Kyla records again with Journey

Kunwa-kunwari Lang is a good song, very well-written, well-produced and unquestionably well-sung by R&B artist Kyla. I am not happy though that it is in her new album Journey. Written by Jungee Marcelo and Francis Salazar, the song reminds me too much of Zia Quizon and I see no sense in Kyla sounding like Zia when she has always done very well sounding like herself. I am sure that Jungee himself discovered this when Kyla sang his other composition, the happy lilting ballad Atin Ang Walang Hanggan, which closes the album.

But if you do not mind that Kyla sounds like Zia in Kunwa-kunwari Lang, which is the album’s first single release, then you will surely enjoy every cut in this six-song package. Titled Journey, this is Kyla’s first recording since Private Affair from four years ago and her first album release since the hit collection, Best of Kyla: Essence of Soul from 2012. The reason for her hiatus was her marriage to cage star Rich Alvarez in November, 2011 and the birth of her son Toby Elsiah who is now one year old. She first resumed her career performing in concerts and TV shows. And now with the arrival of Journey, the R&B Princess is back full time.

Nice to find out she is also back to writing songs. In fact, the title track is her collaboration with fellow R&B artist Jay-R and Kettle Mata. There are also Dito Na Lang by Francis Salazar, which should gladden her fans. This is the Kyla that they first loved in her breakthrough hit Hanggang Ngayon from over 10 years ago. They will be amazed at the brilliant, gospel-tinged foot-thumper, I Got This, also composed by Kyla with Yosha Honasan, where she also raps. And then there is My Heart, a sweet romantic duet with the soulful American balladeer Brian McKnight, who wrote the song that later became his wedding gift for Kyla. Their voices blend so well together. It is incredibly beautiful and it is available in this album for the very first time.

Vocally, Journey must be Kyla’s best. Her multi-octave range has acquired warmer, fuller tones and she approaches every note with great confidence. She obviously loves singing and it is great that she has found songs that show off her extraordinary talent on her comeback bid. 

Catch Kyla perform the songs in Journey along with her other hits tomorrow, May 31 at 6 p.m. at Ayala Center Cebu.

From MTV Pinoy comes the news that James Reid and Nadine Lustre, the hot love team born out of the movie Diary ng Panget, will be playing celebrity VJs at the music channel throughout the whole month of June. Watch their hit videos, Natataranta by James, Paligoy-ligoy by Nadine and No Erase by James and Nadine from the soundtrack of Panget, keep tabs on their current skeds, learn about the kind of music they like and most of all, see them together again since Panget took the country by storm some weeks ago.

James and Nadine are also among the stars of the Pinoy MYX Countdown for the week from the MYX music channel. The hit list is topped by Sarah Geronimo’s version of Maybe This Time. The popular oldie is the theme from the movie of the same title which marks Sarah’s first team-up with TV and indie films heartthrob Coco Martin. Here are the other videos in the MYX Top 20 list:

Takipsilim by Gloc-9 featuring Regine Velasquez-Alcasid; Night Owls by Slapshock; Natataranta by James Reid; No Erase by James Reid again with Nadine Lustre; Right Where You Belong by Julie Anne San Jose; Pag May Time by Xian Lim; Dahan-Dahan by Maja Salvador; Hindi Ka Nag-iisa by Q-York feat. Yeng Constantino; Parachute by Jay-R.

Heart Song by Mica Javier; Singapore Sling by Sponge Cola; Do The Moves by Sarah Geronimo, apl.de.ap, Enrique Gil and Elmo Magalona; Treat You Right by TJ Monterde; Kapit by Imago; Friendzone by Isabelle de Leon; Happier This Way by Save Me Hollywood; When I Was Your Man by Paolo Onesa; Dyosa by Yumi Lacsamana; and Hover by Urbandub.

Incidentally, Happier This Way is the new single out of the album Your Story To Tell by the exciting all-star band Save Me Hollywood. They have previously released three well-received singles, Reckless, High and Changes.I do not know where their name comes from but I do know why they are referred to as an all-star band.

The members of Save Me Hollywood are: Calde Calderon of Chicosci on bass; drummer Melvin Macatiag was formerly with Typecast; guitarists and songwriters Aaron Corvera and Kenneth Aranza were with the underground group April Morning Skies; and singer and lyricist Julz Savard may not have been with any band but she is a popular model and winner of the MYX VJ Search in 2010.