When it comes to her craft, Nina has the discipline of an athlete. She may have churned out hit after hit, but she doesn’t neglect her regular vocal workouts. Nina makes it a point to practice, practice, practice. Even when she’s not facing an audience, Nina breaks out into song — any song. Those precious vocal cords must be in tiptop shape, all the time, anytime.
“At home, I sing anything, on my own or with my family,” she reveals. “I unwind by singing.”
Otherwise, she won’t be in tiptop shape for any album or show that suddenly comes her way.
The discipline was not lost on songwriter Dianne Warren, who took one listen to a compilation album of her songs and figured one voice stood out from among the roster of artists chosen to interpret them: Nina (the list includes Toni Braxton, Celine Dion and Eric Clapton no less).
Nina was the only Filipina in the elite list of artists who sang Warren’s love songs in the Warmer Music album released in the US.
So impressed was Warren she herself endorsed Nina’s new album, Nina Sings the Hits of Dianne Warren (Warner Music Philippines) in the liner notes.
“A few years ago, Nina cut I Don’t Want to be Your Friend, one of my favorite songs,” writes Warren. “I am very happy that she is now coming out with an entire album filled with the songs that I’m proud of. Hopefully, this is just the beginning of a lot of hits together,” Warren writes.
Nina herself picked what she thinks is the best of the songwriter’s songs and included them in her album. This freedom of choice is a privilege reserved only for the chosen few who make multi-platinum albums the way Nina does.
Thus, you hear Un-break My Heart (originally sung by Toni Braxton), I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing (Aerosmith), Because You Love Me (Celine Dion), I Turn to You (Christina Aguilera) and others.
The breathy vocals are as smooth as ever, the seductive voice reminiscent of long, languid nights with the one you’d love to hold hands with way until the break of dawn. The album may belong to the all-covers category, but Nina manages to avoid the trap other singers fall into: lack of originality. Nina gives the song her own signature, her own style.
You don’t hear Eric Clapton anymore when Nina sings Blue Eyes Blue. You almost forget it was Taylor Dane who first sang Love Will Lead You Back when you listen to the new album. There’s a world of difference between the original and Nina’s version.
What gives?
Nina replies: “When I sing a cover song, I make it my own. Then people don’t realize it’s a cover song anymore.”
This is one artist who doesn’t blindly follow in anyone’s footsteps, no matter how big they are, Nina converts a rock song into a romantic ballad; a dance tune into a mellow ode to love.
What you hear is a totally new version of a familiar song.
Now, Nina hopes Warren will make a song just for her the way the gifted songwriter has given the likes of Cher and Christina Aguilera songs people identify with them. This way, Nina can truly make the song her very own.
“I still have much to fulfill … greater dreams, bigger aspirations. I owe it to my fans,” she explains.
Otherwise, as her favorite track I Can’t Ask For More proclaims, Nina is happy with what she has. Whether she sings only for an audience of one — herself — or for a multitude, Nina has no complaints. She’ll still sing as long as she feels like it, at home, or anywhere else. Besides, she’s still very much around at a time when other singers have given way to younger products of talent searches. That, in itself, is reason to rejoice.