myFABE Music Awards: Favorite Performer of the Year

Here are the nominees in this category -

Carly Rae Jepsen

Carrie Underwood

Jason Mraz

The Killers

Mika

and the winner is Mika.

myFABE Music Awards: Favorite Pop Performer of the Year

Here are the nominees in this category -

Carly Rae Jepsen

Christina Aguilera

Emeli Sande

Jason Mraz

Mika

and the winner is Mika.

My Ten Favorite Concerts of 2013

I was lucky enough to see twenty different concerts this year from a slew of local and foreign acts.  Some were disappointing but some were good enough to reach my top 10.  Here they are -

#10 Onerepublic 

 

Thanks to this concert, I was able to discover how good some of the songs were from Onerepublic's Native album, especially Preacher.  Ryan Tedder sounded kinda off though that night.

#9 Aerosmith

 

Steven Tyler growled and sang like a pro the night he was here in Manila.  Too bad I forgot my camera at home!  The stage set up at MOA was just fantastic!

#8 Lea Salonga

An impeccably well directed show, Lea Salonga has the set of pipes which even nightingales would envy.  She was in top form during her show a few weeks ago.
 
#7 Enrique Gil

 Probably the only non-singer who was given a chance to have a concert this year.  Enrique only had to take his shirt off and the Araneta Coliseum would turn into a shrieking mess!  This boy is definitely hot!

#6 Lawson

 

When Lawson came to Manila last April, they were not that famous yet but they have since gained more popularity and I won't be surprised if they fill up the Araneta Coliseum when they come back here!

#5 Jason Mraz

Jason Mraz's show didn't have too much gimmickry and he has depended solely on his earnest delivery of many of his hit songs.  Thanks to this show, I was introduced to I'm Coming Over and A Beautiful Mess.  Lovely, lovely songs!
 
#4 Gary Valenciano

A veteran already of almost 30 years of live shows, Gary V.'s series of intimate shows during the stormy month of August was probably the most cozy show I saw this year!  Gary just set the mood right for the whole show!


#3 The Killers

I don't know why I  got emotional during some of the songs that Brandon song during The Killers' concert here but I did and Brandon really performed the band's songs pretty well!  Definitely a show I would watch again if I can!
  
#2 Swedish House Mafia

One of the best concerts I have ever seen!  Electrifying opening song! Tight set!  Lots of reasons to stay dancing!

#1 Alicia Keys

Alicia's show had some wonderful surprises - it added to the already tight and exciting set she had prepared for everyone that night!  Another memorable concert!

Jason Mraz Tops My Personal Countdown For the Fourth Time

Jason Mraz tops my personal countdown for the fourth time this week, as A Beautiful Mess, moves to the top spot.

Here are my ten favorite songs for the week ending December 13, 2013 -

#1 Jason Mraz - A Beautiful Mess (RE)

#2 Mika - Elle Me Dit (#3)

#3 Zedd feat. Hayley Williams - Stay the Night (RE)

#4 Ellie Goulding - Burn (RE)

#5 Kodaline - One Day (#10)

#6 Naked Eyes - Piccadilly (#8)

#7 Lorde - Team (NEW)

#8 Lady Gaga - Venus (NEW)

#9 OneRepublic - Preacher (RE)

#10 Kanye West - Bound 2 (NEW)

One Direction Finally Tops My Personal Countdown

One Direction already has eight top 10 hits in my personal countdown.  Finally, one of those eight gets to the top this week - and that song is She's Not Afraid, which earlier peaked at #2.  It reenters this week's countdown at the top.  

Here are my ten favorite songs for the week ending December 6, 2013 -

#1 One Direction - She's Not Afraid (RE)

#2 Mika - Elle Me Dit (RE)

#3 Jason Mraz - A Beautiful Mess (RE)

#4 Naked Eyes - Emotion in Motion (RE)

#5 Naked Eyes - Promises, Promises (RE)

#6 Naked Eyes - Fortune and Fame (RE)

#7 Naked Eyes - Piccadilly (NEW)

#8 Naked Eyes - I Could Show You How (RE)

#9 Naked Eyes - Voices in My Head (RE)

#10 Kodaline - One Day (#NEW)

My Weekly Top 10 Decemer 13, 2013: #3 Jason Mraz - A Beautiful Mess

Jason Mraz A Beautiful Mess reenters my personal countdown this week at #3.  The song has already peaked at #3 the week after Jason performed here in Manila.

Newcome Lorde Lords It Over My Personal Countdown This Week

Lorde gets her very first #1 hit in my personal countdown this week, as Royals, moves from #8 to #1.  

Here are my ten favorite songs for the week ending November 22, 2013 -

#1 Lorde - Royals (#8)

#2 One Direction - She's Not Afraid (RE)

#3 Mika - Elle Me Dit (RE)

#4 Lady Gaga - Applause (RE)

#5 Jason Mraz - A Beautiful Mess (RE)

#6 Hezekiah Walkder (NEW)

#7 Calvin Harris feat. Ayah Marar - Thinkin' 'Bout You (NEW)

#8 Ellie Goulding - Burn (NEW)

#9 Zedd feat. Hayley Williams - Stay the Night (NEW) 

#10 Pet Shop Boys (NEW)

fun. Is Back at #1 for the Second Time

fun. returns to the #1 spot this week, as Sight of the Sun, from the Girls soundtrack, moves from #2 to #1 this week.  Last year, Some Nights went to #1.  Nate Ruess also went to #1 as a solo artist, in a duet with Pink for the song Just Give Me A Reason.

Here are my ten favorite songs for the week ending May 31, 2013 -

#1 fun. - Sight of the Sun (#2)

#2 Alanis Morissette - Empathy (#4)

#3 Jason Mraz - I'm Coming Over (#5)

#4 Cast of The Full Monty - Breeze Off the River (#6)

#5 ReConnected - One in a Million (#7)

#6 Robbie Williams ft Lissie - Loser (#10)

#7 Norah Jones - Say Goodbye (#9)

#8 AlunaGeorge - Attracting Flies (#22)

#9 RADWIMPS - Dreamers High (#12)

#10 Mika ft Pharrell - Celebrate (#14)

Britt Nicole Tops My Personal Countdown For the First Time

Britt Nicole tops my personal countdown this week with her hit, Gold.  It's her very first #1 hit in my personal countdown.

Here are my ten favorite songs for the week ending May 24, 2013 -

#1 Britt Nicole - Gold (#14)

#2 fun. - Sight of the Sun (#15)

#3 Judy Collins - Song for Judith (#28)

#4 Alanis Morissette - Empathy (#30)

#5 Jason Mraz - I'm Coming Over (#1)

#6 Cast of The Full Monty - Breeze Off the River (#16)

#7 ReConnected - One in a Million (#18)

#8 Anna Kendrick - Cups (#20)

#9 Norah Jones - Say Goodbye (#31)

#10 Robbie Williams ft. Lissie - Loser (#32)

Jason Mraz and Avicii Capture My Personal Countdown This Week

Due to their simultaneous concerts here in Manila this week, Jason Mraz and Avicii hog all the slots in my top 10, with Jason Mraz, capturing the top spot. 

Here are my ten favorite songs for the week ending May 17, 2013 -

#1 Jason Mraz - I'm Coming Over (NEW)

#2 Avicii - Silhouettes (NEW)

#3 Jason Mraz - A Beautiful Mess (NEW)

#4 Avicii - Levels (RE)

#5 Avicii - Fade Into Darkness (NEW)

#6 Jason Mraz - You Fuckin' Did It (NEW)

#7  Jason Mraz - Plane (NEW)

#8 Jason Mraz - Frankie D. Fixer (NEW)

#9 Avicii - X You (NEW)

#10 Jason Mraz - 93 Million Miles (NEW)

Jason Mraz

Jason Mraz has ten top 10 songs in my personal countdown.  Four of them went all the way to #1.

2003 - The Remedy (#7)
2004 - You and I Both (#1)
2009 - Lucky (with Colbie Caillat) (#3) 
2012 - I Won't Give Up (#1)
2013 - 93 Million Miles (#10)
2013 - Frankie D. Fixer (#8)
2013 - Plane (#7)
2013 - You Fucking Did It (#6)
2013 - A Beautiful Mess (#1)
2013 - I'm Coming Over (#1)

Jason Mraz Concert Pictures Manila 2013 Set 2

Jason Mraz Concert Pictures Manila 2013 Set 1

Concert Review: Jason Mraz Sings Love, Love, Love

I am so glad I decided to watch Jason Mraz's show last night.  I know he has had several previous hits like Remedy, I’m Yours, Lucky, and You and I, but none of them really caught my fancy until he came up with this beautiful ballad last year, I Won't Give Up.  It was one of those songs that just grew on me, the more I played it, the more I loved it!  Well, thousands of sentimental Filipinos trooped to the Araneta Coliseum last night to watch him.  The place was packed – and that was pretty impressive since Jason was just here more than a year ago, so to command his fan base to watch him again, he must’ve really impressed many people the last time he was around.  The guy has an incredibly beautiful voice.  I mean, what you hear on your Ipod, that is exactly what you'll hear live.  

My favorite song of his right now is "I'm Coming Over" and I was amazed at his live performance.  It was just so beautiful to hear, and he had this great band supporting him, providing the background vocals and music.  He slowed down the tempo of that song a bit which was perfect since it seemed like a lullaby.  I also loved how he sang ‘Plane’ and ‘A Beautiful Mess’.  I love it when he sings these really slow sad songs of his which those two are.  I expected a boring show with him just playing his acoustic guitar, but he came up with a vibrant song that could show to aspiring singers how to use a minimum of musical arrangement, and an array of weird instruments and just use their best gift, the expressiveness of their voice to enthrall an audience.