BONNYVILLE - Luke Mejares played in Bonnyville at the C2 Centre on Aug 2, during his Canadian Soulful Summer Tour. Mejares sang his romantic, upbeat, and joyful set to an adoring crowd, being the first Filipino musician to grace the stage in Bonnyville.
Mejares is a singer-songwriter, and Philippine Movie Press Club's Male 2021 performer of the year.
"It was an honour performing in Bonnyville. I was overwhelmed with joy to see not only Filipinos but also Canadians in the audience," said Mejares.
Nathaniel Gumangan, event organizer and unofficial ‘Filipino mayor of Bonnyville’, said the event was put on not only to bring Filipinos together to enjoy their culture and strengthen the bonds within their diaspora, but as an event for everyone to enjoy Filipino talent and create connections within the entire community.
Gumangan is a community organizer with the Filipino Canadian Community of Bonnyville, Alberta, and explains that even within the Filipino community, there are people from many different islands and religions, and events like the Luke Mejares concert, give the Filipino community a chance to build solidarity with one another.
"It feels like the greatest privilege to sing for the Filipinos in Bonnyville because I know how they work so hard for their families and they miss home; and to see their faces light up when I sing Filipino songs makes it all worthwhile," said Mejares
Gumangan praised event producer and organizer Jha Albiso, owner of Bonnyville’s GAB store, for taking a big risk in putting down money to bring in a Filipino artist.
“She just said 'let's try - let's let the Filipinos be happy'. And so, we were able to put on this event with her help…She’s a very brave lady.”
Albiso extended her gratitude to everyone who attended the event, the performers, and sponsors, who made the night a success. Albiso felt emotional as the accumulation of all her hard work and investment resulted in a wonderful evening that was enjoyed by all.
When organizing the event, Gumangan used his extensive networking within the Filipino community, to ask if there were any local talents that wanted to perform at the event.
“I would contact one person, and they would say “oh my niece sings” and I would say “okay, approved.” It’s nice to show our local talent and give them a place to perform.”
Performer Zophia Tendido was “deeply honored” to be a special guest at the concert, especially as it is the first of its kind in Bonnyville and gave her the special opportunity to perform alongside Mejares, who is a well-known figure in the Filipino music scene.
“The town has a large Filipino community, and being able to share original Filipino music and showcase Filipino talent in music and dance was a fantastic way to celebrate our culture...The event was a true celebration of people, and I’m grateful to have been part of it,” said Tendido.
After a four-year hiatus from performing due to the pandemic, Tendido reports that the experience reignited her calling for performing.
“I have been passionate about singing and been doing so since I was three years old, and having the chance to share my love for music and connect with the audience was incredibly fulfilling...I hope I was able to bring joy to the audience and complement the ‘Soulful Summer’ theme of the event.”
Tendido mirrored Gumangan’s sentiments about the unity music and events like these can foster.
“Music has always been a universal language that transcends cultural barriers and brings people together. This concert was a beautiful illustration of that, as it united people from different backgrounds... It was not just an event but a celebration of community, music, and the love for fun.”
"Filipinos love to sing. We always gather in groups in houses and sing our hearts out. That’s who we are. My performance exemplifies that love we have for singing and dancing. I sing so that my audience can sing with me, and dance so that they can dance like there’s no tomorrow," said Mejares.
