Elliott's Turn to Shine

Elliott’s turn to shine
By ELIZABETH S. TIMBOL
http://www.mb.com.ph/SCTY20070923103791.html

His big bright-eyed smile is the first thing you notice upon meeting Elliott Yamin, who was in a cheerful mood, despite having flown in at 5 a.m. Friday morning from LA.

He is in Manila for a much-anticipated series of performances for the Ayala Malls – Trinoma, Market, Market and Ayala Center – over the weekend as well as promoting his self-titled debut CD.

The world first came to know Elliott when he made it to the 5th season of American Idol.

He was one of the rare few who was able to get a heartfelt compliment out of the usually surly Simon Cowell. In fact, he (Simon) proclaimed Elliott as "potentially the best male vocalist in the history of American Idol."

He caught their attention with his rendition of "A Song For You." Of all the songs Elliott sang on the show, it was this one that meant the most to him.

"The song is parallel to some of the experiences I had on the show… it got me through to Hollywood," he relates.

The whole experience also came with a few life lessons for Elliott.

"This business ain’t all fun and games. You can’t take anything for granted. If you think you’re working hard, there will always be someone working 10 times harder. It can be daunting," he explains.

Elliott’s first exposure to music came by way of his mom, who was a singer and a local celebrity in her heyday.

"I would see photos and articles of her. She was one of my first influences."

He grew up listening to the golden oldies and standards from the ‘40s and ‘50s, which became Elliott’s favorites. "I found I had a great ear for that type of music."

As he got older, he started listening to songs that grooved on the soul side. Ranking high on his list of favorites from that era is the great Donnie Hathaway.

His first formal foray into music was a short stint with a jazz band back home.

"That was during a time when I was still nervous to sing in front of people," he says.

His self-titled debut CD is a gem one must have playing on their stereos or Ipods.

On each of the 11 tracks, he proves Simon’s prediction as true — Elliott could possibly be one of the best voices to emerge from the soul / R&B genre of late.

Every song flows with an abundance of emotion as it weaves tales of love, heartbreak and hope. His honeycoated voice rings clear with each note, infusing it with the soul that can only come from a musician’s heart.

He also took his music in a whole new direction, taking the pop / R&B / soul route, and carving his own identity as an artist. Talk about having the musical chops to make it far and wide in a rapidly evolving global music scene.

When asked as to how Elliott would describe this time in his life should he tell the story to his kids many years down the line, he says:

"The best time ever! I would probably be crying… tears of joy. I got to realize my dream and going above and beyond that. I can’t wait to tell this story."

This is just the beginning for Elliott Yamin, so it is obvious that this story is going to get more colorful, more musical and even more moving.

Listen to the stories Elliott Yamin has to share with everyone in his performances at Market, Market at 6 p.m. today, at Ayala Center Cebu on Sept. 26, 6 p.m. and at the Alabang Town Center on Sept. 28 at 6:30 p.m.