|
 Who
is the real MiG Ayesa?
By Evelyn Rosal McFaden
Nice guys seem to be a thing of the past, especially
in this day and age of reality TV where winning
is the name of the game, at whatever cost. Rockstar
INXS was yet to become another reality TV show,
but MiG Ayesa unintentionally gave the show a
different spin! The usual characters were still
there, but there was MiG, dubbed Mr. Nice Guy,
competing in a rockstar competition where boys
(and girls) are expected to be bad, edgy and tattooed!
Even INXS thought he was just too nice, maybe
even too nice to front INXS!
In the end, MiG decided to stay true to himself
--- kind, caring, humble, no tattoos --- qualities
that continue to endear him to his zealous fans
all over the world! But, is MiG really as nice
as he portrayed himself on TV? Who is the real
MiG Ayesa?
MiG was born Miguel Alfonso Ramon Legarda Ayesa
in Manila, Philippines 35 years ago on January
12, 1970. His move to Australia at age 2 is a
well-documented fact in his official biography;
so is his broad support from his Filipino fans.
That makes him a Filipino-Aussie, as he is often
introduced.
Undoubtedly, MiG's Filipino connection is very
strong, and he acknowledges this. It has even
been speculated in the message boards that MiG's
Filipino connection probably made a big difference
in keeping him from the “bottom 3” and propelling
him to “top 3” during the show, although the reality
is that his US-based fans (TeamMig) were also
instrumental. This speculation may stem from the
fact that the Philippines is also known as the
“text messaging capital of the world”, and comparisons
to Filipino-American Jasmine Trias, who also made
it to the “top 3” on American Idol (and is now
a recording artist).
But there is more to MiG's Filipino connection…
Unlike JD Fortune whose INXS victory has also
been described as a Cinderella story (he used
to live in his car), MiG's Filipino ancestry is
one for the history books. If the Philippines
had royalty, MiG may be considered of royal blood.
This makes MiG an even more interesting person
to understand. Can someone like MiG actually be
so nice and down-to-earth? Is he for real?
MiG Ayesa comes from a Filipino family with a
lot of national history, particularly on his mother's
side – the Roces-Legardas. Don Joaquino "Chino"
Roces, MiG's granduncle is probably the most renowned
and even has a street in Makati (the Philippine’s
business center) named after him. The Roces clan
is synonymous with Philippine journalism and Don
Chino once owned the Manila Times during its glory
days. Don Chino is also known for being a press
freedom fighter, having gone to jail during the
Marcos martial law regime in the early 1980’s,
alongside Ninoy Aquino Jr., whose wife, Cory Aquino,
later became Ferdinand Marcos' successor and first
woman president of the Philippines.
His Legarda grandfather, the late Dr. Alejandro
Roces Legarda, was a prominent doctor who inspired
his children to follow in his footsteps. MiG's
mother (Uko Legarda), aunt and uncles are all
successful doctors, and their family history is
now preserved in the Legarda Mansion in Manila,
near the famed Malacanang Palace. MiG's older
brother, Andrew Ayesa, also followed the Legarda
legacy of medical practice and is a very successful
optometrist in Perth, Australia.
MiG's other influential relatives from the Philippines
include a national artist/writer (Alfredo "Ding"
Roces), a local rock legend (Manuel Legarda of
Wolfgang/DRT), a popular lawyer/child advocate
(Katrina Legarda), a fashion model (Isabel Roces),
and a restaurateur (Suzette Legarda Montinola
of “La Cocina de Tita Moning”). Tita Moning, known
for her prowess in the kitchen, was MiG's late
grandmother or “lola”, whom he dedicated one of
his performances to.
In the United States, his Tito (uncle) Ramon and
Tita (aunt) Ching Legarda run a prolific entertainment
production company in New York City called Ole
Group, and is well known to the Filipino community
in the US. They also act as surrogate parents
to MiG when he is stateside.
MiG's father is Alfonso “Titos” Ayesa, who moved
and lived with them in Australia for many years.
To this day, they remain close and frequently
communicate. His paternal grandfather, the late
Alfonso Ayesa Sr. was also a respected physician
who specialized in obstetrics/gynecology. His
paternal grandmother is Cristina Preysler, who
was also prominent in the theater circles in Manila
doing Spanish plays. Cristina is aunt to Isabel
Preysler, Enrique Iglesias’ glamorous mother.
This Filipino connection is very strong, not only
because of his bloodline, but because his next-of-kin
has carried on their family’s legacy through integrity,
honesty, gentility and a strong work ethic, not
only among his famous relatives, but also among
the 400 or so relatives that he visits with in
the Philippines on a regular basis. During the
show, MiG's bond with his family was very obvious;
he often mentioned his family in his performances
and blogs, showing how much they are a part of
him and his everyday life.
With a family history that reads like the who's
who of Filipino crème de la crème, one would think
that MiG could easily have taken easy street.
He probably could have easily opted to launch
his rockstar career in the Philippines, even before
RS-INXS came along. In fact, he is no stranger
to the Philippine music industry, having composed
songs for local artists there before. Yes, he
could have rested on his family's history and
laurels, but he decided not to. He decided to
make it on his own and follow his heart.
And on his own, he pursued a career in entertainment
when he was offered the role of Ritchie Valens
in an Australian production of Buddy Holly when
he was merely 20 years old. Since then and over
the last 15 years, he has made great achievements
in theater, TV, movies, music, and modeling all
through his own personal hard work. Yet, he continues
to push himself to the next level, taking what
he called his “ultimate risk” when he decided
to audition for Rockstar INXS. **See Below For
Stage and Film Credits.
MiG reiterated his resolve in one of his interviews
when he said: “I'd rather have a life full of
mistakes than a life full of regrets”.
So here is the reality…while MiG Ayesa may be
considered of privileged birth, he is just as
hardworking as many of us all over the world who
dare to dream, and are trying to make it in our
own little corner of the universe. Not only that,
he is also kind and humble. This makes him an
inspiration for many of us average folks!
“Humility is royalty without a crown”, said Spencer
Kimball. It is not MiG's ancestry that makes his
followers follow. It is MiG's humility that makes
him a true royalty. It is his kindness and sincerity
that touches the hearts of his many fans.
The other reality is that MiG's Filipino family
has not only given him an incredible heritage
that he must be very proud of, but they have also
inspired and molded him to be what he is today.
Not only have they given him an impressive history
and great inspiration, they have also given him
unconditional love and support. He is a constant
reminder to all of us of the importance of family,
love and relationships, and the need to “go home”.
“Home in Me”, which he dedicated to his Tita Nucay
who passed away, clearly shows his deep affection
for his family.
So, is MiG really a nice guy? Unequivocally, yes!!!
Not only is he nice, he is also an inspiration
and a role model --- a true gentleman in this
day and age of crassness and reality TV. What
a breath of fresh air! Thank God for MiG! A true
shining STAR!
** Some of his other credits include: Danny Zuko
in Grease; Tony in West Side Story, Angel in Rent,
Joe Vegas in the Australia and Asian tour of Fame.
His film credits include Queen of the Damned and
Subterano. MiG later auditioned for the Queen
Musical We Will Rock You, in which he understudied
for the lead character of Galileo until Tony Vincent
left the production and Brian May and Ben Elton
handpicked him for the lead.
MiG's lifelong
dream became reality in April of 2007 when his
debut CD, MiG was launched.
Stacy Swim, and Team MiG Ayesa Management contributed
this bio.
|
