Addicted to Princess

Princess’ rise to prominence last year with her debut CD Addicted To Acoustic was a welcome event. The moribund music business needed a boost up and lovely Princess came at the right time. I am sure you remember Princess Velasco, the guitar-toting singer who went to Assumption College for her elementary and high school. Then came De La Salle and degrees in Communication Arts and Advertising Management. She didn’t stop there but went on to University of the Philippines for her Master of Business Administration.

You’d think that given her looks and singing voice, she was surely already thinking of a career in showbiz by then. Remember she is an interesting mix of Chinese, Spanish and Filipino parentage. But no, she decided to teach and was assistant professorial lecturer on Marketing and Advertising at La Salle. This continued for a while until she was enticed to try her angelic pipes in the recording studio. Results turned out well. Princess had just the right sound Pinoys like with soft, laidback acoustic tunes that have been staples in the local charts for years now.

Produced by Sunny Ilacad, Addicted To Acoustic happened soon after and by August last year, it was the biggest selling and most played CD in the country. Months later, radio stations all over the country still play her stripped down take on Beyoncé’s Single Ladies and Akon’s Right Now Na Na Na, and the album with its all hits line-up of tunes like I Hate This Part by the Pussycat Dolls, Decode by Paramore, Thinking Of You by Katy Perry, I’m Yours by Jason Mraz; Love Story by Taylor Swift, T-Shirt by Shontelle and others, continues to sell.

Fast forward to March, 2010. Princess is still in the singing game but in a big way now. Gone is the young, pretty professor and the junior executive in the corporate workplace. Instead she is now a regular in A.S.A.P. Mania on Sundays, stars in live gigs and most of all is the proud star of a new big-selling CD titled, what else but Addicted to Acoustic 2. Ilacad has kept the tested formula. They took 18 of today’s most popular tunes, then gave these relaxing, jazzy arrangements featuring the guitar in the acoustic style and were next recorded by Princess, sounding throughout at her sweetest best.

Bad Romance by Lady Gaga is the first hit out of the album. For the next one you can look towards Where Are You Now? By Honor Society; 3 by Britney Spears; Two Is Better Than One by Boys Like Girls; Fireflies by Owl City; Fallin’ For You by Colbie Caillat; You Belong With Me by Taylor Swift; Touch My One Time Hand by David Archuleta; Mad by Ne-yo; Tik Tok by Ke$ha; Already Gone by Kelly Clarkson; Mama Do by Pixie Lott; New Divide by Linkin Park; Trouble Is A Friend by Lenka; Who Says by John Mayer; and Whatcha Say by Jason Derulo.

As expected all songs in the album are covers of current hits. I won’t complain because Pinoys buy them any way and the label can certainly use the business. But Princess is no ordinary girl. She has a good head on her shoulders. She is serious about her career. And she wants to offer more than covers. Addicted To Acoustic 2 also features You Still Have My Heart, the one original track composed by Princess herself. Good work, girl.

Check out Princess as she performs hits from her Platinum-selling debut Addicted To Acoustic and introduces Addicted To Acoustic 2 at SM The Block on April 30.