98 Degrees dropS duet version of I Do featuring Katrina Velarde

— Doing a collab is part of any performer and music artist’s life. The American boyband 98 Degrees is familiar with that creative territory. The vocal group collaborated with Stevie Wonder in True To Your Heart, a soundtrack from the animated film “Mulan,” and with Mariah Carey and Joe in Thank God I Found You.

Their recent collaboration is with Filipino singer Katrina Velarde in the well-loved song I Do (Cherish You) with parts of the lyrics in Tagalog.

In a recent virtual press conference for the band’s concert on May 30 and 31 at the Mall of Asia Arena, group members Nick Lachey, Jeff Timmons, Justin Jeffre and Drew Lachey were asked about how the duet version and the collab of I Do came to be.

Jeff shared it was “a great idea” with their label partner, Adam Hurstfield of XOXO Entertainment, who has “a great relationship there in the Philippines.”

Since they love collaborating with other artists, they were interested in the idea.

“You know, we’ve been wanting to collaborate with someone from the Philippines for a while. Like we said, there is such a bevy of talent there and we thought why not go back there and do something,” he said, adding that he had the good fortune of performing with the Pinoy band South Border.

Jeff shared that Adam suggested Katrina, who is described as the Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston type. The group members heard her sing and were thrilled and honored to be working with her.

“After we heard that version, we thought that it should have always been a duet,” said Drew. “Why didn’t we do this the first time around? It sounds so good and honestly, it’s like it just took the song to a whole new… another level and opened up a whole new, you know, chapter to it.”

As for I Do as a choice for the collab, Nick said it’s a staple song and it has meaning to so many people. It has become a part of their lives, weddings and histories, added he, who considers it “a very, very special song to us” and the version “a cool take on the song.”

Nick said that I Do is about a love story between two people and “this is the other half of the equation,” with the singing part of Katrina, as one may put it.

“I think it really, really lends itself incredibly well to be a duet and her voice is just unbelievable,” said Nick on the version and collab of I Do. “She just has a great job on the song.”

Justin shared that they’re always open to collaborating with other artists and it’s a start of more collabs with Pinoy talents as we hope.

Since Katrina is a special guest, their local fans somehow expect that the American group will perform the I Do version featuring her on their showcase along with the favorites and new tunes.

(Tickets for the 98 Degrees shows, call VAA Live at 0930-0921948 or at (02)8687-5853 loc. 841 and they are available at SM Tickets.)