Miki Hahn is intimately acoustic

The acoustic recordings so popular nowadays can be classified into two types, those with a Latin beat commonly called the bossa, like what Sitti does and the pop hits with stripped down arrangements, as in the current big seller, Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) by the sensational newcomer Princess Velasco.

Young singer and budding designer Miki Hahn probably gave a listen to what is going on in this area of music, took what she liked about it and then went out and did what she wanted. It was about time she did the change. Miki started out traipsing around to inane adolescent tunes like Ugly Girl some years ago. She can now do with something a little more grown-up.

As the title says, Intimately Acoustic by Miki Hahn is as intimate and as acoustic as can be. It also has the feel of a live smoky café performance. But stay away if you want a bossa-tinged or a pared down rendition of Taylor Swift’s White Horse or of something by Beyoncé. What the pretty Miki does here are old rockers like You Won’t See Me by the Beatles, and even older soul hits like At Last, the soul classic by Etta James, which must date back to the ‘50s era.

At Last, though is what provides Miki with her Beyoncé moment. Girl singers nowadays all want to sing and maybe even look like Beyoncé but it is really special when as in this case, they do it with an old song. Beyoncé got her hands on At Last and got to give it a new treatment for the movie Cadillac Records, where she portrayed Etta James to rave reviews. It was also the same song she performed and that US President Barack Obama danced to with his wife Michelle at the inaugural ball last January.

This decision to be somewhat different while going with the trend is really all for the best. Miki’s singing is too full-bodied for the whispery vocals that Pinoys just adore when they want acoustic. With the way this CD is done, Miki gets to show off some lung power while at the same time also chill out with her listeners.

And if I remember right, it also allows her to sing some tunes she once mentioned as her childhood favorites like Son Of A Preacher Man by the late Dusty Springfield from the ‘60s and Midnight At The Oasis by Maria Muldaur from the ‘70s. I am surprised though that she did not give Aretha’s Chain of Fools a try.

The other songs that Miki does in intimately acoustic style are The Sign by the Scandinavian group Ace of Base; Never My Love by the Dave Clark Five; What Can I Do by The Cars; Yellow by Coldplay; Ain’t No Sunshine by Bill Withers; Dream A Little Dream by Cass Eliott of the Mamas and the Papas; Tom’s Diner by Susan Vega; Whenever I Call You Friend by Kenny Loggins and Melissa Manchester; With Or Without You by U2; and Annie’s Song by John Denver.

Meanwhile, MYX lists the following as the top videos in the Pinoy MYX Countdown for the week. Ayt! by Sponge Cola and Gary V.; Walang Iwanan by 6Cyclemind; Back In Time by Kyla & Jay-R; Almost Over You by Karylle; Antukin by Rico Blanco; Manila by Sandwich; Always You by Charice; Muli by Bamboo; May 1 by Archipelago; Love Will Set Us Free by The Dawn.

Princesa Ng Kaba by Sopiz; Salita by Angulo; Balik Simula by Miguel Escueta; Iwas by Aurora; Sana by Updharmadown; Hay Naku by Silent Sanctuary; Murasaki Blue by The Dorques; So Be It by Hilera; Mainit by Qyork/Kenjhons/Chelo Aestrid; and That Girl by the fast-rising hip-hop heartthrob Young JV.

And in the airlanes, the DJ’s toasts of the moment are Antukin by Rico Blanco; Always You by Charice; Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) the acoustic version by Princess Velasco; Dahil Minahal Mo Ako by Sarah Geronimo; Walang Iwanan by 6Cyclemind; Sandali Na Lang by Hale; Ikaw Na Nga by Willie Revillame; I’ll Never Cry by Iya Villania; Updated Version of Me by KC Concepcion; and Kung Puwede Lang Sana by Bugoy.