Zia, Simple Girl Concert

Zia Quizon

She might have penned Simple Girl, but there seems to be absolutely nothing simple about Zia Quizon. Having Dolphy (the Philippines’ King of Comedy) and Zsa Zsa Padilla (dubbed as the Divine Diva) as parents, Karylle as a sister and belonging to a showbiz clan, Zia seemed destined to have the spotlight shine on her one day. And on the eve of her 20^th birthday, Zia did have the spotlight on her as she had an intimate concert called Simple Girl coinciding with the launch of her debut album held at the T.E.A.T.R.I.N.O. in Promenade, Greenhills. Zia’s family, friends, members of the press/media, fans and well wishers filled the venue to capacity which bode well for this newest gem of Polyeast Records.

Amidst a video slide show of photos from her childhood, the band started playing a few riffs and Zia who was still off stage joined in by singing a few runs which lit up the audience. Cheers almost drowned the band when she finally came on stage and sang Simple Girl. Right from the start, the ease in which she sang was noticeable despite her looking very nervous. She did loosen up whenever she had her spiels in which she admitted that she was indeed nervous. But whatever nerves she had while on stage didn’t manifest in her singing. One person who also seemed nervous and yet excited at the same time was Zsa Zsa Padilla who stood proudly in different sections of the intimate venue to watch her daughter perform. I am pretty sure that one proud moment for her was when Zia sang one of her hits from the 80’s which was Mambobola done with a slower and more mellow arrangement.

Zia performing

Zia may not possess a vocal range that reaches the stratosphere but she does have an innate musicality and a very secure sense of pitch. She also demonstrated a clear sense of who she is as an artist through her concert repertoire. Her choice of Supposed to Grow Old by Justin Nozuka and Don’t Know Why by Norah Jones didn’t feel like they were forced upon her and that they were really her choices.

Zia and Jay R

One of the highlights of the concert was when Zia sang Ako na Lang which is also the carrier single of her album. Playful in both the lyrics and the rhythm, this song showcases the maturity of her voice without abandoning her youth. And most important of all, it didn’t sound like anyone else. During the concert, she credited her dad, Dolphy the most for her taste in music. And as a tribute to him, she sang another track from her album, Smile, which is also one of her father’s favorite songs. Jay R was the concert’s special guest and he performed a couple of numbers, a duet with Zia and a solo.

Zia, being the daughter of celebrity parents may have had the door to show business opened to her very easily. But skepticism comes with this entry to the industry. Fortunately, her talent, unique vocals and superb musicality are more than to have these doubters be silenced. The album in itself is a joy to listen to and my biggest complaint is that it’s just too short with only six tracks clocking only around twenty minutes. A talent like her deserves a full length album with mostly original compositions. As I’ve noted earlier, she seemed nervous during her concert and it was understandable since it was her first. And now I can’t wait to see her blossom and get more comfortable on stage. With Zia in the picture, the OPM scene has definitely looked brighter and it couldn’t be simpler than that.

Zia

Tracks:

1. So Much in Love

2. Ako na Lang

3. Dear Lonely

4. Mambobola

5. Simple Girl

6. Smile