Singer-actor Gerald Santos is set to take the stage for his highly anticipated Courage concert on January 24 at the SM North EDSA Skydome.
The event is not only a celebration of his music career but also a personal testament to his resilience after overcoming past trauma.
Santos made headlines last August after revealing during a Senate hearing that he was a victim of sexual abuse by a prominent musical director when he was 15 years old. His revelation came as he stood in solidarity with fellow actor Zandro Muhlach, who also shared his experience of sexual misconduct.
Santos, who first gained fame after winning the second season of ‘Pinoy Pop Superstar’ in 2006, remained silent about his ordeal for nearly two decades. However, he used the challenges he faced as motivation to rebuild his life and career.
In 2016, Santos successfully auditioned for the role of Thuy in the international production of ‘Miss Saigon’. He joined the musical’s global tour from 2017 to 2019, performing in five countries across the United Kingdom and Europe.
“Actually, ‘yung naranasan ko, it was not a good experience, I would say na mula nu’ng mangyari ‘yun, it made me a strong person,” Santos said during the media conference on January 10 at Pandan Asian Cafe in Quezon CIty. “Kung ano ‘yung wisdom na meron ako ngayon through time na-develop ‘yung strength ko as a person hindi lang dahil sa nangyari kundi lahat ng pinagdaanan ko, nagsama-sama na accumulative, e, ‘yan lumabas na lang sa Hubad.”
Produced by EchoJham and Visionary, the ‘Courage’ concert will feature Santos performing new numbers, including his latest single Hubad, written by Feb Cabahug and released on January 10.
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Many speculated that ‘Hubad’ (which translates to “bare” or “unveiled”) might symbolize Santos’ past experiences.
“Hindi naman parang destiny kasi nagkataon na nagbasa ako ng spam messages at doon ko nakita ‘yung alok ng composer and was willing to pay me just to sing her song,” Santos revealed. “Since nagandahan ako sa song sabi ko, you don’t need to pay me, let’s just collaborate dahil naniniwala ako sa kanta.”
When asked if the song was inspired by his personal journey, he explained, “Sa mga pinagdaanan ko, that made me who I am right now kung hindi dahil sa mga pinagdaanan ko ay hindi mangyayari kung sino ako ngayon. Kaya I’m thankful for that and I’m ready to face kung ano pa ang mga darating at mas matibay na ako as a person para sa mga pagsubok pang darating.”
Despite his past ordeal, Santos emphasized that he holds no ill feelings toward the LGBTQ+ community.
“I have nothing personal with the LGBTQ plus community and you know, ‘yung nangyari sa akin was isolated tapos itong person (nang-abuso) na ito, he didn’t represent the community really well,” Santos clarified. “So, it’s really the person, ‘yung kasalanan niya hindi naman kasalanan ng buong LGBTQ community, siya lang ‘yun, so, hindi dapat madamay ang buong community.”
Santos hinted that his performance will feature unique elements, including dance routines that will surprise his audience.
Special guest performers include Sheryn Regis along with other surprise appearances.
The ‘Courage’ concert also marks the launch of the Courage Movement, aimed at inspiring people to overcome adversity and find strength in their personal journeys.
