Martin Nievera celebrated last July 5 his 40th year in showbusiness. It's certainly epic, especially if you consider the platinum albums and all the sold-out shows which earned for him the title as Concert King of the Philippines.
There's also another highlight in Martin's career, and that's being the ambassador of Solaire Resort & Casino for six years now.
The singer recalled that it was a role he unabashedly applied for. He got wind of the news that magnate Enrique Razon was looking for someone who could do for Solaire what Frank Sinatra did to Las Vegas. Martin floated the question, "Can I be that guy?." And the rest, as we know it, is history.
Martin said it didn't matter if he never smoked, drank, or gambled in his life. There were other facets of Solaire that he could promote to people. In his own words: "as a playground for adults, as an option where you can beat the odds, as a place for shopping and dining...."
Martin was soon singing "Follow The Sun" He revealed that he even folded the hotel laundry just to have a feel of his new-found role as the face of Solaire.
At the back of his mind, Martin was also thinking of how he could give back to the community while representing an entertainment destination. With his youngest son having special needs, making a difference is what matters to him at this stage in his life.
The opportunity came this year when Martin's brother-in-law, Franco Del Rosario, intimated that he wanted to raise funds for charity before he finishes his term as President of the Rotary Club of Makati West (RCMW). The beneficiary would be the club's Gift of Life program, which oversees free life-saving operations for poor children with congenital heart disease.
Without hesitation, Martin agreed to the project. He waived his talent fees and even spent for his own ticket flying back from the USA. He also gave credit to Solaire management for "insisting on being part of this and giving things that we needed for free."
Soon enough, the staging of "Martin Nievera: Live Again" concert was set for June 25. The occasion also marked the reopening of the Theatre at Solaire after two years of being closed due to the global pandemic.
On Concert Night, Martin mesmerized the audience with his own rendition of well-loved hits from Sinatra, Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder and local artists like Ric Segreto. Of course, he also sang his bestselling classics like 'Be My Lady,' ' Ikaw Ang Lahat Sa Akin,' and 'You Are My Song,' among others.
A touching moment in the show was when Martin sang "Put A Little Love In Your Heart" together with kids from RCMW's Gift of Life program.
In total, the concert raised P3.7 million for the program recipients, with all seats sold.
During the turnover of the check, Solaire President & COO Thomas Arasi noted that the fund-raiser was in line with Solaire's goal to put "the Filipino first" in its corporate giving projects. "We are indebted to Martin for his selfless service and act of giving back to the community."
According to RCMW's del Rosario, the amount raised will go a long way to save children needing heart surgery and other interventions. He pointed out that 1 percent of babies born in the country have congenital heart disease. That's about 16,000 children needing medical treatment.
After the successful charity concert, Martin revealed that his next concert in Solaire will be on Nov. 19 to celebrate four decades of his music.