New from Acoustic Princess

She has a voice that is as sweet as the way she looks so I am not surprised that Princess now has three big selling albums. These are Addicted To Acoustic 1 and Addicted to Acoustic 2 and her latest Acoustic Princess. I say that the reason for the continued success of the former De La Salle University professor and marketing executive is that she has remained true to her roots. She knows how her fans like her best and she is happy to keep doing the same to please them.

Her music is the result of a formula concocted by her producer and discoverer, Sunny Ilacad. They take the current big hits, strip them down to the basic melody, slow down the tempo and then have Princess sing them in her usual angelic style. Three years and three CDs later, from Single Ladies to Bad Romance and the current Firework, Princess still has to miss a beat. Fans buy her albums secured in the assurance that she will deliver what they expect to hear.

Aside from Katy Perry’s Firework, Acoustic Princess also includes Teenage Dream also by Perry; Love The Way You Lie by Eminem and Rihanna; U Smile by Justin Bieber; Just The Way You Are by Bruno Mars; Dynamite by Taio Cruz; Mine by Taylor Swift; Something ‘Bout Love, by David Archuleta; Please Don’t Go, by Mike Posner; DJ Got Us Falling In Love Again by Usher and Pitbull; Beautiful Monster by Ne-Yo; Perfectly Lonely by John Mayer; Don’t Go by Princess; and Lonely Night by Diane Dayao.

The formula remains unchanged. However, please take note of those last two cuts. Those are not acoustic covers of current hits. Princess might be satisfied with the tested formula but that does not mean she intends to keep doing the same thing ad infinitum. That is why for the first time in her career her CD boasts of two original compositions, Lonely Night by Dayao and Don’t Go by Princess herself. Both are light up-tempo ballads that fit in easily with the other songs. I am sure that Princess is very proud of her accomplishment and that we will hear more of her own works in her coming albums.

 Incidentally, I have also discovered another reason why Princess always comes up with sure winners. There are music lovers around who find it difficult to understand the lyrics or who cannot follow the tempo or worse, cannot stand the gimmicky arrangements of today’s pop hits. These are those, whose ears hurt when they hear a boombox. But when Princess sings these songs, they hear the lyrics bright and clear and they are better able to appreciate the melodies. Besides, the girl is pretty, sounds great and is a wonderful stressbuster.

Princess is at present touring the malls to promote her latest CD. You can watch her perform songs from Acoustic Princess and her early hits at SM Molino this afternoon, May 13; at SM Dasmariñas tomorrow, May 14; SM Masinag on May 15; and at SM Southmall on May 29. You can also catch her every Sunday on the ABS-CBN noontime variety show ASAP Rocks where she strums her guitar as a member of the popular all-star singing group, the Sessionistas.

Meanwhile, here are the Top 20 videos on the Pinoy MYX Countdown for the week on MYX. The ever reliable Sandwich is on top with Pera Pera from the album Contra Tiempo while newcomer Somedaydream with his composition Hey Daydreamer is showing a steady rise in the chart.

The other much requested videos of the moment are Don’t Tie Me Down by Kyla; Wala Na Tayo by BBS and Kean Cipriano; TNT by Pupil; Tambay by Sponge Cola; Kahit Walang Sabihin by Rico Blanco; FalIin’ by Sarah Geronimo; Express Highway by The Bloomfields; Porque by Maldita.Isama Mo Ako by Frencheska Farr; Pinays Rise by Chelo; Tila by General Luna; Patuloy Ang Pangarap by Angeline Quinto; Bumuhos Man Ang Ulan by Jericho Rosales; Home by Gary Valenciano; Umaasa by Republika; Awitin Mula Sa ‘yo by Kaligta; Tanong Lang by Ajka; and Dr. Love by Kilos.