Kyla in a private affair

2010 was a good year for Kyla. The local R&B Princess had a big hit with Back In Time, a duet with Jay-R. She celebrated her first 10 years in the music business with the release of Essence Of Soul, a compilation of her 27 biggest sellers. And then to cap things off, she ended the year with a bang. Kyla did not really make so much noise in the literal sense. Think fireworks or firecrackers or maybe some media controversy. That is not her style. What she made was good music, the light and soulful kind she enjoys doing. And those that she did for her latest album Private Affair are signs that all is not lost for the future of Filipino music.

This is because after a long period when she was recording mostly covers of old favorites, Private Affair is made up almost entirely of original compositions. This is a big risk nowadays given the tepid market for OPM tunes. But when you have somebody of Kyla’s stature willing to put her career on the line for the music, then the CD is really a dream come true. The sole departure from the theme is her cover of How Deep Is Your Love by the Bee Gees. The song made the cut because it is one of Kyla’s long-time favorites and she had always dreamed of one day recording her own version. Beside from that, the CD is a virtual feast of OPM that might hopefully become classics.

Private in the case of Kyla’s new album also means personal because it provided an opportunity for Kyla to work with people she loves. For one there is A Song For The Love In Summer. This original with the sweet, romantic title was a song that Kyla’s father, Ulysis Calumpad, who was a musician in his youth, composed to woo her mother. It is obvious that the song worked. But after it had done its job, it was just left lying around with old papers, forgotten for almost 30 years. That is until somebody remembered the song and told Kyla about it. She was of course, very happy about being able to record the truly special composition.

Then there is also the smooth R&B tune, Don’t Tie Me Down which appears twice in the CD. The second track is a laid-back house mix version. Kyla co-produced and co-wrote this cut with her good friends, Jay-R, Billy Crawford, Kris Lawrence and Jimmy Muna. This is a sign that she is learning things about the business of production in the studio and taking more control over her material. I will not be surprised if she will write and produce more cuts in her coming albums.

The public’s enthusiastic response to the album’s first single, Mahal Kita (Di Mo Pansin,) shows that there will surely be chances for Kyla to do more writing and producing soon. Composed by Francis Louis Salazar, the song has become a big radio favorite. The video directed by Treb Monteras, which shows a glamorous Kyla in period costumes and make-up, is now also a big hit in the MYX music channel where it is No. 3 in the Pinoy MYX Countdown.

It is great to see Kyla open the year with a hit song and hopefully, she will have more before 2011 is over. The other possible sellers in the album are Listen, Dagli Na Lang, Private Affair, Camouflage, It’s All About Us and Keep The Faith.

 Meanwhile, here are the first hit videos of the year as tabulated by the Pinoy MYX Countdown: Sino Nga Ba Siya? the latest single by Sarah Geronimo; Liwanag by Callalily; Mahal Kita (Di Mo Pansin) by Kyla; You Don’t Know by Regine Velasquez; Song For the Suspect by Franco; Lagi by Kiss Jane; Kahit May Mahal Ka Nang Iba by Mark Bautista; Lumapit by Archipelago; What’s Your Poison by Chicosci; Naked by Salamin.

Ang Huling Yakap Ng Mundo by Imago; Hanging Habagat by Champ; Today I’ll See The Sun by Frencheska Farr; Paasa by All For Patricia; Going Nowhere by Hilera; Sa Silid by SLEX; Naaalala Ka by Jericho Rosales; Fly With Me by Duncan Ramos; Xanadu by Rachel Alejandro; and Watchin’ Me by Hi-C.