Anthony Uy: A Musical Journey Rooted in Family and Faith
/Anthony's grandfather first recognized his gift for singing after a Sunday gathering filled with classic songs, exclaiming, “Hey, you can sing!"
As a seven-year-old in 1999, Anthony didn’t take the comment seriously, but over time he began to sing more and began to enjoy the songs of Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Matt Monro, The Platters, and many more.
His singing has always been encouraged by his grandparents, and in 2005, while in high school, he joined the parish choir. It was there that he learned basic vocal techniques like blending, proper breathing, and vocal dynamics. Although it wasn't formal training, Anthony recalls, “That was my first exposure to real singing.”
He began to use his voice to serve the church during Sunday masses, as well as at weddings and funerals.’
Anthony Uy (Courtesy of the artist)
Anthony realized he might pursue a career in music after winning his first championship as Cotabato’s Pop Idol in 2008, which sparked his dreams of a musical career. This led to a local performance at the Cafe Florencio, followed by other gigs at various venues.
Anthony continued to make an effort to participate in many of the other popular Philippine TV vocal contests. “I auditioned in singing contests on national TV, I tried and failed many times,” he relates. “Maybe I was not developed yet.” Then, in 2018, he tried again and became a contender in the well-known amateur singing contest on ABS-CBN, Tawag ng Tanghalan (Season 30).
EastSide Band
Anthony and fellow musicians formed the EastSide Band while at the University of Notre Dame, where Anthony was studying Mass Communication. The group did part-time gigs to earn extra money for school.
In 2019, a viral social media post earned the EastSide Band one million views, catapulting it to newfound fame. The band was invited to perform on ASAP NATIN 'To with Piolo Pascual and Sarah Geronimo.
It was after the band’s breakthrough on social media that Anthony decided to resign from his job and focus on his singing career. “I think God gave me this opportunity to achieve my dreams in music.”
For Anthony, the EastSide Band is his “family in music.” They have been together for more than a decade and have grown as professional musicians. They continue to be a big part of Anthony’s life.
Last year (2023), Anthony and the band had their first major “sold-out” concert at the Skydome, SM North Edsa, Quezon City. The group continues to perform in well-known venues like Newport World Resorts and Winford Manila, where many popular artists also perform. Releasing an album and going on a concert tour are the group's big plans for this year.
As a Vocalist
Anthony is popular as a cover artist and enjoys singing classic songs. "Although I can sing in different genres, the classical ballad is my forte." However, in the future, he wants to be a singer of his own original songs.
Anthony’s songwriting began in 2018, and his current works are mostly hymns. The first original song that he composed and released was Meron Pa Ba with the EastSide band, now available on digital platforms. Other compositions will be released soon.
Asked if he prefers being a soloist to being a vocalist with a band, he replied that he enjoys both because some clients require solo performances and others prefer a band. He also enjoys performing for his own YouTube channel, Facebook page, and Instagram site.
His video, Stuck on You by Lionel Richie, is Anthony’s first solo cover.
"Music runs in my blood. I prayed and dreamed for it for a long time, and God answered. It is also a way for me to give happiness to people and for myself as well."
Collaboration
Music Travel Love is a Canadian duo consisting of Bob and Clint Moffatt. Anthony notes that The Moffatts, who later re-launched their duo as Endless Summer and then as Music Travel Love, had been one of his favorite boy bands as a '90s kid. "Their songs always remind me of my childhood years."
In 2021, Anthony auditioned for Music Travel Love when he saw a posting that they were looking for opportunities to collaborate with artists. "I sent them my audition video singing How Deep Is Your Love by the Bee Gees." After several months, they reached out and contacted him.
Music Travel Love seeks a combination of skill and uniqueness in potential collaborators. They note that "Anthony has a wonderful crooner sound and vibe."
“I was really happy and surprised. We talked about the arrangement for our first collaboration.”
When a schedule was finalized for a videotaping session in Daanbantayan, Cebu, Anthony was in the middle of a vocal competition on GMA’s The Clash. “It was really challenging because of travel restrictions due to the pandemic, but the collaboration went smoothly with their guidance.”
Their first collaboration, How Deep Is Your Love, garnered 49 million views on YouTube. This was followed by Imagine, featuring a variety of artists. Their next release was a new cover, My Love, which has reached 2.9 million views and counting. It was the first video they appeared on one screen together, as some videos are shot with artists in different locations and edited together.
Music Travel Love appreciated Anthony’s performance, saying, "We have always loved the Bee Gees, and Anthony crushed How Deep Is Your Love, and he nailed My Love as well, so thumbs up to both."
Anthony reflects on his time with MTL, saying, "Working with MTL was really a big opportunity for me because I learned how dedicated they are to producing quality content. They are really hardworking, and time is very important to them."
MTL observes that "Anthony is such a nice guy, super Filipino polite and very dedicated to his family." They believe Anthony benefited most from their push to have him focus in the studio. "We didn’t want him to just be good; we wanted him to be great, so we set a pretty high bar." Their mentoring approach also taught Anthony new vocal techniques and guided him on how to sing properly.
MTL and Anthony performing at the Asia Tour 2024 concert in Manila.
Anthony’s most recent collaboration with Music Travel Love was a concert at the SM Skydome Manila as part of MTL’s Asia Tour 2024. Other guest artists included Francis Greg, Bugoy Drilon and Dave Moffet.
MTL notes that "Life is about learning every step of the way. Always putting your best foot forward, remaining dedicated to improving our craft and having fun! That’s what these collaborations do for us – they check off all the boxes and hopefully we in turn provide these amazing people with an opportunity to share their incredible talents with our awesome fan base."
Looking Forward
Anthony has several aspirations and goals. One is to perform in large concert venues and undertake tours for both local and international audiences. He would also like to release a legacy album for the people who supported him and his group, EastSide.
He is also interested in mentoring and supporting younger, emerging artists in the music industry. He notes, “I want to share my knowledge with the young ones and aspiring musicians/singers because as we grow older, we need to help others achieve their dreams.”
Gary Ferrington is an advocate for emerging artists and is a contributing writer for Oregon ArtsWatch.
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