entertain

I don’t remember how I ever found him, but I know that I will never forget him. I was just absentmindedly searching through the millions of videos on Youtube and I found him. With his cute trademark welcoming “ello” at the beginning of his videos and the way he never likes to wear the same shirt in his famous round of videos named “One Take Sessions”, Gabe Bondoc is an extremely likeable Youtube star from first glance. But what exactly does he do? Does he make people laugh by doing crazy things? Does he rant and rave about today’s bad examples that movie stars leave on the younger generation?

Past the adorable appearance and underneath the multi-colored shirts is a voice that could blow you away coupled with his amazing guitar playing skills.

That’s right, ladies and gentlemen. He’s a singer.

Like all the great singers on Youtube, he has an amazing selection of covers ranging from Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida” to “I Kissed a Girl” by Katy Perry. He even takes us back to the past with covers of “I Wanna Be Down” by Brandy and “It’s Gonna Be Me” by N’Sync (that I listen to on repeat when I want to be rocked by the not so boyband sounding version). And sometimes you’ll find a song that is sung with so much feeling that you will be instantly mesmerized by it. That song for Bondoc is a cover of Keyshia Cole’s “I Remember”. Halfway through the song he gets choked up and pauses for only about half a second just to regain composure and keeps singing.

But no one can stay in “Cover-land” for too long. Anyone can sing a cover of a song, but Bondoc is also a songwriter.

Vocally (and maybe also lyrically), Bondoc is like a John Mayer/Jason Mraz super hybrid mixed with his own style and personality (and leaning more towards the John Mayer side). He’ll write 16 bars about a well dressed girl just for fun or he’ll write about  about the demise of a relationship that the guy wanted so badly to work. Listening to his voice gives me an easy feeling on the inside because it sounds so gentle that as a listener I would believe nearly anything he sings about. The kind reassurance that everything is going to be fine despite hardships is hard to find in a singer’s voice, but it’s found in his, and I enjoy it.

I recommend the talented Gabe Bondoc to those who don’t need a whole bunch of instruments clogging up their ears. To those who will do fine listening to an acoustic guitar coupled with a smooth sounding voice. To those who want to explore the simplicity and move towards the basics. These days you hear music with blaring bass and high tops and on top of that are rappers who usually rap about nonsense (or who rap so fast you barely understand what they’re saying so don’t know if they actually have something good to say). I offer you a remedy… and his name is Gabe Bondoc.

Links for your listening and viewing pleasures:
www.youtube.com/gabebondoc
www.myspace.com/imgabe

Recommended (Original Songs):
“Suitcases (and Travelbags)”
“Gentlemen Don’t”
“Superhuman”
(all of which can be found on Youtube by running a search)