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| Zendee |
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now, almost everbody knows the story of Zendee or that “Random Girl” as she is
more popularly known in the online realm. It all started when someone took and
uploaded a video of Zendee belting her heart out inside a mall. Soon enough,
this video went viral online and made people wonder who this vocal powerhouse
was. And one of these people was Ellen DeGeneres herself who eventually invited
Zendee over to her show. So, it’s no surprise at all that a major record label,
Warner Music Philippines
signed Zendee up. And after some months later, her debut album I Believe is finally released.
Warner Music Philippines
recently held a press conference in line with the release of I Believe at Chef & Brewer Café and
Restaurant. During the press conference, not only was I able to meet Zendee in
person but I also had the pleasure of hearing her perform live backed up by a band.
I was able to see her perform live late last year when I watched Party Pilipinas at the studio. But her
number there was brief and went by so quickly, so this press conference was a
great opportunity for me to see and hear more of her.
I Believe is a nine track album with
six originals and three cover songs. The lead single is the upbeat Runaway that was written by US based
songwriters Andrew Fromm, Matt Bronleewe, Jordan Pruitt and Tyler Hayes. An
acoustic version of the song is also included in the album as well. Other songs
in the album include the Dianne Warren penned The Ones You Love and Completely.
I Believe and If You Want written by Lamberto Reyes, Jr., Go the Distance from the Disney animated feature Hercules, a cover of Mariah Carey’s Love Takes Time and the Leonard Cohen
composition Hallelujah round up the
rest of the tracks.
The
songs in the album highlight Zendee’s vocal prowess but there are moments when
she holds back and gets tender with the falsettos instead. It’s during these
tender and stripped down moments that prove that she’s not a one note diva. One
of the highlights of the album for me is having Zendee do the backup vocals
there. In Hallelujah, the three part
vocal harmonies was made up of nine separately recorded layers mixed together
giving this track a gospel feel.
In a
world where online sensations are fast becoming a dime a dozen, one has to
wonder what is being done to ensure that these discoveries will not be flashes
in the pan: here today and completely forgotten once the newest online
sensation comes along. I asked album producer Neil Gregorio about this and he
responded that this was the reason why it took some time before Warner released
Zendee’s debut album. He said that he wanted to do it slowly but surely. He
added that there had been numerous requests for Zendee to record And I am Telling You (the song that she
was singing in the video that went viral) and release it as soon as possible.
But he preferred getting other and stronger material for Zendee that will
ensure her longevity in the recording industry. Utilizing his and the label’s
resources, Neil was able to acquire songs for Zendee to record, and that
included a couple from none other than Dianne Warren who has written hundreds
of hits.
After
giving Zendee’s album several spins, I think that I Believe, with its strong material and high production values,
boldly announces that Zendee is indeed here to stay. There is nothing random
about Zendee right now for her debut album clearly cements her place in the
music business.
I Believe, released by Warner Music Philippines
is now available in record stores nationwide. Runaway and the rest of the tracks can also be purchased online via
MyMusicStore Philippines
and iTunes.
I Believe
Tracks:
1. Runaway
2. The Ones You Love
3. I Believe
4. Go the Distance
5. Completely
6. If You Want
7. Hallelujah
8. Love Takes Time
9. I Believe (Acoustic)
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