Regine & Lani: Divas in soft mood

We are so used to hearing our local divas stretch their vocal chords to the hilt. I do not know how it happened but we now equate singing prowess with how high, how long, how loud and with how much embellishment a singer can hold a note. And that is why it comes as a big surprise to discover that hey, they can tone the volume down, they can stick to just the basic melody and go all sweet and purring and still sound fantastic.

The title of the new album by Regine Velasquez describes what happens best. It is Low Key and it is easy listening music by who must be the Pinoy master of the melisma and who set the standard for power singing. But for Low Key she chose to be in a rare, relaxed and lazy mood to record 17 of her old favorites.

These are songs she grew up with, At Seventeen by Janis Ian, songs she has always wanted to record, Tell Me That You Love Me by Terri Gibbs, which is also the single release, songs she associates with people she loves Of All the Things by Dennis Lambert, and songs she uses to convey her feelings I Never Dreamed Someone Like You Could Love Someone Like Me by Katy Irving.

Leader of the Band by Dan Fogelberg is for her father because he leads the family. She’s Always a Woman by Billy Joel is for her mother who embodies what Regine believes a woman should be. And I Love You So by Don McLean is for George, her beloved Lhasa Apso and then she divides the rest of love songs between George and her boyfriend Ogie Alcasid.

And because Low Key by Regine is just what the title says it sounds like, we can now also sing along with her. Remember only the privileged few can do that with Against All Odds or On the Wings of Love. But with Low Key, we can now sing along with Good Friend by Mary McGregor or I’d Rather Leave While I’m in Love by Rita Coolidge. And Regine has thoughtfully provided a music minus one CD free with every copy for us to sing with.

The other tracks to listen to and sing-along with are No Walls No Ceilings No Floors by Orsa Lia, How Can I Tell You by Lani Hall, Longer also by Dan Fogelberg, Never Be The Same by Christopher Cross, Strawberry Fields Forever by The Beatles, Weeping Willows Cattails by Kenny Rankin, Walk in Love by David Batteau, Clouds Across the Moon by The Rah Band and as a bonus track, Christmas Is with Jim Brickman.

And while we are still in a low-key frame of mind, you might want to check out Reminisce by Lani Misalucha. Also known for her extraordinary set of pipes, the Vegas headliner has also adopted a light and easy style for this album. It is also made up of oldies but unfortunately does not come with a free minus one disc.

Cuts included are Here There and Everywhere, Someone That I Used to Love, We Could Have It All, Skyline Pigeon, I Loved You All the Way, Bridges, Love of My Life, Dust in the Wind, Healing, Get Here, Where is the Love and Feel Like Making Love Medley, Tin Man, Whispering Waves and as a bonus track, the Joey Albert classic Iisa Pa Lamang. She sounds great in all of them.

MYX’s most requested videos

And now a look at the chart of the most requested videos at the country’s top music channel, MYX. Decode by Paramore from the Twilight soundtrack CD; Crush by American Idol runner-up David Archuleta; Womanizer from the new album by Britney Spears; Selos by Sandwich; Lovebug by the Jonas Brothers; Disconnection Notice by Pupil; Your Universe by Rico Blanco; Gusto Na Kita by 6Cyclemind; Tell Me That You Love Me by Regine Velasquez; Captured by Christian Bautista and Sitti.

I Hate This Part by the Pussycat Dolls; If I Were a Boy by Beyoncé; Superhuman by Chris Brown and Keri Hilson; Light On by American Idol winner David Cook; Message in a Bottle by The Dawn; Fly on the Wall by Miley Cyrus; Get Back from the Camp Rock soundtrack by Demi Lovato; Just Stand Up by Artists Stand Up to Cancer; Puso by Sponge Cola; and Kailan, the latest from Bamboo.