For inspiration, he credits The Lord for the gifts of music and visual art. “I give Him all the glory through the work of my hands.”
When he needs to unwind, Reuben enjoys some “me time” with a cup of coffee. Pen and paper are usually nearby, ready for a sketch, a lyric, or a passing thought.
We had a longer chat, and here are some takeaways:
On The CompanY
“My stint with the group contributed to its success, collaborating on its first 16 albums, including ‘best of’ and anthology releases, and sharing in its first 35 industry awards. I thank the group’s artistic and musical director, Moy Ortiz, whom I consider one of my mentors in the music industry. He has instilled in me discipline, creativity, artistry and passion in pursuit of personal excellence. He was, and still is, my constant reminder to rebel against mediocrity.”
On worst experience aboard cruise ships
“The worst was probably being discriminated against because of our race by guests who believed theirs was superior to being Filipino. Ana Fegi-Brown and I were the subjects of those complaints. Though painful, we thanked God for His grace because we handled the situation as the bigger persons in the picture. The matter was eventually brought to the attention of our amazing hotel director. It was, for lack of a better term — ignorance.”
On best experience aboard cruise ships
“The best experiences are those standing ovations after a show from international audiences. For me, this recognition is simply icing on the cake. It may likewise signify the respect and appreciation given to you as a Filipino artist — and that is priceless.”
On how OPM influences his visual art
“I will not say that my career as a Filipino singer directly assists in generating ideas for my artwork. However, being musical inspires me to be more intuitive rather than technical or academic. Humming while I work, or playing music from my laptop, helps me lose track of time while meeting self-imposed deadlines. The elements of music help me visually translate rhythm into composition and harmonize it with color. Music will always be part of my creative process, unfolding naturally rather than being forced, planned, or artificial.”
On present and future projects
“Some of my works are periodically exhibited at the ARTe ARTéhan Art Gallery of the Santa Lucia East Grand Mall’s IL Centro Building. I am also in the process of working on finalizing songs to record for digital releases this year under GRMilestone Records Production. I am just taking things in stride and with much prayer and petition.”
