Going against the flow, ‘Bet ng Bayan’ alum Hannah Precillas records 1st album

Hannah Prescillas

With record labels focusing more and more on single releases and foregoing the album format, it was a pleasant surprise, singer Hannah Precillas said, when she found out that she was to record a live EP. “This is my first time [to have an EP]. And though it’s no longer as common these days, it’s a big deal for me. People always ask me when I’m putting out an album and I always tell them that it’s more about singles now. But now that I have one, I couldn’t be more happy that I got to experience it,” she told the Inquirer in a virtual conference for “Hannah Precillas: Sessions.” “This is another achievement in my career,” added the “Bet ng Bayan” alum, who also placed third in an Indonesian singing tilt in 2019. “I’m so grateful.”

The ballad-heavy EP, released under GMA Music, contains four tracks: the lead single “Munting Hiling,” “Hiram na Sandali,” “Awit Kay Inay” and “Sabi Ko Na Nga Ba.”

Timely message

Composed by Vehnee Saturno, “Munting Hiling,” Hannah said, sends a timely message about peace, love and dreams. “I like it because it’s not your usual kilig love song. It’s about fulfilling your dreams and helping others achieve theirs; receiving love and making others happy. It’s about hope.”

“It’s applicable to our current situation,” Hannah said of our everyday struggles amid the COVID-19 pandemic. “There are lot of things crowding our minds—‘How do we survive?’ ‘How long will this pandemic last?’ But I hope things improve soon, so we can return to our work and normal lives.” Though she has yet to personally meet Vehnee, Hannah said being given an opportunity to record one of his compositions was an honor. “I’m amazed by his talent. His works, old and new, are beautiful,” she said, adding that the challenge in doing the EP was recording the vocal tracks without the aid of a sound engineer.

Go with the flow

“I just went with the flow of the process. I made sure the audio was good. I can be a perfectionist. When I’m in a studio, I sing a lot of takes if I’m not satisfied, or if I feel like there’s something wrong. I will repeat the track until I get the results I want,” she said. “It was tough, but I hope the listeners like it. I hope they hear my love and passion for music.”

While her style or genre leans more toward adult contemporary and ballads, Hannah does enjoy dancing, too, and she hopes to have a more upbeat single in the future. But no rush. “I want to have danceable songs. But it’s OK if I stay with hugot songs for now. I want to build on that before exploring other styles,” she said.

The important thing is that the music she puts out is true to her core. “The EP sounds timeless, but it’s something young fans can appreciate, too,” she said. “It’s genuine.” INQ