Music’s “It” Girl of the Moment Shines on Her Debut
Published On: October 18, 2011, 12:00 AM
Reality television has a glittery history in local entertainment. From adapted international shows like Survivor and American Idol to homegrown programs like Starstruck and Extra Challenge, the Pinoy penchant for a healthy dose of realism is truly remarkable.
Reality television has a glittery history in local entertainment. From adapted international shows like Survivor and American Idol to homegrown programs like Starstruck and Extra Challenge, the Pinoy penchant for a healthy dose of realism is truly remarkable. But, mix it with their passion for music and you’ve got a surefire recipe for success.
Stars like Regine Velasquez were born out of talent search programs, and newbie Frencheska Farr is no different. Now, more than a year after winning Are You The Next Big Star? and securing a major film role, this 18-year-old Southern beauty whose pipes belie her age gears up for her musical journey with debut album, “Inside My Heart”. She may be categorized into an overabundance of female singing competition winners who have ruled noontime variety shows, but Farr stands out by virtue of her multidimensionality and motivation to thrive in her chosen business. And it shows in her GMA Records debut.
Anyone who has ever seen Farr in her role in the musical film Emir knows that she can bring a charismatic performance to the table. Yet, despite her convincing delivery, Farr approaches her solo album with an inspiring brew of songs about life, love, and happiness that will do more than just communicate what she really is all about. It’s a functional pop record that identifies her as the real deal, the next big star indeed.
“Inside My Heart” finds Farr working with a star-studded team especially with the likes of Vehnee Saturno, Rebel Magdagasang, and Agatha Obar penning songs for her. With seven original songs and three covers, it’s an undoubtedly good mix of fun, age-appropriate songs (“I want to reach the heaven and soar through the clouds,” she sings in the positive pop of “Everytime”) and grand, sophisticated tearjerkers (“Sa Pangarap Ko” is classic Vehnee with an impressive climax that displays Farr’s vocals’ measured strength) that demonstrates the album’s central motif.
The album smartly opens with the joyful “Everytime” that indicates how effective Farr is with songs soaked in optimism. One of the record’s lightest melodies and its carrier single, “Today I’ll See The Sun” exhibits how Farr’s pipes vary depending on the song’s requirements. Here, she shines in both high swells and low notes. The teen love gush of “Bakit Ikaw” and her groove-driven cover of U2’s “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” are definitely gratifying, especially the latter which is beautifully rendered in layers of acoustic strums, playful piano notes, nice Afro beats, and gospel-like backing vocals. Clearly, the album’s musical showpiece.
Among the power ballads in her collection, “Isama Mo Ako” and “Ang Pag-ibig Kong Ito” (a classic reworked into an even classier piece to seamlessly fit into an epic period film) reveals an emotional vulnerability that is uncommon for female singers her age. Chalk it up to her emotive channeling skills or personal experience (despite her age) but Farr’s crystal clear voice evoke breadth and personality that flutters beautifully on each note, on every lyric, and on all instrumentation. Powerful but restrained, never pushing it when she doesn’t need to.
Finally, here is a girl who knows exactly what she’s doing. Farr’s title track lets us in on a fleeting moment inside her heart and thoughts, and surprisingly makes us want to hear more. Whatever it is that she may show in the future, Farr proves right here and now that she’s a relevant singer rooted in sounds of love, soul, and passion.
Frencheska Farr’s debut CD “Inside My Heart” is now available at SM Music and Video, Odyssey Music & Video, Astroplus, Astrovision, The Landmark and other major record outlets nationwide for Php 285.00.
Stars like Regine Velasquez were born out of talent search programs, and newbie Frencheska Farr is no different. Now, more than a year after winning Are You The Next Big Star? and securing a major film role, this 18-year-old Southern beauty whose pipes belie her age gears up for her musical journey with debut album, “Inside My Heart”. She may be categorized into an overabundance of female singing competition winners who have ruled noontime variety shows, but Farr stands out by virtue of her multidimensionality and motivation to thrive in her chosen business. And it shows in her GMA Records debut.
Anyone who has ever seen Farr in her role in the musical film Emir knows that she can bring a charismatic performance to the table. Yet, despite her convincing delivery, Farr approaches her solo album with an inspiring brew of songs about life, love, and happiness that will do more than just communicate what she really is all about. It’s a functional pop record that identifies her as the real deal, the next big star indeed.
“Inside My Heart” finds Farr working with a star-studded team especially with the likes of Vehnee Saturno, Rebel Magdagasang, and Agatha Obar penning songs for her. With seven original songs and three covers, it’s an undoubtedly good mix of fun, age-appropriate songs (“I want to reach the heaven and soar through the clouds,” she sings in the positive pop of “Everytime”) and grand, sophisticated tearjerkers (“Sa Pangarap Ko” is classic Vehnee with an impressive climax that displays Farr’s vocals’ measured strength) that demonstrates the album’s central motif.
The album smartly opens with the joyful “Everytime” that indicates how effective Farr is with songs soaked in optimism. One of the record’s lightest melodies and its carrier single, “Today I’ll See The Sun” exhibits how Farr’s pipes vary depending on the song’s requirements. Here, she shines in both high swells and low notes. The teen love gush of “Bakit Ikaw” and her groove-driven cover of U2’s “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” are definitely gratifying, especially the latter which is beautifully rendered in layers of acoustic strums, playful piano notes, nice Afro beats, and gospel-like backing vocals. Clearly, the album’s musical showpiece.
Among the power ballads in her collection, “Isama Mo Ako” and “Ang Pag-ibig Kong Ito” (a classic reworked into an even classier piece to seamlessly fit into an epic period film) reveals an emotional vulnerability that is uncommon for female singers her age. Chalk it up to her emotive channeling skills or personal experience (despite her age) but Farr’s crystal clear voice evoke breadth and personality that flutters beautifully on each note, on every lyric, and on all instrumentation. Powerful but restrained, never pushing it when she doesn’t need to.
Finally, here is a girl who knows exactly what she’s doing. Farr’s title track lets us in on a fleeting moment inside her heart and thoughts, and surprisingly makes us want to hear more. Whatever it is that she may show in the future, Farr proves right here and now that she’s a relevant singer rooted in sounds of love, soul, and passion.
Frencheska Farr’s debut CD “Inside My Heart” is now available at SM Music and Video, Odyssey Music & Video, Astroplus, Astrovision, The Landmark and other major record outlets nationwide for Php 285.00.
