Filipino Singers

Celebrating Filipino Vocal Talent

Mark Bautista

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Quick Facts

Mark Bautista

Birth Name: Mark Arazo Bautista
Stage Name: Mark Bautista
Honorific Nickname: Pop Heartthrob
Birth Date: August 10, 1981
Height: 175.26 cm
Hometown: Cagayan de Oro City
Current Base: Metro Manila
Status: Active
Languages: Filipino, English, Cebuano
Additional Skills: acting, hosting, lyrics writing, production conceptualization, commercial acting, ramp modelling, painting
Label: Viva Records
Genre: Pop (ballad, OPM), Musical theater

Mark Bautista – Photo by Andy Ramos Letrato

About Mark Bautista

As a child, Mark briefly experienced middle class comfort in his hometown of Cagayan de Oro, thanks to his father’s stint as a seaman. Financial difficulties later ensued after his father got sidelined due to health problems. Mark eventually landed modest paying local bar gigs where he sang with the local boy band Voizmale.

Mark’s big break came in 2002, when he famously hitched a cheap ride in a cargo ship to complete an audition in Manila for Star for a Night. He went on to survive weekly eliminations and the monthly competition, a windfall of sorts for his family who benefited from his cash winnings. In the grand finals, he placed first runner up to champion Sarah Geronimo.

He became a regular performer in the Sunday noontime show ASAP in 2004. It was while there that he released his first album Dream On in 2005. Its carrier single I Need You stayed in the MYX daily top 10 for 8 weeks. In 2010, he left ASAP and joined the noontime show Party Pilipinas, and its successor Sunday All Stars in 2013. He joined the musical variety show, Studio 7 in 2018.

Mark also dabbled in theater. In 2011, he took on his firs lead role, Crisostomo Ibarra in CCP’s Noli Me Tangere, for which he was highly acclaimed. His most notable role, however was as disco dancing Ferdinand Marcos in the 2014 London West End production Here Lies Love.

Videos

Albums

  • Mark Bautista Dream On (Gold – 2005)
  • Dream on Expanded (Gold – 2005)
  • Every Now and Then (Gold – 2007)
  • I’ll Be the One (2008)
  • Nagmamahal (2010)
  • The Sound of Love (2013)

Theater

  • Noli Me Tangere – Crisostomo Ibarra (Tanghalang Pilipino – 2011)
  • The Full Monty – Jerry (Atlantis Productions – 2013)
  • Here Lies Love – Ferdinand Marcos (David Byrne/Fatboy Slim – 2014/2017)
  • Bituing Walang Ningning – Nico Escobar (Resorts World Manila – 2015)
  • South Pacific in Concert – Lt. Cable (Rogers and Hammerstein – 2015)
  • Eto Na! Musikal nAPO! – Rick (9 Works Theatrical – 2018)
  • The Band’s Visit – Rick (Atlantis Theatrical Entertainment Group – 2019)

Film

  • Lastikman (2004)
  • Paano Kita Iibigin (supporting – 2007)
  • Baler (supporting – 2008)
  • Status: Single (supporting – 2009)
  • Of All the Things (supporting – 2012)
  • Chain Mail (supporting – 2015)

TV

  • Star for a Night (2002)
  • SOP (2003)
  • Search for the Star (2003)
  • Sarah the Teen Princess (2003)
  • ASAP (2004)
  • Maalaala Mo Kaya (2004)
  • Party Pilipinas (2010)
  • Dwarfina (supporting – 2010)
  • Legacy (supporting – 2012)
  • Yesterday’s Bride (supporting – 2012)
  • Sunday All Stars (2013)
  • Magpakailanman (2015)
  • Sunday Pinasaya (2015)
  • Power House (2015)
  • Ipaglaban Mo (2015)
  • Born to Be a Star (2016)
  • Studio 7 (2018)

Book

  • Beyond the Mark (VRJ Books – 2018)

Previous Endorsements

  • Jollibee
  • Le Froge
  • Mang Inasal

Awards

  • Star For A Night Nestlé Star Simula Award Most Refreshing Talent (2003)
  • Guillermo Mendoza Foundation Most Promising Male Singer (2004)
  • National Consumer Awards Best Male Entertainer (2005)
  • Rotary Youth Leadership Award (2006)
  • MYX Music Awards Fave Remake (I Need You – 2006)
  • Awit Awards Best Regional Recording (Matud Nila – 2008)
  • Aliw Awards Best Actor in a Musical (Bituing Walang Ningning – 2015)
  • Guild of Educators, Mentors, and Students (GEMS) Best Actor (Eto Na! Musikal nAPO! – 2019)

Perspective

Mark Bautista is a rarity in an entertainment industry teeming with tenors. He is gifted with a rich, clear, full baritone that distinguishes him, making him perfect for pop ballads and theater.

Praise for the Artist

Mark Bautista is a surprisingly sexy Ferdinand, all smooth moves, smooth chest and smooth voice. He seduces the audience as effectively as he seduces Imelda. His voice is gorgeous, especially in the higher register and, like everyone here, he can dance extremely well, almost hypnotically. Annie-B Parson’s spirted, energetic and uncompromising choreography is deceptively intricate but always suits the moment and Bautista shines while executing his moves.

– Stephen Collins
British Theatre – REVIEW: Here Lies Love, Dorfman Theatre At The National

Truth be told, I have not seen a performance of his in Manila anywhere near as great as his performance here.

I always knew he was very good. Here, he is excellent. His singing is consistent, as it always has been, but his diction has vastly improved and his acting and storytelling skills are put to good use. I believe he is living up to his full potential, thanks to this show, and I’m confident that even more opportunities will turn up for him.

Bravo to you, Mark! It filled me with much joy and pride watching you.

– Lea Salonga
Tony Award-Winning Broadway Actress
Inquirer – Here lies a heart fattened by pride

Si Mark naman may sariling lalim, marami siyang pinaghuhugutan (Mark has his own depth; he has a lot to draw from). Ibarra is very deep, so it’s interesting to watch.

– Audie Gemora
Noli Me Tangere Director – PEP Interview

Contact

Bookings

Listen

Apple Music

On Instagram

Trivia

  • Before he became a singer, Mark excelled in oratory, winning the national championship of the ROTC Speech Contest in 2000.
  • Whether performing as a singer or an orator, the young Mark was extremely shy and suffered from stage fright. His mother put coins in his socks to keep him calm, an unusual practice which nonetheless helped.
  • He was an architecture student in college, dropping out in his third year. At one time, he used his talent in visual arts to win a caricature drawing contest.
  • Mark was the original Pop Heartthrob, a moniker first given to him in his early years with ABS-CBN.
  • He has some talent and aptitude for production conceptualization, leading his production team to five wins in his stint with the reformatted Sunday All Stars, and once winning the Standout Leader award.
  • He once dabbled in business, launching Foot Notes Socks, which sold socks that had inspirational quotes, a clever reference to his early battle with stage fright as a young performer.
  • He wrote the lyrics to the songs Kaya Mo and OK Lang. His inspiration for OK Lang was Iza Calzado.

Posted: October 26, 2018
Updated: February 22, 2021

Profile photo used with permission from Andy Ramos Letrato.