Mig Ayesa has gone from starring in reality TV shows in the US to performing
in stage musicals in London. Fresh from his role as the male lead in the Bangkok performance of We Will Rock You, the 37-year old is now launching his debut album, Rock.

BK: Did you always know you wanted to perform?

Mig Ayesa: [laughs] Well, I was always a show off! We used

to do Christmas concerts for our grandparents where all the
cousins would get together to do skits and dance routines. I
would always try to be the joker and make people laugh. But
for me, why I love it so much, and this is a bit of a secret, is
that, I used to have a bad stutter as a child. But when I spoke
lines from a script or sang songs, I didn’t stutter. And so for
me that was real therapy. At school, I felt normal on stage
because I felt like people weren’t laughing at me anymore.

BK: When did you start singing?

Mig: I have always been singing and I’m the only one in my
family who does. My mom’s a doctor, my dad a solicitor.

BK: Were your family okay with you wanting to go into the

entertainment industry?

Mig: Well to be honest, it wasn’t really planned. However,
after high school, I did say, “Mom, dad, I’m not going to go
to university, I’m going to be rock star.” In the end, I did
what I had to do and ended up studying communications.
But I was always in bands and that was really my secret
ambition.

BK: How did the other career advancements come about?

Mig: Doing musical theater was something I discovered by accident.
It wasn’t planned on but it has kept me employed and
kept me going. On the other hand, it’s always been my ambition
to be a recording artist and now, in my later years, it’s
all coming true.

BK: Tell us about the album:

Mig: The original concept was to take classic rock songs and
rearrange them alongside an orchestra. Basically, getting a
rock singer to sing rock songs in a classical style. At that time
I wanted to include my own original material but they wanted
the album to be mostly covers. But then when they heard
my songs, they were really impressed and agreed to put a
few of them on the album. It would have been nice to have
more of my stuff on there, but I do have three, which is
great.

BK: You were born in the Philippines and have moved regularly

ever since. What’s it like not being rooted in one place?

Mig: I think I’m an eternal gypsy. It’s really nothing to be on
tour and to live out of a suitcase. My life at the moment involves
constant traveling but I can’t complain. I mean it has
its ups and downs, but all in all, it’s a good life.