WHY RAYMOND LAUCHENGCO IS THE LUCKIEST BALLADEER

It is only fitting that Raymond Lauchengco’s 40th anniversary is billed as “Just Got Lucky.” The ditty by Joe Boxers was the iconic dance tune from the now-classic coming-of-age movie, Maryo delos Reyes’ Bagets.

The movie catapulted not only Lauchengco but also his castmates JC Bonnin, Herbert Bautista, William Martinez and Aga Muhlach to heartthrob stature.

On national television, my most vivid recollection of Lauchengco was his guest appearance on Student Canteen to promote Repertory Philippines’ stage production of The Sound of Music, where he played the eldest Von Trapp boy. He was also responsible for tickling the private school girl fantasies and sensibilities with his appearance in a pimple ointment commercial. Many were mesmerized by his undeniable matinee idol looks, and the singsong pattern of his English added to his guwapo (handsome) points.

Fast forward to the present, Lauchengco now sports all-silver, Richard Gere-ish hair, remaining congenial, dashing and sincere with the warmest of smiles. When I met him again recently, he said, “Oh, I remember you! We’ve already worked together.”

To this, my reply was, “Yes, we worked during the Back to The ‘80s concert.” His rejoinder was, “Oh yes, also at the Theatre at Solaire. That was a great show.”

Lauchengco’s concert, slated for 23 November, heralds his ruby year. It is not just a celebration of him being a romantic balladeer and actor, but also about the other facets of his artistry, specifically photography, direction and sculpting. The 40th anniversary concert features Waya Gallardo as stage director, while Marvin Querido (formerly of Neocolors) is the musical director.

Throwback

“That boy and young man is still inside of me,” Lauchengco answered when I asked him what happened to the lanky teenager from the musical and pimple ointment commercial. “He never left me. He is always in my heart. He fuels my curiosity and makes me realize that life is always a celebration. There is so much to discover, learn and make the most of our precious time.”

During his showbiz wonder years, Lauchengco had the rare opportunity to work with two of the last movie queens while they were still in their twenties — Sharon Cuneta in Emmanuel Borlaza’s Bukas Luluhod Ang Mga Tala and Maricel Soriano in Maryo delos Reyes’ Saan Darating Ang Umaga?

“Sharon was instrumental in my entering show business,” Raymond said. “She was also studying at the International School at that time, and my dad was the principal. When she came to my dad’s office one day, I think she saw my picture on his desk and asked who I was. When we finally met, she instantly became my first celebrity crush, and it was she who introduced me to Viva Films. As they say, the rest is history.”

With Maricel, Lauchengco shared: “I had an unforgettable experience with her. On the day of our first shoot, I was terribly late because I had a schedule mix-up. I was asked to do a recording first, then proceed to the shoot.”

“I arrived four hours late,” Lauchengco continued. “When I got to the set, direk Maryo approached me and said I must apologize to Maricel, who, of course, was on set right on time. When I went to where she was and apologized, she screamed, ‘Eh ano pa nga ba (What else could it be)!’ and stormed out of the room. I was shocked and stunned! I thought my heart was going to leap out of my throat — she was that angry. What was most surprising was, after she raised her voice, we had to do a pictorial where we had to act sweet. In a snap, she was out of her bad mood, and the photos captured our sweetness.”

Lauchengco considers the entire cast of Bagets and, of course, the movie itself, dearest to his heart. “Bagets made all of us,” Lauchengco said. “It was the definitive movie of the ‘80s era. It captured how and why teenagers behaved the way they did. It was an eye-opener — it helped authority figures understand how to deal with teens. I loved that their angst and hormones were integral to the narrative written by Jake Tordesillas. Another endearing aspect of the movie was that it gave value to the friendships we made when we were young, which became the long and lasting kind.”

Anthems

The songs of Lauchengco, particularly “I Need You Back,” “So It’s You” and “Farewell,” have become pop classics, karaoke and videoke favorites, and have been revived by other singers.

Concert director Gallardo’s favorite Lauchengco anthem is “I Need You Back” because, as she put it, “It has all the feels — the wanting and longing for a lost love.”

Musical director Querido’s choice is “Saan Darating Ang Umaga.” He explained, “Top-notch lyrics and melody.”

Lauchengco shared an interesting anecdote about the movie theme song: “It was the legend George Canseco who wrote the lyrics and melody. When Boss Vic del Rosario gave me the study tape to learn it, I was shocked because all that was on the cassette was him humming the melody, with some parts whistling.”

He continued: “When I arrived at the recording studio, there he was, seated. When I introduced myself as the singer of the song, he looked me in the eye, shook my hand and said, “Sandali lang, upo ka muna (Just a moment, have a seat first). And right in front of me, he wrote the lyrics on a yellow pad paper, humming and singing the words. Within 10 minutes, he finished it! Wow! That was indeed a ‘wow’ moment for me.”

Lauchengco admitted: “The song became a sensation, and its orchestration and lyrics were obviously due to the genius of Maestro Canseco. At that time, I felt I didn’t do justice to the anthem. In this concert, I’ll sing it with a new arrangement from Marvin. I can’t wait to sing it and for all of you to hear it.”

Highlights

The concert, according to Lauchengco, is “my way of giving thanks to everyone who has supported me — my Gen X fans, as well as the millennials and Gen Zs who love and listen to my music. To the composers I’ve worked with, who trusted me with their songs, whether pop or movie theme songs.”

Also highlighted in the anniversary event are special photographs and the stories behind them, as well as Kintsugi visual art pieces. Kintsugi, the Japanese art of repairing broken objects, was especially therapeutic for the artist, particularly during the pandemic.

“The lockdowns gave me the time to learn how to ‘unbreak’ things, inspired by the Japanese aesthetic but using different materials and methods,” said Lauchengco. “This creative pursuit inspired me more as a person. It helped me give more to my audiences and fans. Even though I’ve returned to performing, restoring things every now and then serves as a powerful reminder that it’s okay to have imperfections, to face challenges and to feel broken by the world. Learn from what breaks you and watch yourself grow stronger.”

Joining Raymond on stage is diva Bituin Escalante.

Just Got Lucky tickets are now available at TicketWorld and the Solaire box office.