Stay Alive (Nina album)

Last updated
Stay Alive
Stay Alive digi - Nina.jpg
Studio album by
Nina
ReleasedNovember 19, 2011 (2011-11-19)
RecordedAugust 2010 – August 2011
Genre Pop, R&B, electropop, dance
Length50:28
Language English, Tagalog
Label Universal
Producer Kathleen Dy-Go (executive), Ito Rapadas, Jay R, Keith Martin, DJ High Rez, Arnie Mendaros, Paolo Zarate
Nina chronology
Diamond: Greatest Hits 2002-2010
(2010)		Stay Alive
(2011)		 All Good
(2013)
Singles from Stay Alive
  1. "Dance"
    Released: October 6, 2011
  2. "However Much Love"
    Released: January 30, 2012
  3. "Believe in the Dream"
    Released: April 24, 2012

Stay Alive is the sixth studio album by Filipina singer Nina, released in the Philippines on November 19, 2011 by Universal Records. [1] [2] After a long recording hiatus, Nina started working on a new album with her new label during the second half of 2010. She described the album's sound as "sexy-soul," and stated that they wanted to show the "other side" [the dancer] of her by means of a dance album. The album covers a wide range of genres, consisting of upbeat house, dance songs, but still possessing Nina's distinctive mellow sound. Aside from keeping a close watch to the production and song arrangement, the singer also contributed to the album art when she designed the packaging together with her brother King. She described the new look as "different, slightly futuristic and edgy."

Contents

The album had a star-studded production. In August 2011, it was revealed that American singer-songwriter Keith Martin and Filipino R&B musician Jay R worked together on the upbeat title track "Staying Alive". Jazz singer and Nina's co-Sessionista Richard Poon wrote the acoustic ballad "I Don't Want to Fight", while R&B singer Amber Davis wrote the electropop-dance cuts "Only with You" and "I Came to Dance". Nina also wrote a song for the album together with Martin. The song was entitled "You Should Know". As she made sure to include an inspirational song about "following your dreams," a Jude Gitamondoc-penned power ballad, later revealed to be entitled "Believe in the Dream", was included in the album's final track list.

Stay Alive was a universal acclaim, being well-received by critics and fans alike. The Philippine Star tagged Nina as the "new dance diva," and predicted that the album "may set new trends in Filipino music." Philippine Entertainment Portal praised both the singer and the album, saying that the album is "a testament to Nina's evolution as an artist" and "distinctly Nina." PhilCharts.com commented "quite a risky move, commercial wise, but the product is solid [...] The album shows the potential of Nina to grow more as an artist." Stay Alive is supposed to be the first of her two-album recording deal with Universal. [3] However, in February 2012, Nina revealed that her contract with the label has already expired. She also expressed her disappointment regarding the album's promotion, and how the label took no action for it. [4] The album was later released on digital download through iTunes and Amazon.com MP3 Download with a slightly altered cover. [5] [6]

The album was accompanied by three official singles. "Dance" was initially released in August 2011, but was immediately pulled out of the airwaves after the album's release date was pushed back. On October 6, 2011, the song was commercially released, and was later followed by a critically acclaimed music video. The video for "Dance" features Nina in Gaga-ish costumes, doing choreographed moves at the same time. She performed the song live in Happy Yipee Yehey! and Party Pilipinas , where she also launched the album. On January 30, 2012, "However Much Love" was released as the album's second single to boost up album sales. It also served as a radio-only Valentine single, since no video was recorded for the song. It became a commercial success, becoming Nina's first chart-topper since 2008. "Believe in the Dream" was released in April 2012 as the third official single from the album, accompanied by an official lyric video.

Background and development

"I only have two cover songs in there and the rest are originals. It's going to be sexy-soul which is like singing from the soul but when you hear it, there's a degree of sexiness to it. That's me 'eh. I'm really a singer that sings from the soul, bonus na lang 'yung sexy na part [the sexy part is just a bonus]."

—Nina, on the album's different sound and content. [7]

Before production for the album began, Nina was in a long recording hiatus. The last album that she recorded, Nina Sings the Hits of Diane Warren , was released in 2008. Her 2009 album Renditions of the Soul is only a collection of her performances on the Wave 89.1 radio show of the same title, and her 2010 album is only a compilation of her greatest hits. On August 7, 2010, she performed on Pilipinas Win na Win as a guest together with Erik Santos. During the show, she revealed that she was working on a new album, and added that it will be released early in 2011 due to heavy preparation. [8] In November 2010 after her Think Pink concert at Cebu City, she openly talked about the album she was working on, and stated that her new sound is going to be "sexy-soul." [7] She also shared ideas on the content of the album, and added that it will hopefully be released in mid-January. [7] Before 2010 ended, her brother King revealed via Pinoy Exchange that Nina was planning to include Sabel's theme song "Hagkan" on the album as a bonus track. He also stated that Richard Poon wrote a song for the album entitled "I Don't Want to Fight". However, the album was pushed back to a February release. It was mid-February and there was still no update on the album's release. In an interview for the February 2011 issue of Woman Today magazine, Nina stated that the album's release was, again, pushed back to June 2011 due to the fact that she and her new label wanted the album to be perfect. [9] On February 22, 2011, she posted on Twitter a photo of her, recording a new song in the studio. [10] On February 28, she posted another photo in the studio with the tweet "getting ready for recording. :)...SO much love<3 [ sic ]." [11]

Nina was touring with the Sessionistas during production for the album. Nina @ Sessionistas 20.11.jpg
Nina was touring with the Sessionistas during production for the album.

In an interview after her arrival from Pattaya International Music Festival in Thailand, Nina mentioned working on her first album under Universal, stating "Expect few pleasant surprises from this new album of mine. We’re working very hard to make this project truly groundbreaking." [12] On April 15, 2011, she wrote a Pattaya Music Fest article on The Philippine Star where she also talked about the album, saying "Late last year, I moved to my new record label Universal Records and I consider it one of the biggest blessings in my career. In a few months, my latest album will be released, and it will showcase a new, yet familiar Nina, which I hope everyone will appreciate." [13] In May, the label's head Kathleen Dy-Go stated that Nina has not yet finished recording the album, which may result the release date to be pushed back to July or August. On May 31, Nina confirmed that "Hagkan" will be included in the album. [14] On July 15, she confirmed that the album will be released by the end of month, and that they were just finishing up three songs. She further stated that her commitment to the album was the reason behind her constant absence in ASAP . [2] On August 5, 2011, Jay R tweeted that he was working on a collaboration song between Nina and Jimmy Muna. [15] On August 16, Nina tweeted her first publicized picture from the album's photo shoot. [16] In September 2011, she confirmed that the album will finally be released by the last week of the month, proudly expressing the time and effort she exerted for it. She also stated that she did not pressure herself during its production, saying that her main goal is to create a different kind of music for her fans and that she does not expect for it to be a huge hit. [17] Despite announcements, the album was not released until November 2011.

Title and cover art

Nina was very much involved in the whole process of producing the album that she had to give up several television appearances, which included dropping out of her ASAP group and segment entitled the Sessionistas. [18] She explained "Umalis po ako sa ASAP dahil nagprepare po talaga ako sa album. At nasasabay sa mga out of town and out of the country na shows. [I dropped out of ASAP because I really prepared for the album. And I performed in out of town and out of the country shows.]" [19] She kept a close watch from the album's conceptualization to its songs and arrangement, and even the paper dolls inside the album was her own idea. To be able to do all these things, she had to temporarily disappear in the scene for a while. [20] Production for the album took nearly two years to finish, making people wonder if she had gone out of the music industry for good. In choosing a title for the album, Nina personally decided to call it Stay Alive—coming from the album's second track, "Staying Alive"—to remind the people that she is still very much around, in spite of the hiatus on TV, and the long break from the recording scene. [21] She further explained the origin of the title:

"Kasi parang yung iba sinasabi na wala na (ako), pero hindi nila alam na gumagawa lang ako ng album. [Because it's like some people are saying that I'm gone, but they don't know that I'm just recording an album.] So I’m here to say that I’m still here and staying alive." [19]

She finds the album "special," considering that she did not only contribute to its contents, but also worked on the album cover and packaging together with her brother King. She described the album's new look as "kakaiba, medyo [different, slightly] futuristic and edgy," and stated "I was really hands-on with it." [21] She also personalized the album with striking images of her in chic and daring outfits, even adding a paper doll version of herself with cute paper clothing cut-outs. [22] The album is presented in a shiny rectangular portrait digipak, containing a booklet, two "Nina Paper Doll" cut-outs and a minus one disc that is encased inside a white record sleeve (available exclusively at Odyssey)—all enclosed in a hard plastic case with white broken line prints, resembling Nina's image in the cover and appearing similar with the Statue of Liberty's superficial details.

Departure from Warner

"Oh, I know the usual speculations like our business partnership turned sour, etc. But in our case, it’s just a matter of exploring or trying new things. I’ve no disagreement with them, whatsoever. I just wanted to move on!"

—Nina, on her separation with Warner Music. [23]

Nina has been one of the highest-selling acts of Warner Music Philippines since she became part of the label in 2002, with her certified Diamond album Nina Live! (2005). In 2010, she was rumored to have switched to Universal Records. In February 2010, she collaborated with Universal's R&B singer Jay R on the song "Muli" for his album Jay R Sings OPM Love Classics . [24] In May of the same year, she appeared on Kris Aquino's compilation, Blessings of Love, performing Michael Jackson's "You Are Not Alone" for the album. The album was also released by Universal. [25] On June 30, 2010, she performed the song "Bagong Pilipinas", together with other Universal artists, in the inauguration of Philippine President Benigno Aquino III. [26] It was evident that she has transferred from Warner to Universal, but there was still no confirmation until 2010 ended. On April 15, 2011, she confirmed transferring to Universal, when she wrote an article in The Philippine Star stating "Late last year, I moved to my new record label Universal Records and I consider it one of the biggest blessings in my career." [13] In May 2011, she covered another song for Kris Aquino's album My Heart's Journey. It was "I Want to Know What Love Is", originally recorded by Foreigner. [27] On July 15, 2011, she stated in an interview that she properly asked for permission when she left Warner. She further mentioned how the label took good care of her career, and that their separation ended in good terms. [2] She also described Universal staffs' warm welcome as she transferred, saying "Actually, even though I was new to them, I didn't feel like a newcomer [...] They took care of me during the recording, and also during other shows by Universal." [2]

Composition and critical response

Style and structure

Stay Alive shows a different side of Nina, consisting mostly of original songs, and covers a wide range of genres from piano-driven ballads, midtempo pop blues, and house/synthpop to contemporary R&B. [28] The album showcases her passion for dance music, relying on more upbeat, catchy tunes. [22] Nina expressed that the album's direction to a new sound reflects to her new improved self, saying "I have changed a lot. From the time I came out with the Heaven album [..] I gained a lot of the confidence that I have now when I started gaining awards but not too much that it went to my head. It's confidence in my singing and performing and letting people know that I'm a singer." She stated that the album will be a studio album with two covers, and that its sound is going to be "sexy-soul," which she defined as "singing from the soul but having a degree of sexiness to it." [7] Stay Alive is heavily considered as Nina's comeback in the recording scene, being described as a mixture of pop, club and R&B songs which is very different from her previous sound. [19] She admitted the idea of wanting to try something new, saying "I want to try a different genre that’s why we decided to come up with a dance album," recalling her dance performances onstage during concerts and how it will be some sort of experiment for her. [29] She also wants people to know that she loves to dance, and that she dares to show a more sexy, sensual side for the album. In preparation, she decided to maintain physical fitness by working out, playing tennis, and practicing boxing every day. She expressed hard work and exercise to improve her natural physique, proudly stating "I want to be a role model when it comes to body. As you can see, you don't need to be skinny to be sexy." [30]

Music and lyrics

The album's lead single, "Dance", was written by Alexandra Prinz and Michael Gordon Lange, and is described as "an uptempo song with a catchy melody." Immediately after its release, the song was predicted by critics to set a new trend in Filipino music. [20] Jojo Panaligan of Manila Bulletin recalled how Nina isn't new to the dance floor anymore, since her first two lead singles, "Heaven" and "Make You Mine", displayed the same groovy vibe. However, none of the two sounds as aggressive as "Dance" in terms of tempo and arrangement. [30] Nina explained her thoughts on the simple reinvention, saying "Few know I love to dance and I’ve always wanted to show that side of me." [30] Lyrically, the song talks about a woman who wants to get back together with her lover after breaking-up with him. While the verses describe her desire for the relationship, the chorus was written in an opposite manner, where she goes to the club and dances her way to forgetting her lover: "In the club I will raise my hands / I just wanna dance, dance, dance / On the thoughts of a new romance / I just wanna dance, dance, dance." According to FORG of PhilCharts.com, the song "has an irresistible beat that makes for a good club banger." [31]

The following track, "Staying Alive", was written and produced by Jay R Sillona and Keith Martin under Sillona's own recording label, Homeworkz Records. The song uses Auto-Tune, and features rap verses by Q-York and additional back-up vocals by beauty queen Krista Kleiner, who was Sillona's partner at the time. It marked the second time that Nina collaborated with Sillona, since their duet of "Muli" in early 2010. The song is described as "another smoking track with bold and powerful lyrics: 'I shouldn't let them knock me down down down... I'm staying alive.'" [22] "However Much Love" is an acoustic flute-driven song, considered as one of Nina's distinctly slow and sentimental ballads in the album. [32] The lyrics speak of steadfast and unconditional love. Philippine Entertainment Portal called it a "standout," stating "Nina's voice heightens the pain and vulnerability evoked by the lyrics and melody." [22] "Believe in the Dream" is an inspirational power ballad, written by Jude Gitamondoc. [20] Nina insisted the song's inclusion with the purpose of encouraging her listeners to pursue their goals despite adversities. Its message is about not giving up on your dreams. Nina related the lyrics to her personal struggles, saying "That's important for me because I, really, almost gave up [...] If this is what you always wanted to do, if this is your dream, don't lose hope. Go for it. Me, I almost gave up and if not for my faith and belief in God, I would have lost the hope that was left. So, just really keep on reaching for your dreams." [7]

"Stay Alive is a testament to Nina's evolution as an artist and determination to be a better performer [...] While the album attempts to prove the Soul Siren's versatility, Stay Alive is still distinctly Nina with her slow and sentimental ballads."

—A writer from Philippine Entertainment Portal, describing Nina's improvement in the album. [22]

"Laging Ikaw" ["Always You"], the only original Tagalog song in the album, was written by Jose Villanueva III. The song is a midtempo pop blues containing elements of R&B, and has a bassline that is aligned with its electronic keyboard notes. It is described as "pop-ish." [22] "Only with You" and "I Came to Dance" were written by Amber Davis and produced by DJ High Rez. Both songs feature "infectious and enticing party-house music." [22] "I Don't Want to Fight" is an acoustic ballad, written by her close friend and ASAP Sessionistas group mate, Richard Poon. [22] The song was originally recorded by Poon's band, U Turn, for their eponymous 2004 album. "Starlight" is a progressive ballad, originally recorded by Nora Aunor. "Missing You" was written by Arnie Mendaros, whom Nina has worked with in her debut album. "You Should Know" was co-written by Nina herself, together with Keith Martin, becoming the second song she ever wrote that was included in an album of hers—the other being "Can't Say I Love You" from Smile (2003). The song is described as "emphatic." [22]

Singles

Prior to the release of Stay Alive, two different sample versions of the song "Dance" were released by Universal Records via YouTube. [33] [34] After a couple of days, the song received rotation over the radio, but was immediately pulled out due to cancellation of the album release. In October 2011, the song was officially released and started receiving limited airplay through radio stations. It was later revealed that Nina personally picked the song as the album's lead single, accepting the risk of catering a new different sound to listeners. [35] "Dance" is an aggressive uptempo club, house dance song, [23] described as an "upbeat track with a catchy melody." [20] Two versions were shot as official music videos for the song, both directed by Sean Lim. The second version was released on December 9, 2011, and features Nina in Gaga-ish costumes. [36] Knight of R&B Duncan Ramos made an appearance in the video, portraying her love interest in the club-dancing scenes. The song was given very limited commercial promotion, and its video was not played on myx until March 2012—which led Nina's fans to questioning Universal's marketing strategy. On January 30, 2012, Universal posted a sample version of "However Much Love", revealing it as the second single from the album. [37] The song was set for a Valentine release as a radio-only single to boost up album sales. It was both critically and commercially acclaimed, being called a "standout" by Philippine Entertainment Portal and peaking at number one for three consecutive weeks, becoming Nina's first chart-topper since 2008's "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing". [22] "Believe in the Dream" was released on April 24, 2012 as the third single from the album, accompanied by an official lyric video posted by the label on the same day. [38] The song received overwhelming positive reviews by critics, but failed to chart due to loss of promotion. [31]

Other notable songs

Nina posed on the front cover of Playboy Philippines magazine's May—June 2012 special issue, where she is seen nude with only her private body parts being covered. On May 29, 2012, Playboy Philippines' official YouTube channel released a music video for "Only with You", which consists of behind-the-scene footage for Nina's Playboy photo shoot. The video was produced in collaboration with Universal for the promotion of both the magazine and Stay Alive. [39]

Promotion

Release

Prior to the release of the album, a sample of the disco-influenced pop song by DJ Silverfilter entitled "Dance" was released on August 23, 2011 through Universal Records' official YouTube channel. [33] Silverfilter revealed via Twitter that the voice behind the song is Nina's, and that it would be included in her album. He also stated that he was working on another material with Nina. The song was later released to radio, but was immediately pulled out of the airwaves due to the album release's cancellation. On October 6, 2011, a different sample version of "Dance", which does not feature Silverfilter, was posted by Universal. [34] It was later revealed that Nina personally picked the song as the lead single for Stay Alive. [40] On November 10, 2011, Universal Records' official YouTube channel posted a preview of the album which only included the first nine tracks. [41]

Live performances

Nina performing "Staying Alive" on Update Your Status... at the Music Museum in February 2012. Nina-stayingalive.jpg
Nina performing "Staying Alive" on Update Your Status... at the Music Museum in February 2012.

On November 19, 2011, during the album's release date, Nina performed on a mini concert at TriNoma and had an album signing. Stay Alive was launched on November 22, 2011 at Patio Carlitos, White House, Quezon City. She sang three songs from the album including the lead single "Dance", which she performed with choreographed dance moves. [42] She also performed the ballad "However Much Love", playing the keyboard in the beginning of the song. [43] The other song she sang was her own composition, "You Should Know". [44] She made a guest appearance in Gandang Gabi, Vice! with Richard Poon, where she promoted her album. The show aired on November 27, 2011. On December 1, 2011, she promoted the album on Happy Yipee Yehey! after performing the lead single "Dance" live. She also performed her 2004 holiday single "The Christmas Song" as a duet with Randy Santiago. Nina also made a guest appearance in Kris TV, promoting the album. The episode aired on December 7, 2011. On December 11, 2011, she launched the album in Party Pilipinas, the rival program of variety show ASAP which she became part of. She performed "Dance" with Frencheska Farr and Julie Anne San Jose. On the following day, she was interviewed by Boy Abunda as a special guest in his segment in Bandila called "Ikaw Na!." She also guested in Joe D' Mango's midnight radio show on DZMM entitled LoveNotes, where she sang a few songs from the album including "Hagkan", "Laging Ikaw" and "However Much Love". Also, the music video for "Dance" had its nationwide premiere during the show on December 13, 2011.

On January 29, 2012, Stay Alive Mall Tour had its first leg at Market! Market! Taguig, where Nina performed most of the album songs with intensive choreography including "Staying Alive" and "Only with You". On January 30, 2012, she sang "Believe in the Dream" in Hitachi Philippines' "Awakening" Distributorship Night at Century Seafood Restaurant. On the following night, she performed the same song for the Philippine Marketing Association anniversary. On February 5, 2012, Nina promoted the album at SM City Baguio, where she performed the album's songs and her previous hits, "Love Moves in Mysterious Ways" and "Someday". On February 13, 2012, she had her first major concert for the year entitled Update Your Status... at the Music Museum. [45] The concert was staged in support with Stay Alive. The fan favorites—"However Much Love" and "Laging Ikaw", the ballads—"Believe in the Dream" and "You Should Know", and the dance songs—the title track and "I Came to Dance", were all included in the set list. [46] As tribute to one of her musical influences, Whitney Houston who died two days before the concert, Nina performed Houston's hit single "Run to You".

Awards

Stay Alive was nominated for Best Album Package in the 25th annual Awit Awards in 2012, but lost to Kinse Kalibre by Slapshock. [47] In the 4th PMPC Star Awards for Music, Nina earned three nominations namely– Album of the Year for Stay Alive, Female Pop Artist of the Year, and Music Video of the Year for "Dance", but lost all three to– Araw Oras Tagpuan by Sponge Cola, Angeline Quinto, and "Where Do I Begin" by Gary Valenciano. [48] She was also nominated for Best Female Style Icon on the 3rd Wave 89.1 Urban Music Awards. [49]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Dance"Alexandra Prinz, Michael Gordon LangeIto Rapadas3:40
2."Staying Alive" (featuring Q-York) Jay R Sillona, Keith Martin, Dessirie Joy Hernandez-Poblete, Noel Zuñiga, Knowa LazarusSillona, Martin3:35
3."However Much Love"Jude GitamondocRapadas4:20
4."Believe in the Dream"GitamondocRapadas4:45
5."Laging Ikaw" (English: "Always You") Jose Villanueva III Rapadas4:32
6."Only with You"Amber Davis, RapadasDJ High Rez3:42
7."I Came to Dance"DavisDJ High Rez3:41
8."I Don't Want to Fight" Richard Poon Rapadas3:59
9."Starlight" Bodjie Dasig, Odette QuesadaRapadas5:09
10."Missing You"Arnie MendarosMendaros4:37
11."You Should Know"Martin, Nina Girado Martin4:51
12."Hagkan" (English: "Kiss") Louie Ocampo, Winnie ArrietaPaolo Zarate3:33

Notes

Release history

CountryEditionRelease DateLabelCatalogue
PhilippinesStandard (CD)November 19, 2011 Universal Records CDP-94,1485
Standard (download)May 7, 2012
United StatesStandard (download) [5] [6] B0087UVCIO

Related Research Articles

Kyla (Filipino singer) Filipina R&B singer-songwriter, recording artist and producer, occasional actress, and presenter

Melanie Alvarez, better known by her stage name Kyla, is a Filipina R&B singer-songwriter, occasional actress and presenter.

Jaya (singer) Filipina singer

María Luisa Ramsey-Gotidoc, known professionally by the mononym Jaya, is a Filipina soul singer, rapper, record producer, actress, dancer and presenter of mixed Jamaican and Visayan descent. She was a talent of GMA Network but later transferred to ABS-CBN, where she serves as one of the head jury of the Tawag ng Tanghalan segment of the Philippine noontime variety show It's Showtime and performer on ASAP. Jaya is the first Filipino recording artist to chart in the United States, as her debut single "If You Leave Me Now" peaked at 44 at the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Jona Viray Filipina singer and actress

Jonalyn Roxas Viray, better known by her stage name, Jona, is a Filipina singer and occasional actress. She was the first Pinoy Pop Superstar grand winner.

Nina Girado Filipino pop/R&B singer, producer and media personality

Marifil Niña Girado-Enriquez, known professionally as Nina, is a Filipina singer, occasional songwriter, record producer, TV and radio personality and occasional actress. She made her recording debut in 2002 after signing a recording contract with Warner Music Philippines. Her first two studio albums produced the chart-topping singles "Jealous", "Foolish Heart" and "Make You Mine", and earned her the Favorite New Artist award on both Awit Awards and MTV Pilipinas Music Awards. She established her position in the local music industry in 2005 after releasing her third album Nina Live! which was certified diamond by the Philippine Association of the Record Industry (PARI). The album yielded her most successful single, "Love Moves in Mysterious Ways", and her biggest solo concert to date.

<i>Heaven</i> (Nina Girado album) 2002 studio album by Nina

Heaven is the debut studio album by Filipina singer Nina, released in the Philippines on August 20, 2002 by Warner Music. The album is heavily influenced by jazzy lounge, pop-R&B and composed of songs that resemble the sound of international records at the time. Under the direction of Warner managing head Ricky R. Ilacad, foreign songwriters and arrangers from the United States and South Korea, including Shelly Peiken and Guy Roche, were hired for the production of the album. Ilacad was very impressed with Nina's submitted demo version of Steve Perry's "Foolish Heart" which they decided to re-record for the album.

<i>Smile</i> (Nina Girado album) 2003 studio album by Nina

Smile is the second studio album by Filipina singer Nina, released in the Philippines on December 12, 2003 by Warner Music. The album was a follow-up to the tremendous success of her debut album. It resembles the same sound from its predecessor, but only bigger and bolder in terms of incorporating urban-style to upbeat rhythmic jams and harmonic sound to powerful sentimental ballads. Ricky Ilacad, head of Warner label, assigned a few international songwriters and arrangers, including Jörgen Elofsson and Rudy Pérez, to collaborate with the label on the production of the album, which is noticeably broader compared to the first project. For the first time, Nina wrote a song, "Can't Say I Love You", which made it to the final cut. The album contains three cover versions of songs by Madonna, Baron Barbers and Cris Villonco.

<i>Nina Live!</i> 2005 live album by Nina

Nina Live! is a live album and the third album by Filipina singer Nina, released in the Philippines on February 23, 2005, by Warner Music. The original release date for the album was scheduled on February 22, 2005, but it was moved a day later due to preparation. Nina has released two successful studio albums that are both influenced by pop-R&B, but behind all the commercial activities, she regularly performs on different bars and gigs. The label wanted to show this side of the singer the best way by releasing a live album. The live album was a commercial success debuting straight to number one on the Philippine Top 10 Albums chart. The album consists of love songs from the 1970s to the 1990s, all of which she has covered live. The live session was recorded on January 30, 2005, at PHI Resto & Bar in Metro Manila.

<i>Nina</i> (Nina album) 2006 studio album by Nina

Nina is the self-titled third studio album by Filipina singer Nina, released in the Philippines on August 23, 2006 by Warner Music. After the success of her cover album Nina Live!, Nina decided to release an all-original studio album as a follow-up. "Nina" album debuted at number 19 on the Philippine Albums Chart then it climbed up at number 9 on the chart and charting behind album "Nina Live!", the album charted until 2007. She named the album after herself and stated that she considers it to be "self-titled," because she believes it showcases her true self as an artist. The album recaptures the sound of her first two albums, but only bigger and broader in terms of genre. It consists mostly of "toned-down" songs that were sung in a "soft, near-whispery volume." The project marked the first time that she worked with Jim Baluyut as the new executive of the label. The production also featured international songwriters Walter Afanasieff, Matthew Gerrard and Harvey Mason, Jr.

<i>Nina Sings the Hits of Diane Warren</i> 2008 studio album by Nina

Nina Sings the Hits of Diane Warren is the fourth studio album by Filipina singer Nina, released in the Philippines on July 25, 2008, by Warner Music. It is a cover album consisting of Nina's renditions of familiar love songs written by American songwriter Diane Warren. The idea behind the release of the album started after the success of her single "I Don't Want to Be Your Friend" in 2004, which was initially recorded for Warren's love songs compilation.

Gaudencio Aquino Sillona III, known professionally as Jay R, is a Filipino-American singer, songwriter, record producer, actor and model. In 2003, he released his debut album, Gameface, under Universal Records. The album was certified Platinum by the Philippine Association of the Record Industry (PARI), receiving numerous awards and earning him the number one single, "Bakit Pa Ba".

<i>Renditions of the Soul</i> 2009 studio album by Nina

Renditions of the Soul is the fifth studio album by Filipina singer Nina, released in the Philippines on August 27, 2009 by Warner Music. The album contains a selection of the most requested songs from her "all-male hits special" weekly acoustic radio show of the same title, which aired on Wave 89.1 during Friday and Sunday evenings. The idea and concept of the project came from Nina herself, and she approached the station's manager to carry it out. She is co-executive producer of the album, with Warner head manager Jim Baluyut, and produced all the tracks herself. All the tracks are the actual recordings from Nina's Renditions of the Soul radio sessions.

Nina Girado videography

Filipina singer Nina has released five video albums and appeared in forty-five music videos, three films and thirteen television shows. After signing a record deal with Warner Music Philippines, Nina released her first single, "Heaven," in 2002. Its music video was inspired by the cover art of her debut album of the same name where she is dancing in front of the camera while animations appear in the background. In 2003, the music videos for "Jealous" and "Foolish Heart" gained popularity in the Philippines, topping various music video charts in the country. "Jealous" featured actor Cedric Carreon, playing the role of ex-boyfriend in the music video. It won Favorite New Artist in a Video at the 2003 MTV Pilipinas Music Award. The music video for "Loving You" depicts Nina on a journey in a fantasy world to find her dream guy. All music videos from the album Heaven (2002) were directed by Avid Liongoren, except "Foolish Heart." "A Girl Can Dream," the second single from her second studio album Smile (2003) featured singer Christian Bautista as her love interest in a school-themed music video. In 2004, Nina appeared in a cameo appearance for the comedy film Masikip sa Dibdib.

<i>Jay R Sings OPM Love Classics</i> 2010 studio album by Jay R

Jay R Sings OPM Love Classics is the fifth studio album and third cover album by Filipino singer Jay R, released on February 5, 2010 by Universal Records. The album was produced by Ito Rapadas, who was also behind the production of Soul in Love. It consists of thirteen Tagalog songs, which were originally recorded by popular OPM acts in the 80's and 90's, handpicked by Jay R himself.

Julie Anne San Jose Filipino singer and actress

Julie Anne Peñaflorida San Jose is a Filipino singer, songwriter, musician, recording artist, actress, host, endorser and television personality. She is the youngest recipient of the Diamond Record Award from the Philippine Association of the Record Industry for her album Julie Anne San Jose, which sold more than 150,000 copies in the Philippines. Her second album, Deeper, yielded a Triple Platinum Award for exceeding 45,000 sales in the Philippines.

<i>Diamond: Greatest Hits 2002-2010</i> 2010 greatest hits album by Nina

Diamond: Greatest Hits 2002-2010 is the first official greatest hits album by Filipina singer Nina. It was released in the Philippines on October 13, 2010 by Warner Music, at the time that she has left the label. The tracks are arranged nearly in a chronological order. Disc 1 is primarily a collection of Nina's hits from 2002 to 2004, while Disc 2 is primarily a collection of her hits from 2005 to 2010.

Dance (Nina Girado song) Song by Filipino singer Nina

"Dance" is a song by Filipina singer Nina from her 2011 studio album Stay Alive. It was originally released in a different version on August 23, 2011, but was immediately pulled out of the radio after the album's release was postponed. In October 2011, the song was, again, released as Stay Alive 's official lead single under Universal Records and received limited airplay. The song was written by Alexandra Prinz and Michael Gordon Lange, and produced by Ito Rapadas. It talks about a woman who wants to get back with her lover after breaking-up with him. Missing her man, she goes to the club and dances her way to forgetting him and escaping loneliness.

However Much Love

"However Much Love" is a song by Filipina singer Nina from her 2011 studio album Stay Alive. It was released as a radio-only Valentine single on January 30, 2012, and served as the second single from the album. The song was written and composed by Jude Gitamondoc, and produced by Ito Rapadas under Universal Records. It is the first ballad song in the album, and has an arrangement reminiscent to Nina's 2006 number-one hit "Someday". The song talks about unconditional love, wherein the protagonist narrates her everlasting feelings for her lover despite his dishonesty and deception.

Believe in the Dream 2012 single by Nina

"Believe in the Dream" is a song by Filipina singer Nina from her 2011 studio album Stay Alive. It was released as a promotional single on April 24, 2012, and served as the third official single from the album. The song was written and composed by Jude Gitamondoc, and produced by Ito Rapadas under Universal Records. It is the second ballad song in the album, following the acoustic track "However Much Love." The song is an inspirational power ballad, and it shows off the singer's power vocals and belting range during the latter part of the song. The song talks about holding on to your dreams, and not letting anyone get on your way in achieving it.

<i>All Good</i> (album) 2013 studio album by Nina

All Good is the seventh studio album by Filipina singer Nina, released in the Philippines on January 23, 2013 by Viva Records. The album release was accompanied by the singer's comeback major concert at the Music Museum entitled Nina Reborn. In May 2012, Nina announced her transfer to Viva right after the expiration of her contract with Universal where she released one album, Stay Alive, expressing her disappointment with the label for not promoting the album despite positive reception. She later revealed working on a studio album which will have original songs and some covers. All Good consists of songs that were written by famous OPM composer Vehnee Saturno, 2013 Himig Handog runner-up Marion Aunor, Filipino boyband XLR8-member MJ Magno, and American songwriter Lori Barth.

References

  1. 1 2 Ren (Nov 17, 2011). "A new Nina – sexier, bolder, and more exciting!". philcharts.com. Retrieved 2011-11-19.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Melba R. Llanera (July 15, 2011). "Soul Siren Nina warns other singers of her former PA's modus operandi". pep.ph. Retrieved 2011-07-15.
  3. ↑ Nitz Miralles (November 25, 2011). "Nina hindi pa alam kung saan lilipat". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 2011-11-30.
  4. ↑ Melba R. Llanera (February 29, 2012). "(UPDATED) Soul Siren Nina disappointed with promo of latest album". pep.ph. Retrieved 2012-04-09.
  5. 1 2 "Nina - Stay Alive". iTunes. May 7, 2011. Retrieved 2012-09-09.
  6. 1 2 "Nina - Stay Alive". Amazon.com. 2011. Retrieved 2012-09-09.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Vanessa A. Balbuena (November 13, 2010). "Happy days are here again for Nina". The Philippine Star . Retrieved 2011-06-01.
  8. ↑ "NINA IN PILIPINAS WIN NA WIN (ABS CBN 2) - AUGUST 7, 2010". NinaSoulSireigns official blog. August 7, 2010. Retrieved 2011-06-01.
  9. ↑ Woman Today (February 2011), upcoming album's release date
  10. ↑ soulsiren_nina (Feb 22, 2011). "recording a new song. ;)". Twitter . Retrieved 2011-06-01.
  11. ↑ soulsiren_nina (Feb 28, 2011). "getting ready for recording. :)...SO much love<3". Twitter. Retrieved 2011-06-01.
  12. ↑ "Nina shines at Pattaya Music Fest". Manila Bulletin . March 30, 2011. Retrieved 2011-06-01.
  13. 1 2 Nina (April 15, 2011). "Pattaya on my mind". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 2011-06-01.
  14. ↑ soulsiren_nina (May 31, 2011). "its gonna b included in my upcoming album Ü". Twitter. Retrieved 2011-06-01.
  15. ↑ rnbjayr (August 5, 2011). "In the studio working on a song for Nina feat @imjmuna. It's gona be hot". Twitter. Retrieved 2011-08-06.
  16. ↑ soulsiren_nina (August 16, 2011). "how do you guys like this?". Twitter. Retrieved 2011-08-17.
  17. ↑ Bernie Franco (September 23, 2011). "Nina says she misses performing on ASAP". push.com.ph. Retrieved 2011-09-25.
  18. ↑ Melba R. Llanera (November 21, 2011). "Nina quits Sessionistas; reaches amicable settlement on estafa case against Nyoy Volante's parents". pep.ph. Retrieved 2011-12-03.
  19. 1 2 3 Karen Valeza (November 23, 2011). "Nina to switch networks too?". Yahoo! OMG!. Retrieved 2011-11-27.
  20. 1 2 3 4 Salve Asis (November 26, 2011). "Nina puwedeng dance diva!". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 2011-11-27.
  21. 1 2 "A new Nina". Malaya. November 25, 2011. Archived from the original on November 29, 2011. Retrieved 2011-11-27.
  22. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Abby Mendoza (November 23, 2011). "Nina shows how she stays alive in her latest album". pep.ph. Retrieved 2011-11-27.
  23. 1 2 Joseph Peter R. Conzalez (November 29, 2011). "Staying alive". Manila Standard Today . Retrieved 2011-11-30.
  24. ↑ Bong Godinez (April 16, 2010). "R&B Prince goes pop with Jay-R Sings OPM Love Classics". pep.ph. Retrieved 2011-06-01.
  25. ↑ Bong Godinez (May 25, 2010). "Kris Aquino shares Blessings of Love". pep.ph. Retrieved 2011-06-01.
  26. ↑ JOJO P. PANALIGAN (June 19, 2010). "Gary V to sing with GMA artists at Aquino inauguration". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved 2011-06-01.
  27. ↑ Roldan Castro (April 13, 2011). "Kris Aquino explains why she sticks with "spoken word" concept for her fifth album". pep.ph. Retrieved 2011-06-01.
  28. ↑ Rey Belen (November 24, 2011). "Diamond Soul Siren Nina: Sexier and Bolder in New Album". ReyBelen.com. Retrieved 2011-12-03.
  29. ↑ Ricky L. Calderon (November 25, 2011). "Diamond Soul Siren Nina just released her new album under Universal Records titled "Stay Alive"". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 2011-11-30.
  30. 1 2 3 JOJO P. PANALIGAN (November 23, 2011). "Nina shows lesser known side in 'Stay Alive'". Manila Bulletin . Retrieved 2011-11-30.
  31. 1 2 FORG (Feb 1, 2012). "Nina's Stay Alive". Philcharts.com. Retrieved 2012-04-05.
  32. ↑ patrickstarfish (2011-11-23). "Nina sizzles in latest single "Dance"". pep.ph. Retrieved 2011-12-03.
  33. 1 2 UniversalRecPH (Aug 23, 2011). "DANCE by silverfilter (Audio Sampler)". YouTube . Retrieved 2011-08-30.
  34. 1 2 UniversalRecPH (Oct 6, 2011). "Nina "Dance" Audio Clip". YouTube . Retrieved 2011-11-12.
  35. ↑ ETHEL RAMOS (November 28, 2011). "Mo quits". Malaya. Retrieved 2011-12-25.
  36. ↑ UniversalRecPH (Dec 9, 2011). "Nina "Dance" Music Video". YouTube. Retrieved 2011-12-11.
  37. ↑ UniversalRecPH (January 30, 2012). "Nina "However Much Love" Audio Clip". YouTube. Retrieved 2012-02-04.
  38. ↑ UniversalRecPH (April 24, 2012). "Nina "Believe in the Dream" Lyric Video". YouTube. Retrieved 2012-05-05.
  39. ↑ PlayboyPhils (May 29, 2012). "ONLY WITH YOU - NINA". YouTube. Retrieved 2012-06-02.
  40. ↑ "NINA SIZZLES ANEW WITH HER NEW RELEASE "STAY ALIVE"!". odysseylive.net. Oct 10, 2011. Archived from the original on November 18, 2011. Retrieved 2011-11-12.
  41. ↑ UniversalRecPH (Nov 10, 2011). "Nina "Stay Alive" Album Preview". YouTube . Retrieved 2011-11-11.
  42. ↑ jcarlgirado (Nov 22, 2011). "Dance by Nina (LIVE) on her Stay Alive Album Press Launch-11222011". YouTube . Retrieved 2011-11-26.
  43. ↑ jcarlgirado (Nov 22, 2011). "However much love by Nina (LIVE) on her Stay Alive Album Press Launch-11222011". YouTube . Retrieved 2011-11-26.
  44. ↑ jcarlgirado (Nov 22, 2011). "You should know by Nina (LIVE) on her Stay Alive - 11222011". YouTube . Retrieved 2011-11-26.
  45. ↑ "Nina's Valentine show". Malaya. January 25, 2012. Retrieved 2012-02-19.
  46. ↑ Jelai L. Tarosa (February 13, 2012). "Valentine treats from Lea & Nina". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 2012-02-19.
  47. ↑ "24th Awit Awards - Winners". Awit Awards. Archived from the original on 2012-07-06. Retrieved 2014-07-13.
  48. ↑ "4th Star Awards for Music will take place on September 9". pep.ph. June 27, 2012. Retrieved 2014-07-13.
  49. ↑ "Wednesday, March 28, 2012 at 7:30pm - 10:30pm". Wave 89.1. March 28, 2012. Retrieved 2014-07-13.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.