Back in the Philippines, where rock music holds its own special place in the vibrant culture spectrum, Bamboo has been considered among the most popular Filipino rock bands following the emergence of quality local alternative music. While the group eventually disbanded, the frontman Bamboo Mañalac has been a sensation all the same.
Affectionately called by his fans as the Philippines’ “Prince of Rock”, Bamboo has held his own in the music scene for upwards of two decades now and boasts of a huge fan following, primarily among his countrymen.
Ray McRobbie, Director of Entertainment, Radisson Blu Hotel Doha, told Community, “Radisson Blu Hotel Doha is delighted to announce famous Filipino American musician, singer and songwriter Bamboo, who will perform at Qube on October 29. He is famous as a coach for the Voice of the Philippines and as an exceptional live performer. We anticipate a sell-out crowd for the show which begins at 8pm. Don’t miss what promises to be a wonderful live music event.”
In the mid-90s, when the Philippines was witnessing a rock revolution, Bamboo burst into the scene as the lead singer of Rivermaya. Composing originals such as Ulan, 214, and Awit ng Kabataan paid off as Sony BMG agreed to release these tracks. The musical journey that began thus progressed rapidly with two more hit albums - Trip, and Atomic Bomb. The combined sales of the three albums is said to have earned them 14th spot on the list of all-time best-selling Philippine acts. When the band toured the US, Bamboo decided to stay back in Los Angeles, where his family lived, and returned to school, pursuing English, Philosophy, and Film Studies.
After making his fans wait for years, Bamboo returned to the Philippines in 2002 to helm the eponymous band Bamboo, and the group went on to release four albums between 2004 and 2008. However, early 2011, the band announced its split, promoting Bamboo to release an official statement: “As a group we have come to a point where you have to trust your gut, your heart and your head and accept that all things change. The hardest part as always is to know when to pack it up and part ways.”
After going solo four years ago, Bamboo has been winning audiences all over again, what with him releasing his debut solo album No Water, No Moon (2012), which reached gold in February 2013 after selling more than 7,500 copies. Also that year, Bamboo became a coach a judge in The Voice of the Philippines show. When asked what kind of artist he would like to coach, Bamboo had then said in an interview with ABS-CBN News, “I’ve been listening to rock for a long time but I also listen to other genres from rock to pop to folk to everything. I want someone who is open to all kinds of music; someone who is willing to listen and willing to learn.”
Alongside Sarah Geronimo, Bamboo and Lea Salonga returned as coaches for The Voice Kids Philippines from 2014 until the present. His new album Bless This Mess, recorded in New York, was released late last year.
In an interview with The National newspaper, last November, Bamboo said, “The new album is pretty different to the first, this one involves a lot more rhythm, a lot more volume, a lot more textures sound-wise. Coming from a band, it’s always the second album where you want to perform and go nuts onstage, so you write material in the moment – get personal. It’s building on what I’ve done before – another chapter, a fresh start.”