Getting breaks, breaking barriers

MANILA, Philippines - For recording acts to get through the music scene, it’s either you get the breaks or you break barriers. Some of them bloom late. Others bank on versatility and fame to step in without much struggling.

Here are three acts with separate journeys but with similar goal of breaking into mainstream acceptance as musical artists.

Solenn collaborates with Rico Blanco

While others need to establish themselves in the music industry to earn a possible opportunity to work with someone of Rico Blanco’s stature, French-Pinay model and Survivor Philippines finalist Solenn Heussaff found herself writing a song with the ex-Rivermaya frontman on her debut album. That’s what beauty, talent and charm can do!

In her first CD released by MCA Music Inc., one of the tracks included is Solenn’s songwriting collaboration with Rico titled Chemistry.

“I’m so excited about this album. I assure you there will be lots of surprises,” she said of her venture to recording.

Well, she must be referring to that collaboration. So interesting is the fact that it is attracting the same burning flame that her lead single Fire gets. Fire is her cover of a Bruce Springsteen original which Babyface likewise popularized by way of his own take.

Other tracks in the soul singer’s debut recording are All I Wanna Do, Chemistry, Ladies Night (featuring Viktoria Vixen), Selfish, Kiss, It’s Our First Time, Sunshine and Torn.

Solenn is one of today’s more visible faces with her mag covers, endorsements, TV shows (like Fashbook and Party Pilipinas) and a recent movie (Temptation Island).

Flake: A promdi band with a vocalist to watch out for

They call themselves Flake for almost no reason. But the five-man team of musicians from Dumaguete is now in Manila with a clear purpose. That is, to try their luck here.    

Lucky is the band for having a lead vocalist with a voice that can make heads turn. Frontman Josh Repel is instant talent upon hearing him, as recently indicated by listeners tuned in to them while they’re live singing over 92.3 News FM. His vocal talent has that character which turned bands like The Calling, Nickelback and Lifehouse into Pinoy favorites. He is understandably a man of few words, just letting his voice speak for himself.  

The group recently released its self-titled, independently produced album distributed by Concorde Records, with its debut single Way Back 2 U receiving considerable radio airplay.

According to drummer and founder Nico Epa, the band started in the mid-’90s, though work opportunities abroad stagnated them. Yet, music found its way back to them and they finally recorded an album.

“It’s never too late kaya while we’re still not that old, we’ll try to be heard as much as possible. Anything is possible for those who try,” shared Nico in an interview.

Completing the band are Ace Severino (bass), Mackie Calibo (guitars) and Zartix Tingig (guitars).

In 2005, Flake joined the Muziklaban Challenge and scored a decent finish. They recorded just months ago, with Nico composing three tracks (Lipad, Every Li’l Step and Can’t Take It All), as well as Ace who penned the carrier single Counter Clockwise and Life.

“Dapat ang mga bandang nagsisimula hindi maiinggit sa mga established na. Lahat talaga magsisimula sa wala,” added Nico whose positivity gets through the lyrics as best heard in the inspiring Lipad.

Flake’s self-titled debut album, executive produced by veteran record label man Reck Cardinales, is now out in record bars.      

Indie act scores pop station jingle

Syato

Indie pop rock band Syato gets mainstream exposure via its recording of Big Radio’s jingle now being heard regularly on 91.5. The pop FM station has been playing the song since late June.

Manny Luzon, EVP/COO of Progressive Broadcasting Corporation that gave birth to Big Radio last July 1, has found the jingle delightful. “My production team is very happy for this. We’ll play it,” Syato’s bass player Yugel Losorata recalled hearing such kind words from the influential radio executive.

The indie band wrote a set of lyrics out of words Luzon suggested and had it sync to one of its unrecorded tunes.

Syato, whose single Panaginip Lamang was used as theme for teen TV flick’s Your Song finale last March and whose music video is now airing on MYX, is also composed of vocalist Mark Villagomez, guitarists JM delos Santos and Jimmy Velasquez and drummer Arly La Guardia.

     “All I can say to the song is, ang galing at ang ganda!” added the veteran radio programmer who coined Love Radio and conceptualized Energy FM during his time with companies carrying the said stations.

Yugel, himself a music journalist and who composed the jingle titled Big Time, noted, “It’s an old tune seemingly looking for Tagalog lyrics so I picked it up hoping the Big Radio phrases would fit. Fortunately, it did. Once we felt the good vibes off the song, we recorded it in one session because we couldn’t let go of the night without finishing it.”

Syato has released two albums, a self-titled debut in 2005 and an indie rock package in 2008 featuring the lead track Tibo, which in 2009 earned heavy airplay in some pop stations.   

Meanwhile, Big Radio’s website (www.915bigradio.com) has recently been installed. So as its sister station Win Radio 107.5 now that its 24-hour website (www.winradio.com.ph) allows listeners to watch its favorite DJs via the web.

After replacing NU 107, the pop station formatted as a “more decent mainstream frequency” has already a strong fan base and is being given critical respect for not playing songs with double meaning. Its Cebu station launched Jan. 23 this year is also fast-rising. Among Cebu City’s FM stations, it is now ranked No. 4 based on an AC Nielsen Survey conducted last June 22 to 28.