The Things We Don't Understand About James Reid

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PHOTO: Renzo Navarro

Dripped out in Gucci in the middle of the Summit Media studio is James Reid. You may have heard of him. Dressed in a designer bowling shirt, gem-spangled blue jeans, and Chelsea boots sharp enough to kill a man, Reid is oozing cool on this fine Holiday afternoon. I ask him if this is his favorite look out of the four he wore for this day.

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"I lean more towards retro-feeling clothes and style," he says. "I think that's why it kind of resonates with me, like the patterns and the cuts, everything."

Gucci is a staple in his closet, the actor claims. How many phases of style has Reid gone through, hell, even he doesn't know anymore. "I can say I've come a long way," he quips, gesturing at his current ensemble. "There was that skinny jeans phase. And then I went through the more classic looks, very James Dean-motorcycle vibes. I've gone through my hippie phase, as well."

"I think Careless has always been very misunderstood and I'm also a very grossly misunderstood person simply because I don't like to be out in the media all the time, having to defend [myself against] every single thing that people say about me."

Clothes maketh the man and Reid definitely has it made. He's a celebrity who has tried his hardest to stay honest with himself throughout his career. A little too honest at times, I might add. He's always tried his best to maintain this semblance of genuineness amidst the gauntlet of fame, even if this meant extra heat coming his way.

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"I try to be real," as Reid puts it. "I think Careless has always been very misunderstood and I'm also a very grossly misunderstood person simply because I don't like to be out in the media all the time, having to defend [myself against] every single thing that people say about me."

Sweater, trousers, and bag by Gucci.

PHOTO: Renzo Navarro

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For a second there, it felt like everyone had Reid all figured out. He was plugged into the Filipino entertainment system as a teenager fresh out of Pinoy Big Brother, and just made sense as a would-be matinee idol. And he was. Reid was good at it, too. The public responded accordingly, evidenced by a legion of fans who followed him and his former partner, the equally stellar (President) Nadine Lustre, everywhere they went, hanging on to every small thing they said. Ah yes, the love team culture wars. What a very real, very serious thing for the Filipino celebrity content machine. What would we do without it, aye?

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Their legend rivaled the biggest love teams of their generation (AlDub, KathNiel, LizQuen, etc.). There was a time in the early 2010s when some JaDine fan could make a plausible case for him being the heartthrob of that generation, along with maybe a Daniel Padilla or an Alden Richards. Of course, Reid proved that he could hang with the best of them. He's grown so much since then.

Reid became an "artista artista," as he remembers. "I think because I was a typical TV actor, artista, that would make cover albums and I would be winning awards for songs that weren't mine," the actor and singer says. "I'm grateful for all the people I was able to touch and, you know, for the people who supported me and enjoyed [my work then]." Somewhere along the way, however, Reid just decided he wanted something different.

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T-Shirt, trousers, belt, bag, sunglasses, necklace, and rings by Gucci. PHOTO: RENZO NAVARRO

As a film and television star, he was all that. It was in 2014 that he was launched as a leading man with the rom-com Diary ng Panget. That film proved Reid was a box-office draw (the film is said to have earned P119.5 million during its five-week run, with Reid even lending his voice to its soundtrack). From there, he'd join ABS-CBN, producing other films like Talk Back You're Dead and Para sa Hopeless Romantic, to name a few more successful collaborations. He was a fixture on the small screen, as well, most notably on On the Wings of Love and Till I Met You. Reid was quite the attraction.

"Personally, as an artist, making my own music was more important to me. It feeds your soul when you can create something, you know what I mean?"

The relentless artista cycle, nevertheless, isn't for everyone. "I think it's just because we all have like a sound in our heads, like our own soundtrack to our life," he tells Esquire Philippines. It's a soundtrack that he's learned to trust even more as the years have passed by, much to the surprise of fans and critics alike.

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Reid has always had a knack for going with interesting choices. Director Antoinette Jadaone, for instance, once told me that James Reid was the actor who shocked her the most. She had worked with him on the television series Till I Met You in 2016 and, of course, the 2018 hit Never Not Love You, which gave the actor a second nomination for Outstanding Achievement By An Actor In a Leading Role at the FAMAS Awards. "Kasi akala ko pogi lang siya," she had said. Jadaone was especially enamored of Reid's creative process. "Tinitingnan niya journey ng characters niya."

Much like how he's always looked at his own character as a man, I suppose. Between his film and television superstardom and his music career during this period, Reid would transition to honing his sound instead of grinding it out in the Filipino show business rat race.

"Personally, as an artist, making my own music was more important to me," he says. "It feeds your soul when you can create something, you know what I mean?"

Vest, necklace, and rings by Gucci.

PHOTO: Renzo Navarro

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Reid says that he left acting at around the same time he made his studio album debut with Palm Dreams in 2017. He produced the entire thing with his friend, Poor Taste. "I really wanted to create an album that was authentic to me. And no one was expecting me to make that." The possibilities felt like they were endless. "[People were asking:] Are you just going to go do another movie or are you going to make more music like this? Like, what's going to happen next?"

There was only one way to find out.

Palm Dreams signified Reid's reintroduction as an artist. Peaking at No. 45 on Billboard's Independent Albums and No. 13 on the Heatseekers Album charts, respectively, the album was the star's sincere attempt at articulating his rhythm, as well as fulfilling his fantasies. The self-produced album was a coming-out party for him, steering away from that prototypical automated pop sound and moving into more of the electronic R&B and hip-hop space. Songs like "Cool Down" and "Turning Up" showcased a bit of his range. Not a bad start.

"You know, [people sometimes think] that they can do something before they believe they can," he claims. "And I'm here to say that's completely false. You're supposed to be terrified of the things you can't do yet."

Before this, the artist released EPs here and there. Such was the case with the eponymous James Reid in 2013 and the gold record Red Alert in 2015. Nonetheless, he felt as though he was playing to other people's tunes. That first studio album, he could say, was his. "At the time, honestly, I wasn't doing okay mentally," he recalls. "I just needed to focus on something that made me happy."

But it was with his latest album, lovescene: in 2022, that he really came into his own as an artist. Thematically and sonically, the sophomore album is his best work yet, featuring bangers like "u & i," "cali lovin," and "fallin." "chain," on the other hand showcases his retro sensibilities. He mixed it up with the tempos, adding a little bit of his funk, French house, soul funk, soul, neo-soul, jazz, and disco influences in there. At the time of its release, it was pegged as Reid's "journey through the life and death cycle of love." It's an intimate portrait of Reid's own becoming. We even put it in our "best-of" list in 2022.

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Shirt, jeans, belt, and scarf by Gucci. PHOTO: RENZO NAVARRO

This was a realization of what it meant to bet on yourself. Both albums, of course, were produced by his own record label, Careless, which was established around the same time Palm Dreams was released. Truth be told, the decision to set up Careless wasn't made without reservations.

"You know, [people sometimes think] that they can do something before they believe they can," he says. "And I'm here to say that's completely false. You're supposed to be terrified of the things you can't do yet." High risks merit high rewards. "What's that saying? Shoot for the moon and land amongst the stars? Yeah, that one. When I take like a minute to look at where, and how far we've gotten, I'm always blown away."

"I think the number one challenge we had to face and we still face is being the odd ones out. That's always difficult because you're always against the grain. You're always against the current. Stick it out no matter what's happening, especially when you're pushing for an idea that isn't yet widely accepted."

Careless, which was formerly known as Careless Music Manila, was co-founded by Reid and his longtime collaborator Bret Jackson, a.k.a. KINGwAw. It started off as a project in partnership with Viva Records before it went independent in 2019. The artist-run record label has become a beacon for independent artists to create content without the burden of falling into the trap of institutional plateau or pop-laden productions. Careless rebels against the industry this way. Its roster of artists, which includes Reid, Lustre, Curtismith, Massiah, and AstroKidd, among others, continue to be defiant of such boxes made by traditional labels and opportunistic streaming services.

The label has been careful about curating its roster. Is it about being experimental or innovative? Is it about the coolness factor, that vibrant edge? Reid says it's not exactly about any of that. What makes a Careless artist a Careless artist?

"It's not complicated, you know? For the artists who we've selected, [we just] met with them and we clicked. We get the same vibe. It's less about the talent and ability because that's a given. Of course, they have to be amazing, but it's the vision that we share."

PHOTO: Renzo Navarro

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So what was the vision exactly? "I think the vision for me was more of like a feeling," he argues. "It was about prioritizing creativity and being able to take creative risks in an industry where everything has to be 'marketable.' Just being able to make music the way that you like and also encouraging others to do the same. I think that's more of what the vision was about."

Apart from this, Reid sees Careless becoming a bridge between the Philippines and the global market. The brand is a "whole bunch of things," he says. "We're still figuring it out as we go and we're just trying to push the envelope."

"I have lost some people. [Some old friends are] no longer with Careless just because we no longer see eye to eye. And that's always been the hardest part because these are people that I love and I'm friends with."

The musician and executive looks at the different trends in Southeast Asia for inspiration. "For the music industry in the Philippines, there's always been this 'Original Pinoy Music (O.P.M.)' sound, which everyone doesn't like. It's like, yeah, all music should be original. Every Southeast Asian country, like Cambodia or Vietnam, has some version of [their own] O.P.M. And so there's always been a space for that music and more obscure music. People in the indie scene really try to push the limits."

Careless artists take this obscure, undefined glob of creative freedom and try to bring it to more mainstream audiences. It thrives off on the dynamism of its talents, which mirrors Reid's own ideas of fluidity in his process. "I don't even know where I am anymore [as an artist], to be honest. But I do want to make music for the world, not just the Philippines. I'm inspired by them (their artists) because they make music purely for the sake of making music and experimenting."

PHOTO: Renzo Navarro

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As with any business, however, turmoil is always just around the block, it seems. The ups and downs, even Reid admits, have been aplenty. Reid acknowledges that it hasn't always been smooth sailing for Careless, especially after its recent woes. "I think the number one challenge we had to face and we still face is being the odd ones out. That's always difficult because you're always against the grain. You're always against the current. Stick it out no matter what's happening, especially when you're pushing for an idea that isn't yet widely accepted."

The toughest part about the business for Reid is staying true to that vision he set for himself and the rest of his group. Some people have sadly grown out of it. "I have lost some people. [Some old friends are] no longer with Careless just because we no longer see eye to eye. And that's always been the hardest part because these are people that I love and I'm friends with."

"I think time and time again, every single time these issues come up, my strategy is to just leave it and focus on the positive because eventually, people will see what's true and what's not."

It's been a turbulent year for Careless, to say the least. Last August, the label's Korean-American CEO, Jeffrey Oh, was arrested and faced deportation at the hands of the Bureau of Immigration for alleged violations in regard to work permit regulations. When rumors swirled around about Reid's father's involvement in the whole ordeal, the singer-songwriter was saddened by the kerfuffle.

He denies that his dad ever had any hand in the case. Oh has since been out on bail. "The simplest way to say it is he had nothing to do with it. He was upset at everything that was happening, this misunderstanding," Reid said in a statement. "He's very supportive in everything I do and he knows the challenges I'm facing, and he sees the vision I have."

PHOTO: Renzo Navarro

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The star is used to it. Reid says that his time in show business has taught him to block out the noise.

"I think time and time again, every single time these issues come up, my strategy is to just leave it and focus on the positive because eventually, people will see what's true and what's not," he emphasizes.

These incidents shouldn't take away from a productive year for Reid and the label. Earlier this year, the musician came off of his lovescene: Tour in Los Angeles, where he resides together with other Careless artists. Back in May, for example, the singer also released his newest single "so fire," a song that captures the ecstasy of a new romance, combining elements of disco pop and retro synths. It's a happy song, we can say, embodying the zeitgeist of that familiar spark with a familiar someone we have or once had. "I like making music that people can resonate with and people when you play it. It should make you want to dance or want to sing."

The song actually came from a songwriting camp for Careless artists in L.A. They had spent a few months in the middle of nowhere around the Joshua Tree National Park, just out in the desert. The house they stayed at came with a studio. Filipino-American producer DJ Flick was there to record with them, as well. And "so fire" was born out of a beat the producer played. "It was such a vibe. We finished recording everything in one day."

Reid thinks like a mogul now as opposed to thinking like a celebrity. He has a battalion of like-minded artists who depend on his savvy. He has a label to manage and egos to mend. But above all else, he is in the business of turning dreams into reality. That initial vision was big because it was supposed to be big, the kind of big that should feel incomprehensible—a tall order so unfathomable in scale because it was destined to signal a reset in the industry, one that values the voice of the artist and a certain sincerity in the craft over everything else. It's only impossible until it's done, Reid knows. That much, we can all understand.

PHOTO: Renzo Navarro

As a parting gift, I ask the guy: What keeps an artist honest? This could mean anything. He pauses to think about it for a second. "That's tough. Because you might just be a dishonest person...

"I think it's when you create without filters..."

He pauses again. "Or when you don't try and tweak it because you think someone else will like it."

Another pause. "...I think that's why we're always battling between what is real to me and how can this lead me to success kind of thing."

Reid pauses one final time before we cut the interview. "That's the most difficult question anyone's ever asked me," he says. "I'm going to think about that until tonight, honestly."

Story: Bryle B. Suralta
Photographer: Renzo Navarro
Photographer's Assistant: JV Rabano
Styling: John Lozano
Grooming: Rhod Rubia
Editor-in-Chief: Paul John Caña
Production: Paolo Chua and Yssa Valdes
Creative Direction: Igi Talao
Design Direction: Igi Talao