JOSE MARI CHAN revealed that he has stopped receiving royalties from his songs due to declining record sales and digital consumption.
Chan made the revelation during the press conference for his upcoming concert “Afterglow: Seasons of the Heart” in Pasay City on Tuesday, June 23.
“Unfortunately, since record sales are almost zero now, nobody buys records. Nobody buys CDs anymore. They download. And so, it’s hard to quantify those. So, I have not been receiving my checks from those recording companies,” he said.
Chan, whose catalog includes enduring hits such as “Beautiful Girl,” “Can We Just Stop and Talk Awhile” and the perennial Christmas favorite “Christmas in Our Hearts,” admitted feeling frustrated by the situation, particularly for younger artists trying to build careers in music.
“I feel frustrated, but more so, I feel frustrated for the young singer-songwriters in this country. What is the future that they can look forward to?” he said.
“If they don’t have money, where can they get their income from? How can they support their families? They have to look for other jobs. How frustrating, no?” added the veteran singer-songwriter.
When asked when the payments stopped, Chan said he could not recall exactly when he last received royalties.
Despite no longer receiving royalty checks, Chan said the appreciation people have shown for his music over the decades remains more rewarding than financial compensation.
“Because the joy comes from people liking my songs and making my songs a part of their lives. That’s more than any check that I can receive,” he said.
“Music is God’s gift to me. And the joy that I give to people, that’s more than any amount of check that I can have,” he added.
The 81-year-old performer also dismissed the idea of retirement in the near future, saying he intends to continue performing for as long as audiences remain supportive.
“I don’t know. I think for as long as the audience is there, I’m happy to sing for them. God willing,” he expressed.
“Because music is God’s gift to me. And expressing my songs and giving joy to people, that’s my gift back to God,” Chan added. (Jessica Ann Evangelista © Philippine Daily Inquirer)
