A dream come true.

This is how balladeer Jan Nieto describes his debut album under Indie Music. Since his singing career’s onset two years ago, he has longed for his own album to materialize. For him, an album is very important to any singer in the entertainment industry. With piracy problem flourishing and with the economic crisis, cutting an album has even become a privilege for a few artists. That is why recording his album has become even more special for Jan.

“All singers dream of having their own album. Fortunately it happened to me sooner than later. What makes it another dream come true is that it’s produced by my idol Ogie Alcasid. The feeling is overwhelming,” he expressed.

Jan also followed Ogie’s advice on recording an all-original album despite the trend in the music industry of just releasing albums containing remakes.

So is there pressure on his part having his debut album produced by a multi-talented and awarded artist like Ogie Alcasid?

“In a way I was pressured because I know Ogie has high standards and I’m trying to live up to those standards but in a positive light,” he revealed.

He added that having Ogie as a producer motivated and drove him to prepare hard for his album. According to him, he really studied his songs and put his whole heart in recording them.

“I really want to give justice to the songs and as much as possible I didn’t like retakes in recording the songs because I don’t want to embarrass myself to Ogie,” he shared.

His album’s carrier single is entitled “Bakit Kailangan Pang Lumayo,” one of the two songs composed by Ogie Alcasid. The said cut is also the theme song of the upcoming indie movie entitled “Marino.” Ogie’s other composition is “Sa Puso Ko” which is from his previous album called “A Better Man.”

Other noteworthy songs in Jan’s album are “Sana Naman” by Von de Guzman, “Is There A Way” by Gino Cruz, “Galing Ng Ginang,” a tribute to mothers by Roy del Valle and “Sangandaan” by filmmaker Joven Tan. His former rivals in the first ever “Philippine Idol” also contributed songs to his album like Pow Chavez with the song “Devastated,” Ken Dingle, “Holding On” and Miguel Mendoza, “Together” for which Jan himself wrote some of the lyrics. Making his album more special are his other friends from “Philippine Idol” and all-male group You’ve Got Male like Arms Cruz, Apple Chiu, Harry Santos, Bryan Termulo and Gian Magdangal.

“This is a love album and it contains romantic ballads which I always love singing. So I’m very happy that my album really pushed through...two years in the making but the timing was perfect. After ‘Philippine Idol’ I didn’t have a regular show for 10 months so when I got into GMA, it was just over a year before I got an album so sakto lang,” he expressed.

So does he feel that he has found a home in GMA Network?

“I’m happy of course. When I got into ‘S.O.P.’ two years ago, everybody welcomed me warmly even the show's big stars. I was very inspired with how they welcomed me,” he quipped.

A graduate of Management Engineering from the Ateneo de Manila University, Jan is also trying out his acting skills as he is part of the indie film “Marino” as the brother of Ara Mina. Aside from his regular stint in “S.O.P.” every Sunday, Jan will be busy this April with his mall shows – SM Bacoor, April 4, SM Lipa, April 5, SM Clark, April 17, SM San Ferndo, April 18, SM Manila and April 19, SM Baliuag.

True Blue, Jan Nieto is not just a rising balladeer but another talented Atenean ON THE RISE!