Angeline: New look, same voice

MANILA, Philippines - For someone tagged as “queen of teleserye songs” and heiress to the throne of Asia’s Songbird Regine Velasquez, Angeline Quinto must be feeling the pressure to deliver well each time she puts out new materials.

That her third and latest album from Star Records is called Higher Love sends the message that she upgraded herself in some cool way. In fact, both creatively and visually. 

She wrote the lyrics to her new single Sana2x (Sana Sana), posed sexy and looked one for her album images, and appeared more confident than ever about herself as she had shown during her recent press launch at Sir Boy’s Food Republic along Panay Avenue in Quezon City.

“Kakaibang Angeline po ang nasa album na ito. Bukod sa medyo sexy po ang cover, mas excited po akong i-share ang bago sa akin bilang singer, lalo na sa mga taong sumusuporta sa akin mula nang nagsimula ako,” she expressed.

Album producer Jonathan Manalo, who wrote the title track as well as the melody for Sana2x, elaborated more on that shift, saying that Angeline for the first time in her career sings dance music in the same vibe as that of a young Regine doing pop ditties like Urong-Sulong. He shared that the album is different from the belter’s first two CDs because it is more than just a stack of unrelated songs gathered for album packaging. 

He explained, “If her past albums are smorgasbord, this one has a narrative, pushing the story forward as the album goes. It began with her search of a ‘higher love,’ then Sana2x has Angeline’s lyrics filled with kilig factor, tapos nagkaroon ng pagdududa, nasaktan, them she expresses unrequited love, then nag-hope na babalikan siyang muli.” 

Of course, her cover of Babalikang Muli (an adaptation of Namidaga Kimio Wasurenai and composition by one Kenjirou Sakiya) is that one pertaining to that part of the narrative. Angeline made it known that this particular track is the one that she finds most likable.

The final song Hanggang Kailan Kita Mamahalin, which is the theme from The Legal Wife, points to the time when one met true love and decided not to let go of it no matter what.

“We tackled in this album the multi-dimensional feeling of being in love,” Jonathan said. 

When asked to say something about her debut song, she stated, “Sana2x is a feel-good song, perfect for everyone who wants to have a new and happier life this 2014.” 

The track, along with the title piece, has a club diva mix rendition mixed by Brian Cua. 

Meanwhile, similar to the mass appeal of Babalikang Muli (being an adaptation of a non-Filipino composer’s piece) is Ikaw Pa Rin, a song popularized by Ted Ito in the ’90s but was originally recorded as Saigo No Iwake in Japanese.

Aisaku, a Japanese talent who sings in Filipino tongue, put out his self-titled debut album of OPM classic covers with his version of Ikaw Pa Rin as carrier single. His cover of the classic was named Best OPM Cover at last year’s Gawad Musika Awards & Consumers Quality Awards.

Aisaku is vocal about his liking for OPM. He observed, “I find the Filipinos fun to be with. I love their humor, the culture and best of all, the close family ties. I love my parents and I am glad that I know how to show my love to them like a Filipino son can do.”

Produced by Janette Ito of Japan’s i&i Records, in cooperation with Japan Home Centre, Aisaku’s eponymous album is distributed by Universal Records Philippines. Other songs in the package are Remember Me (popularized by Renz Verano), Honey My Love So Sweet (popularized by April Boys), Isang Tanong Isang Sagot (popularized by Donna Cruz) and other interesting Tagalog pieces of Japanese roots.

The balladeer previously appeared on Lucky Me’s Kari and Po-Ku TV commercial and is currently endorsing Platinum Karaoke. It’s amazing how far he has gotten considering that as a child he had speech problem. It took a therapist from Operation Smile to cure him from his condition.

He shared, “When I was given the chance to take my speech therapy, it became my solution to stop escaping from reality and start living the real life I wanted to live.”

Aisaku gave a benefit lounge concert for Yolanda victims just days after the disaster.