Sabrina feels her fame is ‘surreal’

Who is Sabrina and why did her all-covers album, “I Love Acoustic,” sell so well that her record label, MCA Music, reported that it went gold in the Philippines and Thailand, and double platinum in Indonesia?

A follow-up release, “I Love Acoustic Too,” was likewise certified gold in Thailand and double platinum in Indonesia. A third one, “I <3 Acoustic,” went platinum, again, in Indonesia.

Sabrina’s latest, “I Love Acoustic 4,” seems to validate the notion that her Asian fans just can’t get enough of her.

The Inquirer sought out the 22-year-old singer/guitarist from Laguna (yes, she’s Pinay):

Did you have an inkling that you were going to be very popular outside the Philippines, and why so?

None at all! It came as a surprise. I am just an ordinary girl who loves to sing. I never even thought I’d be a professional recording artist in the Philippines, so you can just imagine how surreal this whole “you’re popular in other Asian countries” news is to me!

What is different about your albums that set them apart from others?

That I honestly do not know. In fact, another acoustic singer released an album a few months after my “I Love Acoustic,” with the same arranger, so our songs sounded the same since we also had the same producer who used a particular technique. I guess it’s really my voice that made the difference. My vocal quality and singing techniques are the only things, I can say, that make my albums distinctive.

How involved are you in choosing the repertoire for your albums?

I’m not at all involved. Zero. For the four albums in the “I Love Acoustic” series, the repertoire was a combined effort of my former management and MCA Music Inc., my record label.

Name the artists who influenced and helped form your own musical style. What did you learn from them?

Growing up, I loved listening to Christina Aguilera, The Carpenters, Mariah Carey. My favorite when it comes to vocal techniques was Carey. I admired how she quickly shifts from chest tone to head tone when she sings. However, it has never been my thing to mimic other singers’ styles. My singing style is my own, a combination of all the techniques I’ve learned from the many vocal coaches I’ve had since I was 7, including the one in Ryan Cayabyab’s music school.

What are some of the hard lessons you’ve learned so far in the music business?

I should be very careful in trusting anybody, no matter how kind they are to me. In this business, I have learned that the thirst for money and fame can make people forget their moral foundation.