a conversation with Matteo yesterday. He’s nervous but very excited to meet with the press. But there’s one request that he wanted me (to) relay (sic) with you, he’s requesting if we could forget about him as an actor, as a karting driver or even as a triathlete,” the showbiz correspondent appealed. “He wanted us to see him today as a singer.”

It’s true that Matteo has worn so many hats since he started his career in showbiz as a part of a teenage comedy sitcom 10 years ago. Most recently, he dipped his feet into other waters trying out the action genre by starring in a film on human trafficking and the harmony between Muslims and Christians. Indeed, Matteo is a person who reinvents himself and doesn’t settle for just one specific facet of his career. In fact, he will focus on producing songs with his band next year, and hopefully hold tours in different schools across the country.

 “I feel like someone who’s just starting out in the business,” Matteo gushed after singing “Hey Yo!” and “Wag Ka Nang Umuwi,” samples of the songs that will be part of his Nov. 30 concert repertoire.

The show at Kia Theater in Cubao, Quezon City is a follow up to his last year’s concert, Matteo Made in Cebu. The show was a huge success as fans and supporters packed the 4,000-seater Waterfront Hotel Ballroom. And because of this success, the team behind the show thought of bringing the concert to Manila, which this time, has a different concept.

“The team wanted to stage it at a bigger venue but we thought of just holding it at the Kia Theater because I think we’re not yet ready for the Big Dome. Although I really trust my team, it is still scary to think how to fill up a big venue.  But I heard the VIP tickets are nearly sold out and the tickets in the other sections are moving so sana we can have a full house,” he said.

Matteo promised that his Manila concert is going to be “more of a rock and roll fun show.”

“We are prioritizing original music, more than the covers,” he said adding he will be singing the songs from his newly released album, which introduces the other side of him – as a singer.

 “The whole album was inspired by the whole truth. It’s about what I feel. I hope the millennials will also relate to it, if they’re going through the same thing,” he said.

The album, after his self-titled CD released last year, has 10 songs. Asked to describe it further, the Cebuano native explained it’s a mix of everything with emotions that range from being calm to getting intense. He also revealed that majority of the songs in the album are inspired by his girlfriend, Sarah Geronimo.