Blog posts

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  Jun 28, 01:13 AM

  Back In The MiG Apple

  
  

  I have fallen in love with New York in the summer! It has been such a joy to walk my dog Powder in Central Park and watch her run around like there’s not a care in the world. I sometimes envy that. But I wouldn’t change my life for anything, as I am soon to be re-united with my wife Simmy, as I am flying to London on Sunday straight after the Philippine-American Friendship Day celebrations in New Jersey. I have not seen her since the beginning of May. This is a crazy life!

  
  

  
  

  
  

  I will be in London for but a week. I will be performing at Warwick Castle on 6 July with a 60 piece orchestra, 8 piece rock band and 3 other singers for the The Music Of QUEEN – A Rock And Symphonic Spectacular! I did a similar gig last August with the Bournemouth Symphony orchestra and it was one of my favourite gigs ever. I seem to be making quite a career out of the music of QUEEN, so thanks guys! This definitely beats working for a living. However, it is quite exhausting. I am not complaining, but it’s 3.24am here and I have just finished packing and cleaning the house for our new border. Poor Powder has no idea what’s going on.

  
  

  
  

  
  

  I must sleep now, so I’ll keep this brief. Just wanted to check in and say hi and howdy from the MiG Apple. Hope all is great in your side of the world.

  
  

  
  

  
  

  Always love,

  
  

  MiG
  

  
  

  X

  
  
• 

  Jun 18, 12:13 PM

  When You Wish...

  

  I have had such an amazing experience this weekend that will stay with me forever. Through the MAKE A WISH FOUNDATION, and with great support from the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong and all at WE WILL ROCK YOU, we were able to show some very special children what it would be like to perform on a professional stage, and to rock out in front of a live audience. These kids came on stage and we put them through their paces, teaching them ‘We Will Rock You’ and ‘We Are The Champions’. These guys were awesome, learning the songs and movements so quickly.

  
  

  Then it was show time! Their parents were seated in the auditorium, and with full lights, full band, full sound, the curtain came up and we gave them a show of a lifetime! The kids rocked out with the cast of WWRY and proved that they were the true champions of the world. The smiles on their faces were all we needed. Music truly is the universal language and what kid doesn’t want to rock out?! It was such a beautiful day for everybody and I am so in awe of the MAKE A WISH FOUNDATION and the amazing work they do.

  
  

  Again, another lesson in putting things into perspective.

  
  

  So it was with renewed oomph that we took the stage at JJ’s on Monday night to earn money for the MAW Foundation. It was a cracker of a night. The place was packed and jumping to such an awesome crowd. Thank you to all those who came to support us and this wonderful cause.

  
  

  My thanks have to go out to all at the MAKE A WISH FOUNDATION, Club JJ’s, The Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, Lunchbox Productions, Universal Music and Tom Lee Music. I also have a huge debt of gratitude to the WWRY band (Ryno, Nick, Llewellyn, Etienne, Edwin and Matt) and my gorgeous Killer Queens on Bvs (Annie, Lucy and Megan). You have blessed me beyond comprehension.

  
  

  Less than a week left in Hong Kong. I am going to miss this wonderful city. I wish it would stop raining! Enough already!! I hope all is well in your world.

  
  

   

  
  

  Always love,

  
  

  MiG

  
  

  X
• 

  Jun 10, 09:01 PM

  Yaya Emilia

  I find myself staring out of my hotel window at the spectacular view that is Hong Kong. I will never tire of this sight, and am trying to soak it in as much as I can. I have less than 2 weeks of it left. There is still so much I have not done here, but have tried to keep myself fresh for the show and for my duties. I am counting my many blessings and am so grateful for all the love I have felt and the good fortunes that have come my way.

  
  

  It is with this that I have a heavy heart with the news that my Yaya (nanny) Emilia has suffered a massive stroke in Manila and is fighting for her life in hospital. She has given her life in service of me and my family. She has been like my second mother, taking care of my brother and me in Australia for a year. She has shown nothing but love and affection to me and my family and she is truly one of the sweetest people to have ever walked this Earth. I do not know a life without her around. If I could just ask for her to be in your thoughts and prayers, I would be most grateful.

  
  

  I have been busy preparing for the gig at JJ’s on 16 June, and am very excited about playing in such a great venue for such a brilliant cause. The Make A Wish Foundation has been making dreams come true for thousands of kids for decades. There are no words that can give justice to the magic they do. Hope you and yours are well, happy and loved.

  
  

  Always,

  
  

  MiG X

  
  

  
  
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  Jun 07, 06:44 AM

  Music Matters

  The showcase gig at CLIQ last Wednesday for MUSIC MATTERS was a total blast! The WWRY band were tight and explosive. These young guys are the real deal. Enthusiastic and hyper-talented. They are a joy to play with and I am so privileged to be on stage with them. Everyone has been asking about the guys, so it was well worth dragging our asses off to the gig after an exhaustive show at the Lyric. I met a fantastic group of people from all over the world. It is a truly great event here in Hong Kong. My ears are still ringing from our hard core cover of I WANT TO BREAK FREE!
  
  Went to Disneyland with some of the cast last Monday and had a ball. My cynicism I thought I might feel dissolved away as soon as we got on the Disney train to the park. They just do it so well! The shows in the park were awesome. Thank you for taking care of us.
  
  Hong Kong is exhausting! The pace of this city is so like New York. Never ending and relentless. I barely have the time to do any sight-seeing during the week and it frustrates me because there is so much to see! I just may have to burn the candle at both ends for the next couple of weeks and get as much of Hong Kong as I can.
  
  I am excited about the 16 June gig at JJ’s for the MAKE A WISH FOUNDATION. It’s such a great cause and the people at the Hyatt and at JJ’s have been incredible.
  
  My CD is finally on sale at the venue’s merchandise stall, so if you are coming to see WE WILL ROCK YOU, make sure you come and visit me at the stage door after the show so I can sign it for you, ok?
  
  It’s 2am, so I really must get to sleep, but I have not written in a while. That’s a good indication of how crazy it’s been here in Honkers. Non-stop!
  
  Thanks for visiting me here…
  
  Always,
  
  MiG
  xx
  
  
• 

  May 21, 01:01 PM

  PERSPECTIVE

  We have just experienced three days of national mourning for those victims of the catastrophic earthquake in Sichuan, China. There is much sadness and suffering and the cruel loss of so many young children has pulled a blanket of sorrow over the earth. I continue to pray for the souls and the families of the innocent victims, the injured, the homeless and the grieving. It is almost too much to think what they must be going through. And to think so many deaths could have been avoided had the buildings been built properly in the first place. There are so many questions that need to be answered. So many wrongs need to be accounted for. They must not have died in vain. I hope that in their memory, a complete re-evaluation of the safety of all buildings everywhere is done to safeguard us all from this ever happening again.

  Everything seems to pale in comparison to the earthquake in China and the cyclone in Myanmar, but I am in Hong Kong and the show has well and truly opened. The response has been nothing short of spectacular and a successful season here is almost guaranteed. I guess there is always a place for an escape from the stresses of life and tragedy. If we can make people laugh and forget their woes for even a short while, it doesn’t seem so pointless.

  Everything is put into perspective.

  I had a visit from my good friend Warwick from England. He and his brother and carer came to Hong Kong to see the opening of WWRY. This was Warwick (Wazza!)’s first time out of the UK and even on a plane. The joy he gave to everyone who met him was inspirational. It was such a surprise and I was so honoured that he would go to such a length to see me here in Hong Kong, I am not worthy.

  Everything is put into perspective.

  I shall never want for anything but to be happy and healthy and to be surrounded by the laughter and love of my dear ones. That is all that should ever matter.

  Having said that, Hong Kong is going off! This city is too amazing and wonderful to describe. Every sector of the city is as awesome as the next one in its own way. The people have won my heart and I have fallen in love with this place.

  Sending you all my love to you and yours,

  Always,

  MiG
  x
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  May 12, 06:44 PM

  HANDLE LIKE CHINA

  I am loving Hong Kong!! This place is unbelievable! All I have seen so far has blown me away. The city has developed even more since I was last year and Olympic fever has hit here big time. The huge Olympic rings that grace the harbour shore give no doubt that this is an Olympic city (equestrian events will be held here). It also gives gives no doubt that we are in China.

  The earthquake today in Central China’s Sichuan Province has rocked the world more than literally. My thoughts and prayers go out to the families of those men, women and children still unaccounted for. To suffer so much in that way is beyond me. I only wish the death toll is not as high as they predict.

  And I am shocked and angry at the stupidity of the frustrating situation in Myanmar. How can a government just sit there and deny its own people the means and supplies by which they can survive, and watch them die, just to protect their own selfish power?! This insanity has got to stop! I am shell shocked, and see how futile my own problems are. If ever we need a reality check…

  Bless you all and I pray you are all safe and happy. I hope all you mothers out there were spoiled rotten on Sunday. I am a big fan of mothers. I come from a long line of mothers. My mum is a mother.

  Always love,
  MiG
  X
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  May 09, 09:39 PM

  KING HONG KONG

  I'm at the airport after almost getting car-sick in the taxi in horrific traffic out of New York. The lounge in Terminal 7 is an oasis of fountains and Sultana Bran. I have to board my Cathay Pacific flight in 10 minutes, so I have to rush.

  Hong Kong, here I come! I love this city. It is the New York of Asia…or is that Shanghai?

  It took me ages to pack and it's getting harder and harder to leave my beautiful family. I am looking forward to coming back to amazing NYC and making a life for myself and getting creative with writing and recording and auditioning and LIVING! Not to say I'm complaining. Travelling is always exciting. Just a little tired and emotional right now.

  Gotta fly…

  Always,

  MiG
  xx
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  May 05, 11:07 AM

  NEW YORK, NEW SITE

  Greetings from the MiG Apple. It’s so great to be back home and actually see trees of green, red and pink buds blossoming all over the place. The changing of the seasons is so dramatic here! I love it. Spring is so in the air, and there is such beauty everywhere it brings a lump to my throat. I thought Central Park was beautiful in winter, but wow! Spring has become my official favourite season, especially since I have had no major hay fever attack yet. I might be just in denial, but maybe I might be getting over this crippling ailment I’ve had since I was a teeny tot, where your eyes swell up, and you sneeze for hours. Claratyne is doing the trick. Fingers crossed!

  This new site I’ve put up must have caught people by surprise, but I hope you like it. It is so much more manageable than the previous site. I can edit it and control it completely by myself, adding everything I want to add and responding to those who want to get in touch with me. I guess there might be some improvements to be made, as I am new at this kinda thing. There are things I might have left out or added twice, but this is a work in progress as all sites should be. The beauty of this is that I can work on it straight away. It will hopefully be a source of entertainment and information as I move towards the next phase of my career.

  I head off to Hong Kong this Friday for the continuing saga of WE WILL ROCK YOU. This next leg promises to be the biggest one yet. A big promise to fulfil if it is to compete with Singapore, Auckland and Seoul. After Hong Kong we end our tour in Bangkok. The final show of this International Tour will be 27 July, 2008. There might be a couple of dates in England in August, but apart from that, I will be furiously working on a new album. There is so much to do, so much to look forward to, and also so much to worry about!

  So for the time being, I’ve added some songs in the audio page, videos in the video page, pictures all over the place and enough press and reading materials to keep you busy for a while.

  The whole new forum is a much user friendly format so I hope you enjoy being there. I am new to the whole forum thing but I will be reading every entry as I am the sole moderator…still learning what that means.

  I say hello to my beautiful loyal fans and welcome my new ones. I hope you enjoy the ride.

  Always love,

  MiG
  xxx
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  Apr 25, 11:11 AM

  SING, SINGAPORE!

  I can’t believe we are almost at the end of our time in the Lion City. It has been such a spectacular season in so many ways. The Singaporean public have embraced WE WILL ROCK YOU like nothing I’ve ever seen. The flags still fly proudly, lining the streets of this beautiful city, heralding our triumphant stay at The Esplanade. We have but four shows left, before we depart for our next destination of Hong Kong. I will never forget the warmth and enthusiasm of the Singaporean people. I have felt so welcome here, I cannot wait until I next return. I am yet to meet a rude Singaporean or one who I dislike. This is a beautiful country blessed with beautiful people.

  I am so thrilled that Singapore has also embraced my solo CD project. It has been selling at every good record store and hearing my songs on the radio has been a dream come true. The fact that MTV has picked up the video for SHE LOVED has thrilled me to no end. It is as though my career is only truly starting now, and I am so grateful for the love of the people who come to the show, listen to my music, watch my videos and greet me on the streets of Singapore with always a smile and a welcoming greeting.

  Thank you Singapore. You are a great way to fly. I will never forget my time with you. Let’s do this again!!

  Always love,

  MiG
  x
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  Apr 08, 06:22 PM

  NOTHING POOR ABOUT SINGAPORE

  I find myself well into the Singapore season of WE WILL ROCK YOU and continue to be run off my feet with all that is happening here, and all that Singapore has to offer. I have done a lot of publicity for the show, and am also thrilled with the way Universal have really stepped up and decided to back my CD here. To see my CD in the ’New Releases’ of record stores again has raised my spirits and have given me hope. If I can do well in Singapore and the South East Asian region, I would be more than happy to keep coming back to tour, record, perform, whatever!

  I recorded a ’live to tape’ unplugged hour for Harry’s ’Acoustic Lounge’ on Power 98 yesterday. It will be aired this Sunday at 4pm. I took along one of the guitarists from the WWRY band, Nick Kendell and we played a set of songs from the ’MiG’ CD, WE WILL ROCK YOU as well as a song that will definitely be on my next CD. It was so great to just play again, to sing my own songs. Nick is only 18 years old (!!) and played like a man with twice his experience. He is a monster talent. I am looking forward to taking the whole WWRY band to do more gigs around our touring destinations, as they are so itching to ’break free’ from their little band pod on the set!

  The response to the show here has been nothing short of amazing. Banners of WWRY line the streets of the city, people stop me everywhere to meet me and the audiences erupt every night. I know this job has to end sometime, but I am loving it while I can.

  It was awesome to have my family here for an impromptu reunion. Not only was my wife able to join me to celebrate our anniversary, but her Mum came to celebrate her 60th birthday, my Mum and Dad joined us after cruising down Vietnam from Hong Kong and a whole plethora of cousins and aunts and uncles flew in from New York, the Philippines and Jakarta just to join in, to see the show and make the most of the opportunity of being together in the one city. I was so busy with publicity, rehearsals and performances that the little time I had left to share with my relatives was a pure bonus. It has been a very special time in a very special place.

  Always,
  MiG