Rediscovering Odette Quesada
SINGER-songwriter Odette Quesada was supposed to stage just three nights of her concert, “Odette Quesada Hits 60” at the Globe Auditorium, Maybank Performing Arts Theater at Bonifacio Global City (BGC) Arts Center. However, due to insistent public demand, Odette was requested to do another night on January 31.
Hence, a day before her scheduled flight back to the US West Coast on February 1, Odette agreed to do the final night of her concert.
Last Friday night, January 24, Raymond Lauchengco surprised Odette when he showed up in the venue and agreed to an impromptu “I Need You Back,” singing one the hits she penned for Raymond nearly four decades ago.
“For the record, only Odette Quesada can make me sing ‘I Need You Back’ in a girl’s key,” Raymond said. “But what a show it was. Bravo, Odette.”
The weekend before, it was Agot Isidro who graced Odette’s concert at BGC Arts Center and obliged to sing “To Love Again.”
She was also joined by guests Jay Durias (of South Border) and Top Suzara, with Marvin Querido as her musical director.
Odette rendered for the first time, “Zero Gravity,” a wedding anniversary gift given on their seventh year together from her late hubby, Bodjie Dasig.
“He would always write me songs in lieu of flowers,” shared Odette. “When he was still trying to woo me and convinced me to become his girlfriend, he would always write me songs. That did not stop when I married him.
“I was not a big flower girl. I thought flowers just wilted away and you throw them out. Chocolates just made me fat and pimply. He couldn’t think of anything else to give. That, to me, is actually the best gift.”
In her concert, Odette rendered Carole King’s “So Far Away” which made it to her set list. “I now kind of understand why Carole King wrote this song,” she said. “I love the song growing up, but now that I travel a lot because of performing, I can’t really live the lyrics of the song
Odette also sang a heart-rending Barry Manilow song, “I Made It Through the Rain.”
On her birthday week, she was the recipient of the Ryan Cayabyab Award along with Celeste Legaspi at the BGC Arts Center.
“The award was given to Odette for her prolific compositions, from pop to theme songs to jingles, many of which became certified hits and have been deeply embedded in memory of generations of Filipinos serving as a scoring for the many episodes of Filipino lives,” read the citation.
In her speech, Odette disclosed she was born with the “oddest of names,” none of her teachers didn’t even know how to pronounce. Her real name was Odelavania Flewelling.
“Imagine that name plastered on any poster, album cover or on a metal plate of a trophy somewhere,” Odette lamented. “Thank God, I decided to use Odette Quesada, instead. You would have had a hard time pronouncing my name.”
Odette was a lanky, awkward 16-year-old when she joined Metropop Music Festival over 40 years ago. “I’m still kind of lanky, awkward 60-year-old standing in front of you.
“Who would have guessed that about 43 years later, my songs are being discovered, sung and listened to by you folks, your kids and begrudgingly your grand kids. Which, by the way, I am not yet a grandma. (Smiled).
“That is what music is. That is what music does. It travels through time and takes you along with it. So travel through music and the magical mystery tour that takes us to.
“My career would not have been possible without my lola Dorothea (her maternal grandma), without her slippers on top of the piano and the constant nagging to practice the piano. Her unwavering belief that I should be a singer, as well. She was my first fan. My first OQ-natic.
“Growing up, I would argue with her but always relented she told me to do, anyway. Arguing gave me the false sense that I was making my own decisions. It was her all along.
“To all the singers from the ‘80s who sang my songs – from Ric Segreto, Kuh Ledesma, Raymond Lauchengco, Sharon Cuneta, Vernie Varga, Gary Valenciano. Thank you all for singing my songs and making a hit of them.
It was fate and a man called Vic del Rosario who brought them all together. “To all my record producers and musical arrangers – Amado Triviño, Eddie Munji III, Gerry Paraiso, Danny Fabis, Dante Trinidad, Spanky Rigor, Tony Huelves and my late husband Bodjie Dasig – maraming salamat for elevating and enhancing my ideas to the next level.
“To AIP Media Production, Crossover Events Global, NY Entourage and to all the other concert producers who have helped me continue doing live performances after 20 years, a big shout out.
“Like a dusty old book in a run-down book case, thank you for believing that I still have what it takes to go onstage in front of live audiences.
“I don’t really have a lot of friends, but the very few I have are here tonight and I’m lucky to be still friends. By now, they are more like family than friends.
“My college friends Christine Bendebel and Alvina Sy, my high school best friend Melanie Gapiz and my lola figure, who has been a replacement of my old lola, especially sa kakulitan, Fe de los Reyes.
“To Pinoy Playlist organizers Noel Ferrer, Moy Ortiz, the BGC Arts Foundation and to my own professor, National Artist Ryan Cayabyab, salamat ng marami sa award na ito. Only I could fail music composition of Ryan Cayabyab and still come out a winner. That’s magic right there.”
“To my mom who decided to go shopping this afternoon and now she’s wiped out and could not attend her daughter’s tribute, I am blessed to still have her around to imitate me and she’s equally just as annoyed by me.
“And to my son, Darian, for whom I will give up all over again, this is dedicated to you.”
Odette also found time to bond with her high school batchmates, classmates and friends at Lore, the BGC restaurant of Chef Tatung Sarthou.
