Diva power

When one speaks of divas and female singers, the name Whitney Houston will inevitably come to mind. Forget her disaster of a marriage, and how it drove her to semi-retirement, because before Beyoncé and the current crop of Jennifers and Jordins, Whitney was the Queen! And if we’re looking for a young Asian ‘comer’, Tata Young (American father and Thai mother) has her new CD, fortifying her claim to be the Asian songstress that’s making waves globally.

I Look To You: Whitney Houston (Sony BMG). One of the world’s best known mezzo-sopranos, Whitney is officially ranked as the fourth best-selling female artist of all time by the Recording Industry Association of America; having sold over 140 million albums and 50 million singles worldwide. Of course, some may scoff and say that was all in the not too distant past, and what does Whitney mean for today’s audience. To stack the odds in her favor, Whitney has people like Alicia Keys, Stargate, Tricky Stewart, Akon and R. Kelly all lending a hand. With a huskier voice, the title track, Million Dollar Bill and the Akon-assisted Like I Never Left are the standout tracks. Her cover of the Leon Russell A Song For You is also a winner. Solid R&B for the new Whitney.

Ready for Love: Tata Young (Sony BMG). Recorded in Berlin, Germany with Sony BMG Europe, Ready For Love is a savvy mix of EuroPop and R&B. The thing with this album is that while there’s no one outstanding cut, it would be hard to find one that’s as solid and consistent within its genre. Snatches of Black Eyed Peas, Lady Gaga, Pussycat Dolls flit over the upbeat numbers, while the mid tempo tunes and ballads are highly reminiscent of the hits of Jordin Sparks and Keyshia Cole. I especially liked Boys Will Be Boys, My Bloody Valentine, and the title track. Perfection is a track that’s co-written by Leona Lewis. With sparkling production values and a bevy of strong tunes, this could be that breakthrough CD Tata has been waiting for. If you’re into R&B and snappy pop music, really worth a listen.