Anggun finds right time for new album

I remember a time about 20 years ago when the name of Anggun was usually uttered with near reverence by artists around Asia. Those in the Philippines were no different. “Aaah Anggun,” some would say. “She is big.” Anggun was big indeed and the reason for the adoration was the fact that she took on the white man’s music market and won. And it was not just any white man, Anggun made her first hit in a foreign country in France.

Anggun was a singing child star in Indonesia. She also usually composed her own songs. One of her recordings, Mimpi, is to this day considered the most popular Indonesian song of all time. It was no wonder then that Anggun got itchy feet when she was 20. She had already done all things possible for a singer, even if she were the biggest of them all, in Indonesia. So, she went off to Europe.

It was there during the late ’90s when she achieved international stardom with her single Snow On The Sahara. The popularity of the song led to the release of her first international album in 33 countries. Thus, Anggun became the first Indonesian talent to make it big in Europe and the United States and one of the very few Asians to do so. Her accomplishment may not seem like much today what with Asians, particularly Koreans, having already conquered the fields of music, Hollywood and Broadway. But back then, every Asian singer wanted to be like Anggun.

This is why she was asked a few years ago to do the song for the movie Transporter II, the first Asian to perform the theme for a major film. This is also why she was given the World’s Best-Selling Asian Artist award at the World Music Award held two years ago in Monaco. This is why you will find her image at the prestigious Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum. And also why when the TV show Asia’s Got Talent (AGT) wanted an Asian female star on the judges’ panel, it was Anggun, whom the producers asked.

They did right. Now on the air for two seasons, Asia’s Got Talent (AGT) has an articulate, fun, sexy and beautiful judge in Anggun. Aside from that, her warm and supportive presence has become one of the show’s best assets. This and the fact that AGT is the biggest talent search in the world has resulted in a big bunch of new followers for Anggun and her rediscovery by the many who helped turn her into an international star years ago.

The Indonesian pop star first achieved international stardom in the ’90s with her Snow On The Sahara album

And for a music artist like Anggun, this means that the time is right for a new album. Her latest is 8, a collection of pop tunes done in various styles. She has always been daring with her kind of music. So it is no surprise that aside from power ballads that sound so great with her gorgeous alto, she goes hip-hop, dance and even electro-pop. 

The first single out is What We Remember, a dance tune about making positive memories. Also included are  No Promises, The Good Is Back, Righteous, Alive, Medicine And Meditation, Inhuman, Forget Her, Oceans and her “thank you” message.

On the local front. How nice to find out that 2018 opened with a new Filipino hit song in the charts. It is always nice to see local artists in the hit lists but even while musically ear-candy in every way, the line-up of songs by Iñigo Pascual and Moira dela Torre and KZ Tandingan day in and day out, was starting to wear out their welcome. So, this week, welcome to the Spotify Top 50 the tune inspired by I’m The One by DJ Khaled, Justin Bieber, Quavo and Chance the Rapper, Hayaan Mo Na Sila by the hip-hop group O.C. Dawgs Ex Battalion.

And now the Top 20 titles in Spotify’s Philippines Top 50: Havana by Camila Cabello; Hayaan Mo Na Sila by O.C. Dawgs Ex Battalion; Perfect by Ed Sheeran; Too Good At Goodbyes by Sam Smith; What Lovers Do by Maroon 5 and Sza; New Rules by Dua Lipa; Super Far by LANY; Young Dumb And Broke by Khalid; Titibo-tibo by Moira de la Torre; Malaya (Camp Sawi theme), also by Moira.

Wolves by Selena Gomez; I Like Me Better by Lauv; Let Me Go by Hailee Steinfeld with Alesso and Florida Georgia Line; Meant To Be by Bebe Rexha feat. Florida Georgia Line; Torete again by Moira; How Long by Charlie Puth; River by Eminem feat. Ed Sheeran; Let You Down by NF; Perfect by Ed Sheeran and Beyoncé; Mama by Jonas Blue.