MARTHA JOY LIM

GREATNESS COMES FROM WITHIN

By Jessalee Anne

She started piano lessons at the early age of four; she convinced her mom to send her to attend voice lessons when she was seven; her piano teacher has commended her for having a good ear for music and now at the age of sixteen, her passion and talent in music has brought her a well-deserved fame and recognition.

Martha Joy, who was acclaimed for her technical vocal expertise by the Canadian Idol judges, has brought the house down since she became one of the Idol’s top ten. Despite the fame and the talent she’s been gifted with, Martha Joy remains sweet, down to earth and modest; a perfect young lady we could say, aiming towards success in the music industry that she’s been working hard for since childhood.

GTA this month has had the great opportunity to meet with Martha Joy and discover her greatness during an interview early in September:

GTA: How has Canadian Idol changed your life so far?
MJ: Canadian Idol has been a great exposure for me across Canada. People now recognize me on the streets. I have also met amazing friends and made best friends from the show that I will be keeping forever. Canadian Idol has also given me the chance to work with vocal coach Debra Byrd who’s taught me how to enhance my performance technically. Overall, Canadian Idol has helped me build my confidence when performing.

GTA: When and how did you discover your talent and love for music/singing?
MJ: I started piano lessons when I was four. My teacher told me that I had a good ear for music. Then when I was about five or six, I asked my mom if I could go for voice lessons and got to finally convince her when I was seven. Not long after, I auditioned for Lion King and have had about five to six call backs. About six months later, I leaned towards opera music and later on moved more into pop, classical and adult contemporary.

GTA: What genre of music do you normally listen to? Any favorite artist/band in particular?
MJ: I listen to all kinds of music. I have great respect for all artists. My favorite male vocalist is Josh Groban and I love female artists Celine Dion and Whitney Houston.

GTA: Where do you see yourself five years from now?
MJ: Since I love concerts, I see myself touring and recording. I love recording, sitting there in the studio singing over and over. I’ve been recording since and have had my first CD out when I was nine. I’ve done a big record called “Cedars of Lebanon”, a song about peace, love and hope which I’ve had to perform at the U.N for Global Peace Initiative. I’ve had my big break at about 14 or 15 years of age and had the opportunity to work with Jack Lenz, one of Canada’s most prolific composers and musical directors. It was my biggest break before Idol.

GTA: Are you considering going back home (the Philippines) to pursue a career in music? Why or why not?
MJ: I’ve never been home and I would definitely love to go. There are no plans written in stone but I’m thinking about it.

GTA: Who is your inspiration and why?
MJ: My mom is my inspiration. She’s supported me from the beginning. She’s been there and will always be there no matter what happens.

GTA: As a young achiever, what words of advice can you impart with those who aspire to become someone in the music industry?
MJ: It’s really important to get proper training. I’ve gone through so many voice teachers and have learned a lot. Being musically and vocally talented is a gift, so it’s important to take care of it.

GTA: How tough is it to compete against other artists in the industry? What have you done so far to pursue your career other than joining Canadian Idol?
MJ: Tough. In idol everybody had their own styles so it was hard for me to distinguish who really was my competition. We were all so different. It was cool living with a bunch of musicians. It was the most stressful during rehearsals and after elimination. Rehearsals were tough as we were given more than one song at a time to choose from and some were all new to me. But everything came together in time.

GTA: Aside from singing, what else do you love to do?
MJ: I love watching movies, Filipino movies in particular. When I was eliminated I buried myself watching 40 hours of Teleserye (soap opera) like Gulong Ng Palad (Circle of Life) and Maging Sino Kaman (Whoever you may be). I love Aga Muhlach and John Lloyd Cruz (both famous Filipino Actors). Aside from that, I also love ballroom dancing and love salsa. Not to forget, I also love dogs.

GTA: What are your plans from here? Any upcoming events?
MJ: I’m preparing for my concert at the Toronto Centre for the Performing Arts on November 11, 2007. I’ve been working on songs that I’ll be performing at the concert and am also recording a new song. There will be a few surprise guests at the concert. I’ve also been performing like crazy everywhere to show my gratitude to all those who’s supported me.

GTA: What is your main focus at the moment?
MJ: My upcoming concert on November 11, 2007, recording and maybe we can also stick school in it, a little bit.
(Martha Joy joked)

GTA: Lastly, what has been your most memorable experience of being part of Canadian Idol?
MJ: Meeting Enrique Iglesias was the most memorable experience for me. I was so nervous when I met him but he’s very down to earth and easy to talk to. When I met him he was like: “I could so see the Filipina in you.”, him being part Filipino himself, so we bonded. He was my favourite out of all the coaches we had in Idol. He’s really nice. He lightened my mood when I got eliminated from Idol by sending me flowers. That was really nice.

It was certainly a privilege speaking with a young lady as great as Martha Joy who upholds a great character and positive attitude. She is unquestionably an inspiration not only to the youth but to everyone who aspires to excel and succeed in reaching their dreams and goals. Martha Joy’s hard work, dedication and commitment to what she loves doing will definitely be a positive influence to anybody who gets a chance to meet her and discover what a great person she is.