How Jose Mari Chan Became The King of Philippine Christmas Carols

From timeless tunes to holiday cheer, a look into Jose Mari Chan's rise as a Christmas icon.

The Philippines is the only country in the world that prematurely- albeit unofficially, celebrates Christmas by carousing as early as the onset of the “ber” months.

And in this digital age where memes are de rigueur on the internet, there is no bigger star during Christmas in the Philippines than singer-songwriter Jose Mari Chan who has become an icon for the meme-culture.

His hit single “Christmas In Our Hearts” is the biggest selling Filipino Christmas song of all time.

But what is it about Jose Mari Chan and his songs and why does he personify Christmas in the Philippines?

A MUSIC STORY

A businessman by trade, Jose Mari Chan's musical influence emanates from his mother who was a pianist. His father, an immigrant from China, was supportive of his son's musical exploits but was apprehensive about him pursuing a musical career on a full-time basis, skeptical of its financial viability.

Consequently, Jose Mari Chan found a way to strike a hybrid balance of business and music - currently running a successful sugar trading business when he is not busy tugging at our hearts with that distinct ariose voice.

In actuality, Jose Mari Chan's musical career is one that spans four decades, 14 album releases, with only two specifically themed for the Yuletide season. He is one of the country's foremost balladeers and has garnered 37 platinum records.

But his biggest hit remains to be “Christmas In Our Hearts” which is an ode to the Filipino's love affair with Christmas. This song was said to be the one that officially established him as the “King of Philippine Christmas Carols”.

This iconic hit was released in his very first Christmas album with the same name in 1990. The album went triple platinum that year and eventually earned the Double Diamond Record Award in 1995 after selling over 20 million copies.

Christmas in Our Hearts is currently the biggest selling album in the Philippines

CHRISTMAS LEGACY

The typical Jose Mari Chan sound is one that is clean, distinct and melodic. His chord patterns in “Christmas in our Hearts” are structured beautifully and transition seamlessly.

Christmas songs traditionally invoke the nativity of Christ, love and gift-giving, and these themes are beautifully transmuted in this song.

Most of all, Filipinos love to sing and although Jose Mari Chan himself owns a soaring tenor, most of his songs are pitched just quite right and ergo, singable to majority of the masses.

If I were to put a finger to it, I would just attribute it to our innately cheerful nature. We are pictured to be eternally smiling amidst the bleakest of circumstances and that is why Christmas, the season of joy, easily is our favorite holiday.

Jose Mari Chan encapsulates this spirit so well in his Christmas songs, and that is why he is endeared and celebrated as the King of Philippine Christmas Carols.