The birit is here to stay, for better or worse

By Lea Salonga
Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines—There have been enough columns and write-ups lamenting the seeming preeminence of the singing style commonly known as “birit.”

For those who don’t know exactly what the word means, it’s the style that requires far more physical strength than a lot of others due to the stratospheric heights that a singer’s voice must reach.

Local singers known for performing in this style are Regine Velasquez (although I have to give her props for exploring the quieter, more soothing aspects of her range), Sarah Geronimo, and Rachelle Ann Go.

I don’t really see the “birit” going anywhere to the point that it’ll no longer exist. Really, there is room for any style, for as long as there is an audience that demands it.

Maybe that’s where the problem lies… the demand for this type of vocal calisthenics is such that it drowns out those for other styles of singing. Back in the 1970s and ’80s, the top-tier talents included the likes of Celeste Legaspi, Kuh Ledesma, Leah Navarro, Sharon Cuneta, Joey Albert, and others whose brand of singing was very straightforward and serviced the lyrics as much as the melody. I distinctly remember listening to their songs on my way to school, and feeling soothed.

However, things seem to have changed… and they’ve changed enough for people to cry out, “Enough!”

Truth be told, I sometimes envy the (for lack of more appropriate nomenclature) “biriters’” pipes of steel, the heights that their voices can reach, and the physical stamina that their efforts require. In the shower I have made attempts (all futile, allow me to say) to reach those heights but, at the end of the day, I tell myself that I should stick to what my vocal chords can do.

That’s not a bad thing to remember for all singers: Each instrument has been created uniquely, and to force oneself into what may be an ill-fitting mold cannot possibly benefit the vocalist. A burgeoning Astrud Gilberto should not try to be a Celine Dion, unless she has a death wish (for her vocal chords, that is).

One can’t vocally muscle one’s way to success. Singing as an art form isn’t just about the high notes; it is also about intonation, emotional commitment, and informed and appropriate interpretation. It’s about respecting the melody and lyrics as they were written, and servicing them in performance. It’s about telling a story and connecting with the audience, moving them with what you’re trying to say, not just with how it’s being said.

So yes, there is a place for high notes, and for those who are experts at delivering the goods. That said, there is also plenty of room for the rest, whose own unique styles, voices and messages will hopefully be appreciated and cheered on as well.

At least, I’d like to think so, maybe for my own selfish sake.

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That's what Lea Salonga been commenting about the birit singers na nagsulpotan nalang bigla, kahit na di kaya pilit pa rin sa pagbibirit... Taray ni Lola Lea diba?

So, because singing reality TV shows are in today, I think that is one lesson Lea can give to the Pinoy Idol and PDA contestants...

Pinoy Dream Academy and Pinoy Idol, Drama Series na!

Palagi akong nanonood ng Pinoy Idol and Pinoy Dream Academy. Gabi2x talaga yun dahil gusto ko updated ako sa dalawang reality TV show, at may maikwento ako dito. Pero parang nawalan ako ng gana dahil imbes na ma entertain ako sa mga boses nila dahil singing contest nga eh akalin mo pilit pa nilang gawing Drama series? OMG! as in kadramahan lang talaga makikita mo sa dalawang show. Nandoon na yung mga awayan with fellow contestants, nandoon din yung umiiyak dahil nami-miss na ang kapamilya at mahal sa buhay, at yung pinakakainisan ko ay yung mag ku-quit sa competetion dahil ganito, ganyan...

Hay naku! ginaganahan pa naman akong manood ng Idol dahil nandoon ang kababayan kong si Ramon "Ram" Chavez na magaling talaga at sa PDA gusto ko ang Boses ni Jay Bogayan aka Bugoy. Pero pwede ba nilang tanggalin nalang ang dramahan sessions nila? di ko na ma-take ang mga iyak-iyakan at pagku-quit dahil hindi ito Maalaala Mo Kaya or Magpakailan man... dapat sana masaya dahil kantahan ito.

Pero sige, palalagpasin ko pa to at patuloy pa rin akong manood dahil di naman lahat nag dadrama... Basta sa Pinoy Idol, Ramon Chavez iboto nyo at sa Pinoy Dream Academy ay si Bugoy. Silang dalawa lang ang sa tingin ko magaling at may talento sa pagkanta.

We will see later kung ano na nga ba talaga ang bago sa dalawang Talent search reality TV. But still di ko pa rin gusto ang mga comment ni Wyngard Tracy... sana naman sasabihin niya kung ano talaga ang nasa puso nya, kasi feeling ko parang he just being mean to be mean nalang... at hindi talaga yun ang nasa puso niya... huwag na sana siyang mag pa effect na tiger judge, di bagay sa kanya ang magiging Simon Cowell ng Pinas... Iisa lang si Simon Cowell at si Wyngard Tracy ay si Wyngard Tracy hindi siya si Simon.

Miguel Mendoza on PDA Season 2

Miguel Mendoza once again try to catch the stardom in singing as he belonged to the PDA Season 2 - 16 Scholars. We can still remember that 2 years ago he became the 4th placer of the Philippine Idol in ABC where Ryan Cayabyab was one of the 3 judges and now the headmaster of PDA season 2.

Will Miguel Mendoza shine to the finals on PDA season 2 or he will end up a placer again? Well, I have confidence that Miguel will not just let go of the opportunity to be a winner because he has experience that made him stronger and competitive enough for the contest.

Ejay Falcon Pinoy Big Brother Teen Edition Plus Big Winner

Galing sa mahirap na pamilya as what they told about his story, Good-looking guy, Pang artista at leading man ang tindig at pangangatawan. What else can you think of, of course at the start we all know Ejay Falcon will be the Big Winner of this famous daw kuno na reality TV pa. I gave up on PBB show. I mean, I don't usually watch it regularly on TV, I just read updates of it online because it is such a waste of time for me to watch this show on TV. And I think this is not really a reality TV for me, this is an Artista search after few seasons we had witnessed.

ABS-CBN made this show to search for new star and not as a reality TV show. Anyway, because this is a star search TV show, I would say that Ejay Falcon deserves the win. He has the leading man star factor. I just hope he will talk now that he is a star and a Big Winner.

Congratulations to you Ejay, and we will expect your movies and TV shows ahead.

Rudy Fernandez died at 55

MANILA, Philippines — Movie actor Rudy Fernandez died at his home in White Plains, Quezon City at 6:15 a.m. Saturday. He was 55.

Fernandez had battling ampullary cancer for more than two years.

His close friends, Sens. Jinggoy Estrada and Ramon “Bong” Revilla, broke the news to media minutes after his death.

His wife Lorna Tolentino and other friends were with him as he passed away, Estrada said.

According to Estrada, Fernandez’s remains will be brought to the Heritage Park in Taguig City.

Fernandez had asked his wife to have him discharged from the Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan City, where he had been confined for a month, on Sunday, their 25th wedding anniversary. - INQUIRER.net

Four Pinoy Idol Hopefuls End Journeys

The four Idol hopefuls that end their Idol journeys on the first week of the competition:

Dio Paolo
Elliot Andal
Drizzle Muniz
Bev Ejercito

Top 24 now down to 20, then next another batch will be voted out until it will go down to Final 10... Maybe that's the time we will really see the potential of the Pinoy Idols. But for now it is very sad for those who were voted out because they didn't have much time to really show their talents in the competition. But that's what Pinoy Idol is... you have to be strong to stay in the competition.

Maybe I will be back on Pinoy Idol when they are down to final 10, because that is the most exciting part for me... the crucial time for them to flourish and give their best to stand out among the rest. I also think that by that time they already honed their self to perform like a professional singer in-front of the live audience and that's good to choose who among the top 10 really deserves to be the first Pinoy Idol.

To the Judges, I still don't believe on Wyngard Tracy's comments... They are still useless comments to me, I hope by the time when the final 10 will left on the competition, Wyngard will be a little more sensitive, tact and intelligent on giving out comments on the performances of the Pinoy Idol hopefuls. Just like when he became one of the judges of Search for the Star in a Million on ABS-CBN in 2005, he is also doing the same today on Idol. I am not against Wyngards personality, I am just against on the way he commented on the idol hopefuls. He doesn't have to be rude to be called the Simon Cowell of the Philippines. But as I can see he tries to be a little bit more sarcastic to be a little more Simon style but instead he became useless.

Pinoy Idol - Boys Debut Performance Night

The Pinoy Idol boys performance night is not so good for me, maybe because it's their debut performance in Pinoy Idol and they still need time to maybe get use on stage and be confident infront of the live audiences, but still I didn't see yet the flexible true Pinoy Idol among the boys. Though I still eyeing on some of the boys to be a potential Pinoy Idol.

Rye Estrada
Toffer Rei
Walton Zerrudo
Warren Antig
and of course the Kababayan from Cagayan de Oro City Ram Chavez.

I am not really sure of the rockers Ram, Toffer and Warren if how flexible they are when it comes to other music genre. But they rock on the performance night.

Wyngard Tracy's comments are useless, I hope next season PALITAN na siya. Walang Kwenta!

Arnel Pineda the new Journey Vocalist/Singer

An American friend of mine asked me this:

"Do you know Arnel Pineda? He's kicking ass in the US as the lead singer of Journey. He's supposed to be better than Steve Perry the original singer."

Wow! it took an American producer for a Filipino to become a star... Where are our local producers? Anyway, I heard him on a local television here in the Philippines before. But he wasn't recognized by some big producers and talent coordinators here. There are great singers here in Philippines but the problem is there's not so many big producers who can support them to be a star. Only few got recognized and some stars here doesn't really have talents, just looks and you are in, and some became a star because of their connections on some people in the Showbiz and music industry.

Even Charice Pempenco, a 15-year-old young Filipino youtube singing sensation, got recognized only after other country recognized her. Charice, even became the first Filipino guest in Oprah and Ellen Show.

I guess, Arnel Pineda will be the next big star here in Philippines, now that he is widely recognized by some other country specially in the US.

Read more about Arnel Pineda's life in Wikipedia here - Arnel Pineda



Or try watching the CNN news here. Arnel Pineda on CNN news to Me a new show on headline news at CNN.