Martin Nievera has been in the music industry for over four decades, serenading generations with his timeless hits. And while so much has happened throughout his career, there are some moments he will never forget, especially his ‘firsts’ as a singer. From his first concert to his first big collab, the Concert King takes us back to where it all began.
Talking to Kapamilya Chat, where he took on a fun segment about his "firsts," Martin recalled that the first big purchase he made from his first talent fee was a car.
Of course, the "ASAP" pillar vividly remembers his first concert, which took place at the Folk Arts Theater on August 20, 1982. Titled "Wanted: Martin Live," it was such a success that a repeat was held just two weeks later. Both concerts were majorly sold out—no wonder he earned the title "Concert King" of the Philippines.
Another unforgettable show for him was his first international performance at the Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center in Oakland, California—the same stage where the King of Rock 'n' Roll, Elvis Presley, once performed. This happened in November 1986, making it even more memorable as his then-wife, Pops Fernandez, was about to give birth to their second child.
His first hit was “Be My Lady,” a song that remains alive and well even with the new generation today. He has a long list of other iconic songs under his belt, including “Say That You Love Me,” “Ikaw Ang Lahat Sa Akin,” “You Are My Song,” “Kahit Isang Saglit,” “Forevermore,” “Christmas Won’t Be the Same Without You,” and “Each Day With You.”
When asked about his first-ever duet with a fellow artist, he mentioned the most memorable one, which was his performance with Regine Velasquez. He recalled that the first time Regine guested on "The Penthouse Live," his variety show with Pops in 1982, he immediately knew he wanted to work with Regine. Fast forward to today, the Asia's Songbird has become one of his closest friends in the industry and, in his eyes, still one of the best singers in the universe.
As for his pre-performance ritual, Martin revealed that he always vocalizes before going on stage. But with his signature humor, he joked that we wouldn’t want to hear it because, according to him, he usually sounds like an elephant.