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By Ricky T. Gallardo
The untimely demise of record
producer Bella Tan not too long ago left a void in the local music
industry. Tan was always at the forefront of every major music
event, making sure that her artists, composers, arrangers, dancers
and musicians were protected, given their importance, and paid
properly. Of course, her company’s musical talents got not only
the pampering but proper guidance, training and most importantly,
vast opportunities to shine. Many of her artists looked up to her
not only as a big boss, but also as their second mother.
Fast forward to the present.
Bella’s son Jeff is 25 and ready to take off. In fact, he has just
launched his own company, which he aptly named Bellhaus
Entertainment, in honor of her late mom’s legacy. Bellhaus
Entertainment is a creative communications and entertainment
company.
Initially, Jeff wanted to
position the new company as a maverick record label that will go up
against the Goliaths in the music making business. Since he grew up
learning the ropes and intricacies of producing and distributing
music albums, he thought he’d be armed with everything he needed
to give the big and established companies, including those owned and
operated by his relatives, a good run for their money.
But on his way to running away
with a huge chunk of the music market, Jeff thought of a brilliant
twist.
“After months of brainstorming,
my team thought it would be most practical to set up a company that
will encompass everything a musical artist would need in order to
make it big: artist management, record production, distribution,
publishing, all the way to launching the album and staging events. I
was excited with the thought but I have to admit that I was also
overwhelmed by the scope of work to make a company like this
work,” Jeff explains, sounding so enthusiastic about his new
business concept.
Jeff, who knew the best and the
brightest in the music industry, made offers to Mony Romana and Noel
‘Dj Mod’ Macanaya they cannot refuse. Romana has fifteen years
of solid experience in business development and marketing while
Macanaya is a record producer, and an expert in product development.
“If you want the best people in
your team, you should offer only the best,” Jeff rationalizes.
I have seen Jeff a few times when
his mom was still in her heydays but he looks so different and all
grown up now. He speaks with such confidence and authority, without
being arrogant. I remember his mom telling me that Jeff used to be a
quiet, reflective young boy, but assertive. The mother sensed early
on that her son would make a good businessman someday.
Jeff shares that he got the iron
hand from his dad and his intuitive business sense from his mom.
“I guess I got the best of my parents’ traits. Of course, I need
to polish these and I have to learn even a little of my mom’s
great people and public relations skills,” he reveals.
He adds, “One important lesson
that I got from mom was ‘ Huwag pabago bago ng isip.’ If you are
bent on achieving something, go ahead, take risks if you please and
give your darn best to achieve your vision.”
Before focusing on this new
business undertaking, Jeff’s star was shining bright as a music
video director and he even directed his first full feature horror
film for the Monteverdes called White Lady. “I enjoy the creation
process immensely. I really learned the ins and outs [of production]
from concept to execution to post production in order to come up
with a product I can be proud of,” he relates.
For the initial phase of this new
company, Jeff and his team have already taken four steps forward. He
signed up Filipino-American singer Amber Davis, singing contest
finalist Drae Ybañez, pop band Mojofly and multi-talented artist
and funnyman Jojo Alejar to be the first batch of artists under the
artist management division of Bellhaus Entertainment. The company
has plans of reformatting Alejar’s UHF talk show. Davis will
soon launch her album while materials are already being gathered for
the albums of Ybañez and Mojofly.
“At the onset, we will center
on promoting and marketing these artists we have signed up. Of
course, I am looking into the possibility of opening new markets for
them in the near future,” he explains, adding that he is looking
to penetrate the Asian market as well.
Bella Tan used to open a lot of
doors for artists. Now her son has taken on that task and continues
her legacy. Jeff Tan is young, dynamic, knowledgeable, eager to
learn, and unafraid to take calculated risks. He has named his
company after her mom, who is now the unseen force that will guide
him in his every undertaking.
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