Ang 20-year-old Filipino-American singer-songwriter na si Michael Keith ang itinuturing na kakaiba ng mga kasamahan niya sa GAT.
Ang GAT ang P-Pop boy group na muling nagpasikat sa "Daleng-Dale," ang lead track ng debut album ng kambal na sina MM at MJ Magno noong 2013.
"Kakaiba" ang pamagat ng debut single ng GAT sa Viva Records.
Para sa mga miyembro na sina Ethan David, Charles Law, Derick Ong, at Hans Paronda, kakaiba ang kanilang grupo dahil meron silang songwriter at music producer sa katauhan ni Michael.
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Nag-umpisa ang entertainment career ni Michael sa edad na sampu sa School of Rock, ang American musical-comedy series na napanood sa Nickelodeon TV channel mula Marso 2016 hanggang April 2018.
“I started in the industry po nung ten years old ako pero sa U.S. po ito.
“I started in Nickelodeon and then lumipat ako sa Pilipinas noong fully 2023, but I first came here 2020 for my single release po as a solo artist,” pagpapakilala ni Michael sa sarili sa panayam sa kanya ng Cabinet Files.
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OFFER FROM BOSS VIC
Ikinuwento ni Michael na mismong si Viva Communications Inc. CEO Vic del Rosario ang nagkumbinsi sa kanya at sa nanay niya para umuwi siya sa Pilipinas at subukan ang kapalaran sa local entertainment industry.
Kuwento niya: “Si Boss Vic, pumupunta siya sa U.S. every year. He goes to film market tapos every time he goes to U.S., he would call my family and then, pinapasundan niya ako and we would meet.
“He’s like, ‘When are you coming to the Philippines?’
“I got to the point na 'okay, let’s do it,' kasi noong 2016 pa kami nag-meet.
“Nag-yes na yung mom ko noong 2019 kasi 15 years old na ako. First time ko ma-meet si Boss Vic, I was only 12 years old.
“My mom wanted me to live my life a little bit, become a teenager, go to high school, graduate high school, and come here po.
“Last year, 2024, we started GAT because in-offer sa akin ni Boss Vic del Rosario itong project na ito sa akin.
"So, I’ve been with Viva for about six years na po.”
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MICHAEL ON RETURNING TO HOLLYWOOD
Marami raw hindi makalilimutan na karanasan nang magkaroon siya ng partisipasyon sa School of Rock at sa ibang mga programa ng Disney channel.
“It was fun. I got to do voiceovers, I was on School of Rock, the TV show, mga ibang shorts din.
“Super super fun saka yung mga artista, they’re super friendly—sina Breanna Yde, Lance Lim, at yung cast ng School of Rock.”
May plano pa ba siyang bumalik sa Amerika para ipagpatuloy ang Hollywood career mo?
“That’s the goal po,” sagot ni Michael.
“I do have plans in the future. I am actually still active sa U.S.
"I’m an actor on the side, ACTRA [Union ACTRA (Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists], get projects every now and then.
"Kaya my situation now is I go home every six months and have projects and then pagkatapos, babalik ako sa Pilipinas, stay here.
“It depends on where work is po.
"Kahit nasa Pilipinas ako, I still do work back home via online, recording, and stuffs. I do vocals work for kids pop, makes animation and some dance po.”
Si Michael na rin ang nagpaliwanag tungkol sa partnership ng Viva Records sa Sweden-based company na The Kennel kaya nabuo ang "Kakaiba," ang debut single ng GAT.
Aniya: “Viva worked with them in the past. They produced for Alamat. They did Manila Dreams.
“We’re just thankful na Viva made the connect and they’re doing their part to reach out and get the best people to work with for us, and for Viva din po kaya kakaiba talaga yung dating namin sa single na ito.”
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