Maganda
ang packaging ng bagong CD album ni Jed Madela titled Jed Madela...Songs Rediscovered 2: The
Ultimate OPM Playlist. Ito ang kanyang 6th album under Universal
Records. Sosyal at bago ang packaging in a rectangular pack na
naglalaman ng dalawang CD. Ang una ay may mga awiting katulad ng "To Love
Again," "I Need You Back," "Give Me A Chance,"
"Friend Of Mine," "A Friend," "Can Find No
Reason," "A Smile In Your Heart," "You," "Got To
Let You Know," "I'll Always Stay In Love This Way,"
"Special Memory," "Let The Pain Remain," "Can't We
Start All Over Again," "Hold On," "Maybe" and
"Everyday." Ang second
CD naman ay mayroong minus one ng lahat ng mga kanta sa unang CD.
CAN'T WE START ALL OVER AGAIN. Ito ang kanyang very special song na kasama sa album na ayon kay Jed, talagang hindi siya huminto to convince the people in the production na mapa-oo. Very special sa kanya ang kanta na popularized by Joe Mari Chan dahil ito ang kanyang paboritong kinakanta noong bata pa.
"When I knew I was recording 'Can't We Start All Over Again' and A Friend," it made me rummage through old cassette tapes to look for my recorded version of it when I was only 11. Oh yeah, I found it and I'd rather you listen to the version I'm doing now."
Ayon kay Jed, nang malaman nito ang entire line-up ng album ay naging emotional siya at nostalgic dahil ito ang mga awiting nag-mold sa kanyang pagiging world-class singer and World Championship of Performing Arts (WCOPA) champion at that.
"I smile at the songs 'You', 'A Friend of Mine' and 'Got To Let You Know.' These were the very first songs my school-friends and I sang during recess. We sung at the top of our lungs trying to outdo each other until our throats hurt! These songs created some kind of a bond among friends and having to sing it now makes me want to go back home.
"Hearing my recorded version of 'A Smile In Your Heart' (my very first contest piece) brought me back to that very stage where I first competed in a singing contest. How it became my contest my contest piece was quite an interesting story and what's more interesting is, I won!"
SPECIAL MEMORY. "It reminds of one person close to my heart, my Lola Eve, my silent fan. It was tough recording this song while holding back tears ... and listening to 'Maybe' and Hold On' brought me back to those times when I was singing in a band, not even for a fleeting second did I think that I would be recording them."
TO LOVE AGAIN. "When I was a little boy, I had this huge crush on Sharon Cuneta, and I was fooled into believing she answered my letters. I was 'broken-hearted' to find out that all the while it was my mom and my aunts who wrote me back. Funny how this song speaks of how I felt back then."
I NEED YOU BACK. "This song including 'Can't find No Reason,' 'Give Me A Chance', 'I'll Always Stay In Love This Way" and 'Let The Pain Remain'--these songs sang in this order is what I wanted to say to that girl who broke up with me. It was one of those 'you-don't-know-what-hit-you' time of my life where next thing I knew the girl I loved was gone. These songs made me cry, more like bawl, actually, it still does now.
"I moved to Manila to find a job and that time, I was in a dilemma whether to pursue a singer, an 8-hour job or work as a flight attendant. 'Everyday' was the song I kept hearing over the radio. Somehow when I hear it, I recall that feeling I had back then."
Bilang
pangwakas, all memories ang ibinabalik ng mga awiting napapaloob sa
kanyang pinakabagong album. Aniya, "Here's my tribute to the
original singers of such beautiful songs that will surpass the test of time."
Sa naturang press conference para sa kanyang bagong album sa ilalim ng
Universal Records, binalita rin ni Jed na pupunta siya ng Los Angeles para
maging judge sa 2009 edition ng World Championship of Performing Arts (WCOPA). (Click HERE to read
related article.)