Nievera was born on February 5, 1962, in Manila, Philippines with twin sister, Victoria, to Bert Nievera and Conchita Razon. Nievera spent most of his childhood in Hawaii with his father as his father sang for the group Society of Seven. The Nievera family also took up residence in the Bay Area in California for a short time in the late '70s. Martin attended high school in Walnut Creek, California.
Inspired by his father's talent and success, Nievera returned to the Philippines in 1982 to begin his own singing career and by June 1982 he released his first LP, Martin...Take One, with the album reaching platinum in just five months.[citation needed] Nievera began co-hosting the TV variety show Penthouse Live! with Pops Fernandez, the Philippines' "Concert Queen," who would later become his wife. Nievera's second LP, 1984's The Best Gift, also reached platinum. In 1987, Penthouse Live! was changed to Martin and Pops Twogether, in celebration of their marriage. After his marriage to Fernandez, with whom he has two sons, Ram and Robin, failed in 1998, he wrote and recorded music for the sole purpose of winning her back, which he called Forever. Even though he did not succeed, the music ended up in the hands of the public and rose to become a best-selling music collection. The two sequels, Forever Forever and Return to Forever are also about the split. Both of these albums hit platinum sales as well.
In 2001, he plagiarized "We Just Don't Know How To Say Goodbye" by Diane Warren and included it as "To Say Goodbye" in his "My Souvenirs" album compilation, which was later pulled out of the market for copyright violation lawsuit.[1]
As an actor, Nievera has an extensive acting career and has appeared or starred in eleven movies and seven television series and specials. Nievera's film credits include dramas, romance, science fiction, comedy and action.
Nievera is temporarily based in Las Vegas, Nevada with Katrina Ojeda with whom he has a son named Santino (born October 7, 2006). He had his 25th anniversary concert on September 14 and 15, 2007 at the Captain's Bar of the Mandarin Hotel in Makati.
He appeared with Hawaii's Society of Seven and Lani Misalucha at the Flamingo Las Vegas from February 13 through April 13, 2008. He performed a pre-Valentine/post-birthday concert with Pops Fernandez titled "Missing You" on February 6, 2009, at the Araneta Coliseum. Martin is also currently co-hosting the weekly music show called ASAP' 09.
On May 2, 2009, Nievera was chosen to sing the Philippine national anthem during the boxing match between Manny Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton. Although he was criticized by the National Historical Institute because of his peculiar style in performing the anthem, many of those who watched the event, including Pacquiao, defended him.
In August 2009, Martin Nievera has a concert together with Gary Valenciano for the first time in "As 1". They also both have a new album in one collaboration album.
On September 2009, Nievera suffered Dehydration after his concert on September 19, and his best friend, Gary Valenciano worried about his buddy's condition. The following day, Martin was discharged from the Hospital.
How Can I
Martin Nievera Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When you're here with me
All of time and space would stop
They'd stop for you and me
How can we go wrong
We're like words within a song
Perfect rhyme and perfect time
And perfect harmony
And all they seem to say
You don't intend to stay with me
Tell me why
When we have come this far
We're happy as we are
But now
How can I feel right
When you're not by my side
Strange that I'm here all alone
As I recall the happy times
The happy songs, the perfect rhymes
How can I go on
How can I move on
How can I, how can I
Without you
Now our words have lost their way
And all they seem to say
You don't intend to stay with me
Tell me why
When we have come this far
We're happy as we are
But now, now
How can I feel right
When you're not by my side
Strange that I'm here all alone
As I recall the happy times
The happy songs, the perfect rhymes
How can I go on
How can I move on
How can I, how can I, how can I
The song "How Can I" by Martin Nievera speaks about a relationship that has lost its way. At the beginning of the song, the singer expresses their confusion about how things could go wrong when they are together because they are perfect for each other. They compare themselves to words within a song, where the words have to be in perfect harmony and timing to make a beautiful melody. However, the singer has noticed a shift in their relationship, and the words have lost their way, as they struggle to convey their feelings and intentions to each other.
The singer then questions why their partner doesn't intend to stay with them, especially when they have come so far and have been happy together. The chorus then repeats the phrase, "How can I feel right when you're not by my side?", highlighting the emptiness and loneliness that the singer is feeling without their partner. They reminisce about the happy times they shared and the perfect rhymes and songs they wrote together, but now they can't seem to move on without them.
Overall, "How Can I" is a beautiful and emotional song that expresses the pain of a relationship falling apart despite its perfect beginnings. It highlights the confusion, longing, and heartbreak that someone feels when a relationship ends.
Line by Line Meaning
How can things go wrong
Expressing confusion or disbelief on how things could possibly go wrong when the person he loves is beside him
When you're here with me
Acknowledging the importance of his loved one's presence in his life and how it brings him happiness and security
All of time and space would stop
Hyperbolic line to express how he feels that everything around him stops when he is with his loved one; nothing else matters except them
They'd stop for you and me
Emphasizing that he feels that his loved one is just as important as him, and everything should stop for them mutually
How can we go wrong
Expressing confusion on how something that feels so right could ever go wrong
We're like words within a song
Comparing their love to a song, highlighting its beauty and how it fits perfectly within its surroundings
Perfect rhyme and perfect time
Emphasizing the beauty of their love, as everything they do together feels right and in sync
And perfect harmony
Describing how their love resonates and works well together, reminds one of a perfect harmony in song
Now our words have lost their way
Recognizing that there is a lack of communication between him and his loved one which is causing problems in their relationship
And all they seem to say
Suggesting that whatever communication they have now is not effective in conveying their true feelings and bringing them close
You don't intend to stay with me
Haltingly recognizing that his partner might not be committed to their relationship as he is worried that he might lose his loved one
Tell me why
Expressing a deep concern and hurtful pain that his partner is not being honest with him about their relationship and the reasons for his/her uncommitted behavior
When we have come this far
Expressing how far they've gone in their relationship, and how he thought they were in it together for the long run
We're happy as we are
Acknowledgement of the successes they have achieved in their relationship so far, strong resentment because they still seem to have issues
But now
Emotionally accepting that things have changed in their relationship and they need to work on ways to resolve their issues
How can I feel right
Expressing how lonely and overwhelmed he feels after his loved one leaves, he resigns himself to the fact that he is incomplete without them.
When you're not by my side
Acknowledging his love's absence in his day-to-day life and how it feels abnormal living life without them
Strange that I'm here all alone
Reflecting on how he feels isolated and alone since his partner is not with him anymore
As I recall the happy times
Wistfully remembering the happy moments they shared together and how he wishes to have them back in his life
The happy songs, the perfect rhymes
Recalling the beauty, contentment, and the synchronicity of their relationship, how they used to complete each other
How can I go on
Expressing that as the love of his life is not with him, he feels incomplete and hopeless
How can I move on
Acknowledging that he can't forget his loved one and the relationship they shared, to the extent that being without them seems impossible to move forward from
How can I, how can I
Reiterating his pain and how helpless he feels, asking how he can possibly go on without the person he loves
Without you
Recognizing that his life does not make sense without his loved one, and they are an integral part of his existence
Contributed by Alexander R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.