Aljur Albrenica Hits Some Right Notes In His Self-Titled Debut Album

My friend, Charina, couldn't believe I actually voted for this guy's song, 'Sayang Sayang', when it was in Myx's OPM Music Countdown.  Well, the song was good and he was cute, so I voted for it - and the song stayed, and climbed, and stayed, and climbed, which prompted VJ Nikki to say, 'This song has stayed on while most of the songs it debuted along with are already gone."  And I told Charina that, and she said, 'Oh, he's lucky he has you voting for him."

The truth is, how different is Aljur from the American Idol winners or the Pop Idol winners?  Or from Susan Boyle?  They all won reality contests and they can sing and they have a certain charisma about them.  Voting for OPM songs and buying OPM CDs is something new to me, so I guess it took time for the idea to really support OPM, even perceived baduy ones like Aljur, to sink in.  In my mind, all I could say was, "For God's sake, I bought the Crazy Frog's Axel F CD, how bad can my taste be?"

Anyway, it's too bad that GMA decided not to release a full-length album for Aljur and just decided on five songs with the other five, the karaoke versions.  It's weird that they don't trust him enough.  Yeah, his voice may not be like Christian Bautista or Jed Madela, but I think he has his own charm and he can carry a decent tune.  I like their pick of songs and Sayang Sayang is a decent debut for him.  At least it's not a REMAKE!!  He does have, I think, two remakes in this album, but that's fine. If that's how you have to create attention for yourself, then so be it. Just make sure you release original material as well!  I like the album packaging, with Aljur's pictures and the quality of the photo paper is very nice.  I think GMA should push this album more, like how ABS does for their Star Records artists.  A duet with a good female vocalist would be interesting too, for a follow-up album.  Nothing too strenuous vocally and with lyrics that fit his matinee idol image.