JOSE Mari Chan is the subject of online talk and not only because it’s September and it’s time for his yearly “ber” months anthem “Christmas in Our Hearts” to fill the airwaves. It’s also thanks to a quote he gave the Boy Abunda talk show “Fast Talk” recently, a piece of advice to young composers and singers.
Asked where people can find him outside of the last four months of the year when he’s spreading holiday cheer just about everywhere, the legendary hitmaker said he would either be at home or at work. Not a lot of people are aware that apart from making music, Chan is also a businessman. His answer quickly led him to saying: “Especially now with the technology change, it’s very hard to live on music. That’s why my advice to young composers, young singers is that: Use that as a hobby, or on the side, but get another career. Either in law or accounting or in medicine. And then just do music on the side.”
Chan, with his ever present smile, clearly had no intention to offend anyone with his statement but some creatives online have taken issue with it, sensing a whiff of privilege in the guy’s message. It’s easy for the veteran singer-songwriter to dispense such advice, they seem to say — Chan is a successful businessman. He’s in the sugar industry — he owns the Binalbagan-Isabela Sugar Company Inc. and A. Chan Sugar Corporation. “I’m in the sugar business that I inherited from my father. I’m running the business even until now,” he told Push in a 2019 interview.
One musician online said Chan’s advice is discouraging not only to those who want to pursue a career in music but in other creative fields, while another said it hurts musicians fighting for a more fair compensation from performance venues. But there are those who find nothing wrong with Mr. Songwriter’s advice and believe Chan is just being practical. Besides, it’s just advice, they say, and anyone is free to take it or ignore it. There are also parents who, even when they are in the creative field, would want their kids to listen to what Chan said. “You lose nothing by having a college degree AND music in your life,” said one Facebook comment. (ANCX Staff/ABS-CBN News)
