Jay-R and Kyla: Two voices, one soul

MANILA, Philippines - To diehard Kyla and Jay-R fans, Soulmates was an answered prayer — a rare chance for the reigning R&B titans to indulge, stretch out and take a no-holds-barred approach towards performing the definitive songs that mirror their unique artistic visions, while weaving their own personal stories into the picture at the same time.

Some five years back, during their early days together at the GMA 7 Sunday show S.O.P., it was the fans who first noticed the “magic” between the two R&B stalwarts. And what a fine pairing it was. With their respective titles Prince of R&B and R&B Princess, it was only a matter of time before they claimed their rightful stake at their musical thrones — together.

Kris Lawrence behind the piano as he dueted with Jay-R

And that’s exactly what the dynamite duo did last Nov. 29 at the Music Museum. It was a holiday that could’ve well been called “All-Soul Day,” as they sang, danced and partied all night with generous servings of soul, R&B, jazz, and everything smooth and funky from the Black Eyed Peas, Jay Sean, Flo Rida, Bruno Mars, Alicia Keys, Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey. Of course, they also did their signature hits.

Some of the evening’s highlights include Kris Lawrence’s impromptu duet with Jay-R on Billionaire, ably flaunting his piano-playing skills. Another breathtaking moment was Kyla’s rendition of How High The Moon, a jazz classic where she shocked everyone with her eight-minute scat solo that would’ve made Ella Fitzgerald proud.

By the end of the evening, the message was clear. As director Freddie Santos envisioned, the “soulmates” connection wasn’t just onstage. It was a celebration of kindred spirits, a reawakening of songs both electric and nostalgic, and a fitting triumph of the artists’ sheer mastery of their medium.

Jay-R and Kyla sang, danced and partied all night during their Soulmates concert

The eclectic lineup of the various front acts got the audience all warmed up for a rousing start. The Studes, a J-Pop-inspired teen group was instant eye-and-ear candy with its kaleidoscopic colors, bubbly harmonies and fresh, uppity dance grooves. Next, former child star Isabella “Duday” de Leon also rocked the house with a couple of upbeat acoustic rock ditties. Not to be outdone, budding singer/songwriter Fil-Italian Kevin Cisco channeled an earful of R&B and John Mayer-ish vibes in a startlingly catchy original. But among the front acts, it was Krista Kleiner — reigning Bb. Pilipinas-International 2010 — who stole the show with her eye-catching costumes and equally-daring stage antics. Who else would have the spunk and panache to punctuate her dance routine with her dazzling nunchucks sequence, full splits and ultra-high kicks (in high heels to boot!)?

Revving up the party atmosphere was the presence of fellow celebrities such as Billy Crawford, Iya Villania, Kris Lawrence, KC Montero, John Prats, Rachelle Ann Go, Ahron Villena, Jimmy Muna and Jimmy Marquez.

Presented by Kaspersky Lab, Soulmates is a production of iSecure Networks Inc. (iSN), Party Pilipinas and ALV Events International, in cooperation with GMA, Bench, Unisilver and AMA Computer University.