Tween Academy Stars Shine in Film’s Soundtrack
Published On: October 18, 2011, 12:00 AM
GMA’s new breed of love teams fills the airwaves with teenybopper ear candies.
With plenty of starry-eyed chemistry and sweet moments straight out of GMA’s blockbuster film Tween Academy: Class of 2012, it’s no surprise to see an equally syrupy soundtrack from its crowd-pleasing, sensational teenage cast. What’s astonishing though is that for a film about young love, the 14-track record pays homage to romantic comedy movies of the past, with bits and pieces of contemporary songs sprinkled in the mix to keep things interesting. It’s a brave musical move but one that sets Tween Academy up into classier territory instead of a tacky throwback to the past.
The defining song of the album, “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” clearly establishes the mood, with three different versions created for the album. Newcomer Julie Anne San Jose and promising solo act Elmo Magalona opens with their remarkably impressive rendition of the Starship number one hit, which also appeared on the 1987 film Mannequin. It’s an ode to classic love songs with Julie Anne and Elmo, though fledgling artists, doing justice with their strong vocal chops and harmonies. While retaining its novel 80s sound, the lead love teams of Joshua Dionisio and Barbie Forteza and Jake Vargas and Bea Binene flaunt their best accessory in their version: the kilig factor that’s sure to make their fans giggle.
On this album that’s mostly composed of covers of various hits, celebrity daughter Lexi Fernandez’s attempt at Taylor Swift’s “Back to December” is hands-down the best song here. Still age-appropriate and cute with great production, Lexi’s unique voice and delivery shows so much crossover potential. Give her a couple years to hone her singing and she’ll be a welcome addition to the entertainment industry. Even her male counterpart John Miguel does a fantastic job at covering Wham!’s “Wake Me Up Before You Go Go,” his flexible voice flourishing in the 80s-tuned track. The Tween Boys Derrick Monasterio and Kristoffer Martin adopt some R&B swag from Bruno Mars on their not-lazy-at-all performance of the “Lazy Song.”
Classic Pinoy, hook-laden song “Kaba” also finds itself in the soundtrack, perfect for those lovesick moments youngsters regularly go through. Here, Julie Anne San Jose is again pitch-perfect in her delivery while the new pair of Alden Richards and Louise Delos Reyes follows the successful formula of girl-boy duets. Frencheska Farr adds a little happy, optimistic pop, too with her own song “Everytime” and Barbie Forteza, well, thrills with a sentimental performance of “Pers Lab,” summing up the range of songs that quite frankly are meant to just be enjoyed, whether you’re a teen or a teen at heart. This soundtrack is a collection of well-loved hits that serves as a pretty satisfying bonus to its adolescent market as well as building the hype for the much-hyped film.
The defining song of the album, “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” clearly establishes the mood, with three different versions created for the album. Newcomer Julie Anne San Jose and promising solo act Elmo Magalona opens with their remarkably impressive rendition of the Starship number one hit, which also appeared on the 1987 film Mannequin. It’s an ode to classic love songs with Julie Anne and Elmo, though fledgling artists, doing justice with their strong vocal chops and harmonies. While retaining its novel 80s sound, the lead love teams of Joshua Dionisio and Barbie Forteza and Jake Vargas and Bea Binene flaunt their best accessory in their version: the kilig factor that’s sure to make their fans giggle.
On this album that’s mostly composed of covers of various hits, celebrity daughter Lexi Fernandez’s attempt at Taylor Swift’s “Back to December” is hands-down the best song here. Still age-appropriate and cute with great production, Lexi’s unique voice and delivery shows so much crossover potential. Give her a couple years to hone her singing and she’ll be a welcome addition to the entertainment industry. Even her male counterpart John Miguel does a fantastic job at covering Wham!’s “Wake Me Up Before You Go Go,” his flexible voice flourishing in the 80s-tuned track. The Tween Boys Derrick Monasterio and Kristoffer Martin adopt some R&B swag from Bruno Mars on their not-lazy-at-all performance of the “Lazy Song.”
Classic Pinoy, hook-laden song “Kaba” also finds itself in the soundtrack, perfect for those lovesick moments youngsters regularly go through. Here, Julie Anne San Jose is again pitch-perfect in her delivery while the new pair of Alden Richards and Louise Delos Reyes follows the successful formula of girl-boy duets. Frencheska Farr adds a little happy, optimistic pop, too with her own song “Everytime” and Barbie Forteza, well, thrills with a sentimental performance of “Pers Lab,” summing up the range of songs that quite frankly are meant to just be enjoyed, whether you’re a teen or a teen at heart. This soundtrack is a collection of well-loved hits that serves as a pretty satisfying bonus to its adolescent market as well as building the hype for the much-hyped film.
