Martin Nievera looks back on the Christmas that changed his life
Ask Martin Nievera what’s the best Christmas he ever had and right away, he will readily say it happened 40 years ago.
“I have to say when I was a father for the first time,” Nievera told ABS-CBN News. “That had to be the best. When Robin was born on November 30 [1986]. So, I had a one-month-old baby by Christmas time. That was the most magical Christmas ever.”
Nievera even wrote a song then. “It’s called ‘Miracle,’ when the baby was born,” he shared. “As if I was the one who gave birth to the baby. I was there, though. I shouldn’t have been there because it was C-section for Pops [Fernandez]. But when Pops was recovering, I went up the elevator and wrote a song in the shower.”
Then fast forward to present time. “We were shopping one time in, I forgot, some part of the States, and this lady who came up to me and said, ‘Do you remember me?’ I said, ‘No, I’m so sorry. I don’t remember you.’ She said, ‘I’m the nurse who watched Robin when he was born.’
Nievera is performing in Australia again after a long while. He will be in Sydney on October 9, Melbourne on October 10, and Darwin on October 11. Louie Ocampo will join him as his music director.
“This is my first time to do, like this in Australia in a long time,” said Nievera.
After that, Nievera returns to California on October 25 for the repeat of his successful concert with Jed Madela and Sofronio Vasquez, this time at the Saban Theater in Beverly Hills. October is Philippine Heritage Month in the US, so there are many Filipino shows being staged.
Then Fernandez will stage her concert on November 26 for her 60th birthday on December 12 where he will be one of the special guests. “It’s funny because I actually was waiting for the call,” he said. “I never got the call. No one asked me. So why am I guesting? Because, according to Pops, the exact words? ‘Hello?’ That’s it.”
Nievera recently released a Christmas single, “Christmas in Manila,” his collaboration with Italian maestro, Alessio Benvenuti. “When I first heard the song, it was three octaves higher,” Nievera said. “I wish I have that voice, but I’m a baritone. We changed and adjusted the tone.
“I also asked Alessio if I could add some lyrics. What I like, what I know and what I think the world is beginning to capture the early Christmas celebration in the Philippines.”
Their artistic synergy began during Benvenuti’s tenure as concert master of the Manila Symphony Orchestra (MSO). While accompanying Nievera onstage, the Italian maestro, who is married to a Filipina and has been based in the Philippines for more than two decades now, was captivated by the singer’s commanding vocal resonance and emotional depth.
Benvenuti set out to pen a piece custom-forged specifically around Nievera’s unique voice. The composition stems from the serene feelings Benvenuti experienced while living through the Christmas season in Manila and across the Philippine islands.
He dedicated the track to his loved ones in both Italy and the Philippines, as well as his two children – Leonardo and Michelangelo – born in Siquijor. He plays the violin and teaches his children, too.
“I am hoping that ‘Christmas in Manila’ can become one of the Christmas classics like ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.’ I can sing it when I go to Australia, when I go to LA. It’s Christmas in Hawaii.”
Nievera remembers even when he was growing up in Hawaii, they had a parol (lantern). “I don’t know where my mom got the parol then,” he shared. “The Christmas tree is up usually right after Halloween. My mom will have that tree up right after Halloween, in Honolulu and Concord, California.”
This Christmas 2026, Nievera was advised by Fernandez that she wants the children here in Manila by Christmas. “She is celebrating a milestone, although I cannot say the number,” he smiled. “She has the kids and our grandson coming here.”
Nievera has another son, Santino, who is based in Las Vegas. “I hope to bring him here,” he said. “If not, I’ll be spending a little Christmas here, then jumping on the plane and flying to America to celebrate with Santino. He’s 19. He’ll be 20 on the 23rd of this month.”
It’s very important that he’s with Santino during Christmastime. “Santino doesn’t understand why his mom and I are not together,” he said. “For Santino, you’re supposed to be a family every day of the year, which we’re not. So it’s important that every Christmas of his life, I’ll be there. So far, Christmas and birthday, I haven’t failed. But he has a 10-year-old mentality. So it’s very important that you give him a date.”
Writing Christmas songs never stopped for Nievera. Even during the pandemic, he wrote “Brand-New Christmas,” because everything was brand new back then – masks on, breathing new air, new life.
“As much as possible. If I can write one Christmas song a year, that’s my goal. I don’t have to release it,” he said.
“There are so many things about Christmas for me. Christmas is a happy-sad. I don’t know if that makes sense. You’re so happy, you’re sad. You’re so sad, you’re happy. There’s a fine line between happy and sad during Christmas. ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’ is a happy song, but with a sad melody.”
Next year will be Nievera’s 45th year in the entertainment business. “That’s a milestone,” he said. “Last Valentine’s, I started collaborating with the young people. But if I have to do a major, it has to be next year. I don’t have to wait till I’m 50 years in the business, I’m worried there might not be an audience anymore who will come in big busloads.
“But you know, it doesn’t matter anymore. Been there, done that. I’ve filled up and sold out Araneta several times. So if I don’t sell out Araneta again, there’s no reason to feel I’m a failure. We should be sensible. So, I always tell my colleagues we should not feel badly that we’re turning older. We should feel good that everything we’ve done, we’ve paved the way for those who can sell out by themselves.”