Artists Press Release 

Original Song Composition, In the Can for Dedication to Saudi Arabia

By J. Nava Cruz
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
July 13. 2015




After almost two years of dilly-dallying, ‘Goodbye… KSA … Goodbye’, an original song composition penned by J. Nava Cruz, an OFW freelance writer/book author in the Philippines is all set for dedication to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia — a place they called ‘home far away from home’.  Lyrics of ‘Goodbye… KSA… Goodbye’ is part and parcel of the 2013 published art book, ‘Love… A State of Nothingness’ of J. Nava Cruz registered and  attested by the National Library of the Philippines and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts of the  Philippines.


Story behind the song!
It was one winter evening in November 2012 when Nava Cruz felt the necessity of leaving his two-decade of employment in the Kingdom.  To finally be with his elder sick sister (Catchie) back home.  To personally take care of her.  To enjoy the family moments with his other elder siblings he left a time ago.  At the back of his mind, leaving his employment would be such a great, fresh impetus to fully embark on his literary writing career while putting-up an art-eatery business in their province, Bulacan.  And while confronted with the thought of leaving, he then all of a sudden, felt a twinge in his heart.  The time he realized that packing up his belongings and leaving all the things behind seem not that easy even one is ready, financially and emotionally. The time he realized that he had loved and treasured the moments he has spent in the Kingdom; that he loves the Kingdom! And what comes next are the magical beauty of Arabian memories that started to cascade down memory lane.  Fully awake the whole night, he surprisingly ended-up writing the lyrics of ‘Goodbye… KSA… Goodbye’ with the coinage of the phrase, ‘a tribute song purely for dedication to our Second Home: the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’ which by now echoes the truest emotions of love and gratitude coming from the artists of ‘Goodbye… KSA’ honestly expressed via song!   

Goodbye... K.S.A... Goodbye in YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qRYAu2c7og

A timely artistic, creative, and yes, emotional collaboration!
From the time the “Goodbye… KSA” group convened to get through with the lyrics and melody of the song, they all feel that they won’t just share artistic footprints, but rather, their creative collaboration will be a ‘sharing of emotions’.  Yes, sharing of emotions! Since the song talks about their almost-the-same feelings towards their Second Home. One time during their production  discussion, the group in unison agreed that, at first, they thought there will be NO home from home.

But at the end, they all agreed cherishing the beautiful memories and thoughts they had shared with friends, co-workers, other nationalities, families, and yes, with the various places of the Kingdom as immortal backdrop.  

And since the production members of ‘Goodbye… KSA’ tribute song are all friends and backed-up with good artistic merits and credits — Rodel Menda is into event organization, concert and short-film direction, Teofilo ‘Jojo’ Bitoon is a professional lead guitarist and into song composition and musical arrangement; Peter John Tan, fully abreast of sounds engineering; Filxygmir Moneva, into soulful song interpretation who bagged the 2014 WCOPA Champion of the World Senior Division title, and very soon, will leave the Kingdom to pursue her college studies in Madrid, Spain and Marvin Domalaon,  professional video production editor — their artistic collaboration ended up with fun. Full of fun! 

Repertoire of moral support — sincerely thanked and appreciated! 
Among the so many individuals, institutions and groups, ‘Goodbye… KSA’ productions under PINOY SINING (The Filipinos for Arts & Culture) sincerely acknowledge and thank the creative contributions of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA), Travel Saudi Arabia, Touring the Archaeological Site of Madain Saleh, Roads of Arabia Documentary, An Ancient Civilization in Saudi Arabia, Arabia Sand, Sea and Sky Eye of the Camel and Mr. Yahya Al Yahya for concluding the music video interpretation while at the same time earnestly thank Embassy of the Philippines, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, (HE Ambassador Ezzedin H. Tago),Vice-Consul Dean Winston Almeda, Cultural Attache Gloria Jean Castano-Zafra, Labor Attache Rustico Dela Fuente, Philippine Department of Tourism, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), Department of Foreign Affairs, Abante Middle East, Munting Nayon The Netherlands, Balitang Global – TFC ABS-CBN, Mr. & Mrs. Zariya Alamada, Mr. & Mrs. Chris & Marilyn Lavina, Mr. & Mrs. Gernie & Christine Moneva, Mr. Elipas Sibua, Mrs. Gemma Montejo – Makeup & Hair Stylist, Mr. Lito of Angel Recording and Mr. Nendel Endrina, for all their kind support.

On the go to share the song!  
Prior to this ‘Artists Press Release’, a copy of the music video of the tribute song has been submitted to, watched and appreciated by Diplomat Gloria Jean Zafra, Cultural Attaché/Officer  of the  Embassy of the Philippines in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.  Right now, the group is all out and on the go to share the original song with their Saudi friends, likewise, invites their fellow Filipinos, especially those residing in Saudi Arabia, to please share the tribute song. Moreover, copies of the song will be submitted to a number of government agencies in the Philippines such as the Department of Labor and Employment, Balik Mangagawa Section of the POEA, Commission on Filipino Overseas and others for reference.  – (Artists Press Release)