One is known for her Tagalog version of "Umbrella" while the
other started his career by singing the Tagalog version of David Cook's "Always
Be My Baby".
Bearing the stage names Miss Ganda and David Idol, both of
these artists became known for their Tagalized hits of popular songs sourced
from R&B singer Rihanna and the winner of American Idol Season 7.
But there is more to them than performing these localized hits. Miss Ganda is
Cielo Nunez while David Idol is called Lambert Reyes Jr. in real life.
Miss Ganda is grateful to her dad's
friend, Andrei Dionisio, for translating all songs in the Hip Rap album,
which has the song "Payong" as its carrier single. Her line-up of hits include:
"Binibining Ganda (Beautiful Girl);" "Lampa (Clumsy);" "Sugat Sa Puso
(Bleeding Love);" and "Wag Mong Pipigilan (Please Don't Stop The Music)."
But who is Miss Ganda really? She has
been performing for quite some time already, doing the rounds of bars and clubs
across town as a singer for a covers band.
"Doing covers was my
forte...I do bossa, jazz, pop... so I wasn't surprised when they offered me to do
the Tagalized version of ‘Umbrella,'" she says.
Some people are criticizing Tagalized songs for being mere copycats. When asked
to comment on this, Miss Ganda said: "I think it's actually good that we have
this thing called Tagalized versions because it allows people to understand the
song even more and relate to it well. I say this through my own personal
experience. It used to be that, when I listen to hip hop, R&B and some
other danceable songs, I just enjoy the melody and the beat, it's only after a
few times after I've listened to it that I get to admire and be familiar with
the lyrics. With the Tagalized
versions, I learned a lot about what the songs really meant and what message
the artist was trying to convey."
PROFESSOR-TURNED-RECORDING ARTIST.
David Idol, who is also actually a college professor did all the translations
for the 10 Tagalized songs found in his debut album including the
aforementioned "Ikaw lang Ang Iibigin (Always Be My Baby);" "Miss Kita
(Aerosmith's I Don't Want To Miss A Thing);" "Hello (Lionel Richie's Hello);"
Ang Hinahanap Ko (U2's I Still Haven't Found); "Ang Lahat Para Sa Iyo"; "Happy
Together (The Turtle's Happy Together);" Billie Jean
(Michael Jackson's Billie Jean); "Elinor Rigby (The Beatle's Eleanor Rigby); "Kailangan Ng Magtiwala;" and "Gutom Na
Parang Lobo (Duran Duran's Hungry Like A Wolf)."
With regards to the uncanny similarity of his voice to his idol, David
Idol has this to say: "I never meant to copy David Cook. I was just fortunate
to have a voice similar in texture to his."
Miss Ganda meets David Idol (another
Warner Music Philippines Tagalized artist) in a series of bar tours at the
following dates and venues: SM Supermalls tour in Baguio on March 20 and
in Rosales, Pangasinan on March 21; Padi's Point bar tour in Avenida on April
3, in Novaliches on April 17, in MOA on April 23, in Marikina
on April 4, in Alabang on April 30, in Calamba on May 1,
in Araneta Center on May 14, in Las Pinas on May 15, in Dagupan
on May 22, Binan on May 29 and in Remedios on June 5.
Check out David Idol's debut CD titled David Idol presents Tagalized
Hits. The album is now available at select record bars nationwide, only
from Warner Music Philippines.