Jolina’s hugot songs

MANILA, Philippines – Gone are the days when Jolina Magdangal would sing and dance on stage in a colorful get-up with face-framing bangs that seemed to sway at her every turn. Jolina is now a picture of a mature woman whose every move is filled with finesse and elegance. Even her shoulder-length, one-sided wavy hairdo and stylish outfit clearly tell everyone that the former Ang TV star has totally bid her pa-tweetum days goodbye.

But Jolina’s love for singing will never fade away. If some of her previous hits like Sana’y Kapiling Ka and Laging Tapat got you misty-eyed, this time Jolina puts listeners in LSS (last song syndrome) mode as she turns sentimental in her latest album titled Back to Love under Star Music.

Produced by Rox Santos, the album is composed of all-original Tagalog songs that speak about the different facets of love — everlasting, fervent, unconditional, wishful, weary, etc. The re-recording of Chuva Choo Choo with Vice Ganda is an excellent breather to the emotionally-laden song line-up.

“Malungkot pero masaya ko silang kinakanta,” says Jolina on singing emotionally-charged musical pieces. “I mean, if I am overwhelmed with emotion while singing, baka di na ko makahinga so it’s a must for me to sing with a happy heart. Still, one can feel the sadness in the songs and it’s heartening for me to interpret them because I enjoy doing sentimental songs or ‘yung may hugot. Mas kinikilig ako pag senti ’yung kanta.”

More so now that Jolina has already experienced the joys and pains of falling in love. She admits to have cried buckets because of love countless times before she finally found her true love in Rivermaya drummer Mark Escueta, who is now her husband and father of their two-year-old son Pele Iñigo. “Now, I laugh at myself every time I recall those times when I was so hurt over a lost love, mga puppy love ganyan, parang ‘yun lang pala yun iniyakan ko pa (laughs).”

No wonder, Jolina was able to accurately interpret the message of every song in the album. In fact, only two weeks after the release of Back to Love, it already scored a gold record award for having sold more than 7,500 CDs.

“I’m thankful for this because it’s been seven years since my last album. That’s why everything felt new again while I was recording in the studio, ninamnam ko lahat. But I can say that I prepared well for the album.”

No, Jolina didn’t have a hard time tuning up her vocal cords. Thanks to her segment L.S.S. (Love Songs and Stories) in ASAP and the occasional out-of-town shows for keeping her voice in “perfect pitch.”

For Rox, he didn’t notice any change in the singer’s voice. “But if you will notice, the texture of her voice has become richer; mas kumapal which is good. ‘Yung tono ganun pa din.”

Jolina also appreciates how Star Music gave her the freedom to involve herself in the album completion — from selecting the songs to the making of music video and album cover.

Back to Love includes her first single Ikaw Ba Yon as well as Kaya Mo Pa Ba, Paano Na ‘To? and Nasaan Na. Jolina’s ‘90s hit Kapag Ako ay Nagmahal gets two re-recordings — the mellow 2015 version and a remix featuring Gloc-9.

Completing the track list are Sa Panaginip Lang, Still You, Ganito Pala Ang Pag-Ibig and Throwback Lang (a duet with Kyla). Mark and Pele also had a special participation in the album.

Although Jolina is aware that most of the songs can now be downloaded online, it didn’t dampen her spirit to come up with Back to Love.

“I admit may kaba ako na gumawa ng album since it’s been years since the last one pero yung kaba ko na yun mas marami pa rin yung excitement. I’m not the type who would dwell on the thought na kikita ba o hindi because I believe that if you enjoy what you’re doing, it will come out good.” And just like her early hits, Back to Love exceeded her expectations.

That’s why Rox can rightfully claim that Jolina still holds the title of Star Music Queen of Pop “due to the number of albums that turned gold and quadruple platinum.”

Asked which of her songs — past and present — can best describe her, Jolina said, “Kapag Ako ay Nagmahal because it exactly defines me when I’m in love. I never give up easily, except kung sagad na talaga ako.”

(Back to Love is now available in music stores nationwide. It can now also be streamed on Spotify. Digital tracks can also be downloaded via online music stores like ABS-CBN Store, iTunes, Mymusicstore.com.ph, Amazon.com, OneMusic.ph and Starmusic.ph.)