Why Karylle and Zia get no professional advice from Zsa Zsa

From left: Zia Quizon, Zsa Zsa Padilla and Karylle

Zsa Zsa Padilla may be close to her daughters, singers Karylle (“Sa ’Yo na Lang Ako”) and Zia Quizon (“Ako na Lang”), but even with her extensive experience as a seasoned performer, the lovely singer-actress feels she’s in no position to give them professional advice.

She explained to Inquirer Entertainment: “If there’s something about the way they sound that reminds people of my own, that can’t be avoided because I’m their mother. Magkalahi, eh. I’m always ready to give them advice if they ask for it, but I don’t say, ‘Ganito ang gawin mo (do it this way).’

“As far as technique is concerned, I don’t meddle, because the girls have worked so hard to make their singing styles distinctive. Like, I wouldn’t tell Karylle how to attack and execute a note or interpret a song, because that’ll be like telling my child to sing exactly like me. I don’t want them to say, ‘If I do that, eh di I sound like you na. That isn’t my style.’

“Ang pwedeng magbigay ng advice or mag-comment about, say, scooping the notes too much, is the musical director or vocal coach who works closely with them. We have to respect singers’ individual styles and encourage them to develop their own.” —RITO ASILO