By now, many fans of TikTok have sung, danced and enjoyed the popular novelty song "Jumbo Hotdog" by the Masculados.
Currently, the all-male singing group is composed of Chard, Robin, Nico, David, Enrico and Orlando. The hunks will be launched under the Marikit Artists Management, along with other upcoming stars in January 2023.
"Maraming salamat po sa lahat ng sumusuporta sa Masculados. Huwag po kayong mag-aalala dahil hihigitan pa namin yung suporta na binigay namin sa inyo noon," one of the members said, during an intimate press conference held in Quezon City recently.
(Thank you very much to everyone who supports Masculados. Don't worry because we will surpass the support we gave you before.)
Another member promised: "Abangan po ninyo yung mga bago naming project next year." (Look out for our new projects next year.)
"May bago na kaming single. Andyan na siya. Lulutuin na lang. Sa ngayon wala pang title," said one of the members. (We have a new single. It's finished but so far there's no title yet.)
The group said that Masculados never really left although they lay low when award-winning director Maryo J. delos Reyes, who managed their careers, passed on in January 2018.
"Hindi naman kami nawala at meron pa rin naman kaming mga gigs. Mga out-of-town shows lang. Minsan abroad. Yun nga lang walang nagma-manage sa amin. Kami-kami lang," said Orlando.
(We haven't disappeared and we still have gigs. Just out-of-town shows. Sometimes abroad. It's just that no one manages us. It's just us.)
Originally, there were nine original members of the group when they were launched in 2000. More than 20 years later, only six members are still active.
"Hindi naman kasi maiiwasan na yung iba ay umalis na. 'Nag-graduate na sila sa grupo. Yung iba nasa abroad, nagkaroon na ng pamilya, may business na. So kami na talaga yung nagtuloy ng grupo," said Chard.
(It's inevitable that the others have left. They've graduated from the group. The others are abroad, have families, have businesses. So we're the ones who continue the group.)
The group said that they are the original members of the group retained by Delos Reyes before he passed away. Apart from Jumbo Hotdog, the group also popularized the novelty songs Sana Mama, Lagot Ka, Macho Papa, and Macho Na Si Santa.
Not to be confused, however, the former members of the group relaunched their singing career by establishing another Masculados.
"Dalawa ang Masculados ngayon. Kami at yung isang grupo," one of the members revealed. (There are two Masculados today. Us and the other group.)
Another commented: "Ang hindi kasi maganda ay minsan ginagamit nila yung pictures namin sa mga poster nila. Ayaw naman namin na umabot pa ito kung saan kasi kapatid pa rin namin sila."
(What's not good is that sometimes they use our pictures on their posters. We want to have a peaceful discussion with them. We still consider them as our brothers.)
One of the group members gave his advice to the other group: "Sana ayusin nila yung pag perform nila. At magpaganda rin sila ng katawan kasi kami nagpapaganda talaga kami ng katawan."
(I hope they fix their performance. And they also make their bodies fit and beautiful because we really maintain ur figures.)
"At saka sana alisin na nila yung pictures namin sa mga poster sa show nila," another member said. (And then I hope they remove our pictures from the posters in their show.)
Aside from music, the members of Masculados are also busy with acting workshops. Many may not know it but all of them have appeared in teleseryes and movies.
"Pinaghahandaan namin ang dalawang dekada namin sa showbusiness. May plano rin kaming mini-concert sana abangan nila," said Enrico.
(We are preparing for our two decades in show business. We also have a mini-concert planned for them to look forward to.)