YONTING, JAVIER, DE GUZMAN AND PEREZ. Substance over flashy theatrics
The success of the local edition of “The Voice” is instructive in a lot of ways, so we’re happy that the popular talent search has released three compilation albums—featuring its Top 14, the Final Four, and big winner Mitoy Yonting—that celebrate talent over looks, and substance over flashy theatrics.
The show was a cut above the rest, because it couldn’t care less if its contestants were in their mid-40s, didn’t possess the obligatory movie-star looks, were gender-bending performers, or weighed way beyond their ideal body weight. —Talk about evening the playing field, this is it!
Our top pick was the sensational Janice Javier, but we didn’t mind Mitoy seizing the spotlight, because his prodigious gifts as a vocalist were hard to ignore. With his sky-high range and steely voice, the guy could outsing the likes of Steven Tyler and Styx’s Dennis DeYoung.
However, we did feel that a number of semifinalists should have taken over the place of Myk Perez, who was compromised by his underwhelming live performances. But, as far as vote-reliant reality searches go, that’s the way the cookie crumbles…
During the foursome’s rip-roaring stint on “Gandang Gabi, Vice” (and after getting ribbed for looking like Melai Cantiveros), Klarisse de Guzman demonstrated that she had soul to back up those sturdy pipes, by knocking her jazzed up version of Nicki Minaj’s “Super Bass” out of the ball park!
Similarly memorable was Janice squeezing all the soul out of Ara Mina’s novel hit tune, “Ay Ay Ay, Pag-ibig”—what a treat!
However, there’s something about recording that, while it polishes a voice’s rough edges, muffles the power and urgency of a performance. In “The Voice of the Philippines: The Final 4,” Mitoy, Janice, Klarisse and Myk are pitch-perfect and polished to perfection—but, they also struggle when the songs they’re tasked to breathe life into are mediocre.
Klarisse acquits herself well because her versions of Miley Cyrus’ “The Climb” and Vehnee and Ara Saturno’s “Slowly” are a snug fit for soaring arena dazzlers that are cut in the mold of, say, Christina Aguilera or Ella Mae Saison. You can get your acoustic fix from Myk’s “Fix You” and “Give Me Love.”
Boosted by time-honed skill and experience, Mitoy’s “Anak” begins with a faithful rendition of Freddie Aguilar’s global hit that soon segues into a rock-opera number that is nothing short of breath-taking. But, can the indefatigable power vocalist sustain his listeners’ rapt attention if he’s given somber tunes that don’t require shrill theatricality? Let’s wait and see.
Janice’s impeccable technical skills remind us of Whitney Houston in her prime, before her glorious voice was ravaged by drugs and alcohol. Her low notes are as seamless as her high registers (Jeremy Sarmiento’s “Coming Home”), with a peerless quality that is genre-resistant.
It’s easy to get dwarfed by Houston and George Benson’s definitive renditions of “Greatest Love of All”—but, Janice’s cover is fresh and just as rousing! —Now that’s versatility-plus!
The foursome’s album also includes bonus tracks from Paolo Onesa (“Lucky in Love”), Thor Dulay (“Antay”), Morissette Amon (“Begin”), and the ravishing Radha (“Huwag Kang Mainis”) performing noteworthy tunes that are sometimes better than the ones rendered by Mitoy and company.
The outstanding Morissette sounds more “seasoned” than many singers twice her age. But, she is weighed down by a voice that eerily sounds like a cross between her coach, Sarah Geronimo, and the Pop Princess’ idol, Celine Dion—which isn’t always a good thing, especially if you’re going for originality.
Be that as it may, a great talent like her shouldn’t lose heart, because if she really has what it takes to be a singing star, she’ll find her own “Voice” in no time!