Kurt Diores Fick (CDN PHOTO/ GERARD PAREJA)
HE ESCAPED from a fire. Literally. Inching his way inside the café on a humid Monday afternoon, Kurt Diores Fick came in on the defensive, “Sorry to keep you guys waiting, but the cab that I rode in exploded, “ then showing us a picture he took from his phone of the vehicle engulfed in flames.
Yes, he was able to do his obligatory posting of the image via Facebook, with the thumb up emoticon to mean that he’s okay. Well, here he is, ready for the interview.
Still reeling from the success of “Hahahahasula,” a ditty which blazed the airwaves and social media, the 19-year-old singer/ theater performer/photographer maintains that his strength comes from his will to survive.
“I work hard. I have to fend for myself—it has always been like this—and I am open to all possibilities.”
Kurt waxes eloquent on how he want life to be, school versus the real world, and his experience on “unrequited love”. He sure
is fired up.
We saw an old You-Tube video of you singing at a wedding. That was something.
That’s what I do sometimes man gud when I do same-day edit for weddings, while naka projector na ang pictures or video on impromptu, I would then sing live.
I would surprise the couples… I mean, I love singing, at the same time, I love photography and filmmaking, so why not put them all together?
How did you get into photography?
It’s a long story. I was just 12 years old when I got my point-and-shoot camera and na-enjoy lang gyud nako when having that camera. I just got into it. I took and took pictures, until one day a friend invited me to join a Canon photomarathon here sa Cebu, I remember nga I borrowed from a friend pa his DSLR camera. It was my first time and I didn’t win anything, but I had fun. Since adto nga event, sige na ko ug borrow adto nga camera and eventually that friend left the camera with me.
What are you busy with now?
I’m a freelance filmmaker and photographer, so currently I do commercial work on food products. On the other side, magtukar-tukar sad ko with friends.
Do you have a mentor in your creative pursuits?
Actually, daghan. Bisan kinsa nga ma-meet nako who are also into photography. Daghan sila. Maybe because I started out as a kid and that they are kind of fascinated with me also helped.
You mean at age 13, photography is already your thing? Isn’t it a bit expensive for a hobby? How did you support yourself?
Let’s just say that I have always seen myself as an independent person, and even now, I sort of fend for myself. That’s why I really have to work. I don’t come from a well-off family, so back then, I would shoot using my friend’s camera, then go to a coffee shop and install Photoshop and from there do my editing. I did it almost every day, and that’s how my photography life started.
What is your favorite subject?
Aside from people, siguro weddings. Of course, the one favorite thing that I love to shoot is food.
What course did you purse in college?
I only took one semester of Psychology, and I had to stop because dili na nako maapas. I was busy with a lot of stuff, both photography and music, and nagka-line up na akoang tasks. It came to a point nga I had to make a choice. Soon, when I am no longer on a rush, and I don’t know when, I will finish my studies.
Your transition from photography to music—how did it happen?
Even before photography I have always been into musical theater na gyud. I was four years old and I was with this theater production called Out of the Box ran by the late Ms. Daisy Baad. I was into singing but after doing it for some time, ni-lay low lang ko sa theater. But I miss it. I think it’s been three years since I did the stage.
Kurt and Therese Villarante sing “Bok Love” in VisPop 3.0
How did you get into VisPop (VisayanPop) and eventually singing “Hahahasula”?
Friends mi ni Jude Gitamondoc (VisPop musical director) since I was 11 years old. He was then a musical director =of a play nga akong
gi-apilan back then,”Siddhartha The Musical” and eventually I would do stuff for him like patabang siya for pictures. Later on, he had this song called “Bok Love”… well, we know—for obvious reasons—why he made me sing it.
And it was followed by “Hahahasula” …
Early on, the initial idea was to have a girl sing it. Wala lang—Jude shared to me the song’s demo tape, and I remember, it was him singing the song. It was really a nice song, so mao to, gikanta-kanta sab nako, and then Jude decided nga it will be me na lang who should perform it. And this one is really
personal—timing sab kayo nga right at that moment, something happened between me and a girl, so mas naka-relate ko sa song ug samot. I think being in that situation somehow gave my rendition more depth because tinuod ang emotion.
How was the process of making the song?
It was a long process— it took Jude monthsbefore we recorded it. I remember that on the very day we recorded it, for me to really get into the emotion of the song, I turned off the lights sa studio. It was just me and Jude sa studio and I was really tearing up while singing it. Looking back, Jude always wanted to write a Visayan song of the same title… One day he saw this meme of Noel Ucat or Medyo Maldito with the line: “Di ta uyab, wala’y ikaw ug ako, apan kung magselos ko, ayaw pagbuot.” So he got in touch with Medyo Maldito, and from there they collaborated—the awesome drop lines of Medyo Maldito and
brilliant songwriting of Jude.. I think that’s how
it became a success.
What happened to that girl?
Oh my God! I don’t know, I think she’s happy. I didn’t even get to know her. Mao bitaw na nga maka relate ko sa song because… dili mi uyab, wala’y ikaw ug ako hahhahah! I do see her once in a while, but we don’t talk much.
But you cried in the studio because of her.
Ngadto ra to! Kanang emotions lang gyud to akoa hahhahah!
How’s life at the homefront?
Family’s doing fine— not the perfect family, but whose is? My parents are not together. I have one sister from my dad but I have three other siblings from my dad’s side and one sibling from my mom’s. I am currently living with my dad.
What does he think of your popularity?
Proud kaayo siya! Sige siya ug pangutana about the song since he is old… he is like 60 years old or something. So every time he hears the song he would tell his friends that iyang anak ang nikanta sa song.
Kurt Diores Fick (CDN PHOTO/GERARD PAREJA)
What’s an ordinary day like for you?
I wake up usually in the afternoon. I would then go to the nearest coffee shop for my cup of Joe and do whatever I need to be working on. Later at night I will be with friends—we call ourselves the Kawali Crew because before when we started becoming close, we would go to this place near Sykes and together we would have lechon kawali. Ninety percent of my crew are musicians gyud. Currently I am more involved with VisPop.
Do you have a dream theater project?
I haven’t been involved with theater for a while, though I was with Gugmang Giatay, so kadto siguro mura ug na
fire up akoang aspirations… that there should be more brilliant Visayan productions.
Do you have some ritual before hitting the stage?
I just drink, either Coke or water.
What’s in your playlist now? And your Top 5 songs?
I am into a lot of things man gud. Well, okay, in no particular order—”Lay Me Down” by Sam Smith, “Photograph” by Ed Sheeran, “Take Me to Church” by Hozier, as well as their “Cherry Wine,” and “Best of Me” by Michael Buble. And all of the Beatles songs.
And what’s your favorite Beatles song?
“Come Together.”
What fires you up more—music or photography?
If I would rate it accordingly, number one would be photography, but a very, very close second is music. Music is
really close to my heart because every time I am up on that stage, I am on a high. Unlike most people, I don’t feel nervous or anxious when I am up there—I actually feel alive! And that’s the feeling I get when I am in theater. Same feeling when I am singing a song sa stage, most especially if the song is something that I or the audience can relate to. It’s like telling a story. That’s why I will never let go of music.
What gift will you give yourself this Christmas?
How about a Sony A7s? Or a car! Realistically? I would like a lot of time with family.
