The Heart of R&B: Kris Lawrence

Kris Lawrence was in town for Ayala Center Cebu’s Back-to-School Mallwide Sale as he serenaded the Cebuanos with his soulful rhythmic rendition of 90’s love songs and a medley of top 40 hits.


The singer-songwriter started making a name for himself when he won the Search for Star in Million which paved the way to his musical career. He became a mainstay of the weekly variety show, Party Pilipinas and been performing in different television programs. With four albums to his name since he first started out – self-titled album, Kris Lawrence, Moments of Love, Spread the Love and Most Requested Playlist which is his latest album.

Minutes before he performed at The Gallery, Ayala, iStorya.net was so lucky to have a brief interview with him. In a nutshell, he shared about his music, where he drew out his inspirations from and about his latest album.
iStorya.net: From all the albums that you’ve come up with, which album has best defined your life right now?
Kris Lawrence: Well, it has to be the album, Spread the Love. I wrote a lot of songs in that album. “Ang dami kong hugot doon.” – like a lot of my break-up situations – I’ve poured down into that album. And when I was happy with my girlfriend at that time, it was Katrina, I wrote a lot of songs about her. (Katrina Halili, a Starstruck alumna, commercial model, actress and one of FHM Philippines’ 100 Sexiest )

Now the thing with this album, (Most Requested Playlist) the reason I was so excited about recording this because I’m a 90’s baby. I was born in the 80’s though but the 90’s really got me into music. This album is filled with 90’s hits, purely love songs.

iStorya.net: How hands-on were you when you recorded Most Requested Playlist in 2015?
Kris: I picked those (songs). Me and Universal sat down and we picked it together.

iStorya.net: Were the songs also some of your fans’ most requested his that they asked you to sing in your shows and concerts?
Kris: Oh yeah, something like that.

iStorya.net: How personalized is this album?
Kris: You know, like I said, “I Need You” and “I Swear” – those were all my childhood songs – like I grew up listening to these songs.

iStorya.net: From the album, choose one song that best describes your life right now.
Kris: “Run To You” because if you listen to this track, “medyo iniba ko.” It was originally sung by Whitney Houston from the movie, The Bodyguard. This song – I made a context to God. So it’s different. The “you’s” in the song is all about the Lord. So it’s all about Him if you listen closely to the song, my version that is.

iStorya.net: Where do you get your inspiration from in making music?
Kris: Everywhere – The stories I get from other people make me write songs about it aside from the experiences that I have had in the past.

iStorya.net: You are tagged as the “Heart of R&B”, so from your own perspective, what makes you the “Heart of R&B”?
Kris: My heart… when I sing, it really sounds R&B but with soul in it.

iStorya.net: What’s in your playlist right now that you keep listening to?
Kris: Justin Timberlake, Can’t Stop the Feeling, Hotline Bling, Drake, Nick Jonas, Pillow Talk by Zayne.

iStorya.net: Have you tried going away from R&B?
Kris: Well, I started as a classical singer like my training vocally is classical.

iStorya.net: Are you going back to that?
Kris: No. (laughed)

Well, this Heart of R&B is not only a good-looking musician whom everyone adores but when you look at him up close and when he starts talking about his music, you can see his eyes sparkle. It sends you a vibe of how passionate he is with his music – he puts his heart and soul to every word he sings.

So if you want to hear it for yourself, go buy his latest album, Most Requested Playlist, which is out in the market. You’ll be in for a soulful 90’s treat of rehashed tunes of Toni Braxton, 3T, Boyz II Men and a whole lot more – and this time with Kris Lawrence’s soothing magic touch.



Beyee Caballes
iSTORYA League of Writers


Photo and video by Dr. Jo Anne Rivera