Manila, Philippines - A year after winning Protégé, GMA 7’s singing search that saw hopefuls mentored by seasoned music artists, Krizza Neri is releasing her eponymous debut album as under Blackbird, the independent label of her mentor, Aiza Seguerra.
The 11-track record features a mix of originals and revivals that makes the most out of Krizza’s delicate and sweet-sounding vocals, including her version of Kamikazee’s Narda and Ba’t Di Ko Nasabi?, theme of the now-defunct soap The Good Daughter.
The 17-year-old Cagayan de Oro native and talent of GMA Artist Center says she still can’t believe she now has a full-length album to her name. That’s why when asked for a favorite cut from the album, she cites Dahil Sa ‘Yo, written by Laarni Macaraeg.
“It’s about thanking a person, because without that person, you’ll not be where you are right now. I can relate to it,” Krizza explains. “(In my case) I’m not referring to just one person, but many persons. My family, my mother, my friends and most especially to Ms. Aiza Seguerra.”
With the album, she hopes “to grow more in the music industry. I still want to learn, I want to try other so-called fields, but I want to focus on my singing career.”
As her mentor-producer, Aiza gives Krizza props for her professionalism. “What I admire in (Krizza), as we all know she’s just starting, is her spunk when it comes to work, her passion when it comes to singing. Ibang klase, sana di mawala. I’m very meticulous when it comes to recording, like I’m very particular as to what we want to show to the audience, what the audience should hear, and for the singer, she should do it right. And Krizza has matched that, if not gone beyond what I expected from her. If she makes a mistake, she corrects herself already even before I point it out. She knows her stuff. Hopefully, she grows more as an artist.”
What Krizza, on the other hand, has learned from Aiza is that there are many techniques to singing and not just belting out every song. “Kasi ako when I started out in Protégé, ang iniisip ko kailangan birit. Sobrang pressure sa akin. Okey naman, kinaya ko naman yung pinagawa sa akin. Pero parang mas gusto mo ang music na ang sarap pakinggan, yung full of emotions, when you let the melody of the song flow through your emotions. She (Aiza) is one inspiration why I was able to do the album right.”
Although she line-produced Carol Banawa’s comeback album some years back, this is the first producing project of Aiza, who was very hands-on with the making of the album, from the recording, to the arrangement, to the selection of songs. Aiza says it was a risk producing the album, but she took it because she wants Krizza to be heard.
“I didn’t produce this album to make money. Even before Krizza won Protégé, I think it was still our second gala, after I heard her voice, I already decided I’m going to make her an album,” Aiza says.
She adds that there are a lot of artists right now who can’t sing the songs that they like because they have to live up to a certain image or packaging, so she wants her label to be a platform for artists to express themselves. But it will be one step at a time because “I’m really all alone on this one. I’m not a business person.”
Aiza explains, “I know very well the troubles the recording industry is going through right now. I’m aware labels are closing down. Most of the releases, they released them now as digital. Honestly, financially, suntok sa buwan ‘to. It’s really a big investment. But I really believe in Krizza, I believe in her talent. And I would like to believe, despite the bad things happening to the industry right now, good music will still come up. I just want her voice to be heard.”
One thing you won’t expect her to be doing is to tag or peg Krizza as the “next-so-and-so.” Why peg her as Regine Velasquez or Jessica Sanchez (although they both have curly hair, Aiza quips) when she can very well showcase her talent as herself, Aiza says.
Curiously, Aiza is being used as a “peg” these days what with Charice’s “change of image,” as some pundits put it. “The truth is, natatawa nga ako sa mga peg na yan. I’m amused that I’m being used as a verb, or an adjective, like ‘si Charice uma-Aiza...’ You know, there’s a right term for that. I’m a person, I’m not a term. And whatever Charice wants for her life, let her be.”
Her protégé has also gotten her share of intrigues from people making an issue out of her closeness to Aiza. Admitting that she’s close to her mentor, Krizza has followed the example of Aiza and deleted her Twitter account to steer clear of bashers and haters hiding behind usernames. She declares, “I try not to think about (the intrigues). I’m happy with my life.”
Krizza will be distributed by Universal Records.