MANILA, Philippines – 2015 has been a good year for Bamboo. His protege Elha Nympha won The Voice Kids season 2, his new album Bless This Mess was released Friday, October 30, and he will resume his coaching stint with The Voice of the Philippines soon.

In an interview with the press for his new album last Monday, October 26, Bamboo said that he envisions his new album to be relatable to the new audience he’s gained since joining The Voice‘s Philippine franchise.

“One of my goals is to make it a family affair. I want them [the audience] to come to the show with their kids. I keep that in mind.

“I have such a wide audience such as the lolos and lolas, and then I have the young kids who come up and ask for photos or talk to me because of The Voice Kids, actually. So image-wise, I just say keep it real. I’m just myself,” Bamboo said.

Bamboo said that he is looking forward to coaching the new aspirants on The Voice next year. (READ: Emotional coach Bamboo celebrates Elha Nympha’s ‘Voice Kids’ victory)

“I know The Voice is up in a few months, that’s something I have to do. I love that it’s The Voice Kids. That’s a hard commitment because every season, you get a whole wave of artists and believe me, you want to help every single one of them. So you sort of have to put in context na help them within the show. Because you have this growing family and you just have to help who you can help, and connect to as well. I’m very happy as what to has progressed through the years,” Bamboo said, adding that he’s happy for his first season protege JK Labajo, who’s not only into singing, but also acting.

Bless This Mess

Meanwhile after 4 years, Bamboo is back with a new album. Entitled Bless This Mess, the album brings Bamboo back to the genre which he became known for – rock.

“[The rocker?] It is there. I’m pretty sure it’s there. I thought I was going in a different direction [with the last album] but life changes. The key to anything as someone who writes his own material whenever is to be sensitive to himself, to what’s happening around you, and I think that’s what is,” he said.

When asked why it took him 4 years since his last album No Water, No Moon, Bamboo said: “I was really patient ’cause I wanted something special as well, something that was cohesive. Ang gusto ko isang buong (I wanted a full ) album… I did not want singles, I did not want to release an EP. Again I wanted a full thing, a full story.” ( READ: Sarah Geronimo and Bamboo on the value of being ‘makulit’)

The album contains 9 songs, including the kick-off single “Firepower,” which he wrote at the time of No Water, No Moon. A music video of the song together with another single “Nothing Like You” was released by PolyEast Records last October 17.

As for the title of the album, Bamboo said: “It’s going to be hard to explain. I want it to be as poetic as possible. Bless This Mess, and I want to be as much as when you read it, when you listen to it, even when you see the photo of how it is, you can see the process of what I went through. It can be myself, it can be anything, everything. People sort of relate to that.”

Bamboo also said it was a right time for him to go back to the genre he was known for.

“I guess it’s just the time, just what it was. When I went solo I always said I felt I was broken for a while. I really felt I was broken, leaving the band, I didn’t know how I was sort of lost at that time. So these 4 years gave me time to sort of shift gears, refine myself again as an artist, as a singer. And I wanted something rhythmic, I want something loud. I always wanted it to be a punch on the face when someone listens to it,” he said.

Bless This Mess will be available at all records bars starting October 30. The digital tracks can also be downloaded on iTunes, Amazon, and Guevera Music, and can also be listened on Spotify. – Rappler.com