The first moment I witnessed Charice Pempengco's talent was a complete accident and something that I will never forget. There I was, home from college on winter break; it was my sophomore year and grades were due that afternoon, so I would be finding out if I stayed on the Dean's List. While continually refreshing my browser, my mom told me to turn it on Ellen. There stood Charice, then 15 years old, a beautiful, petite Filipina Youtube phenomenon with a surprising amount of confidence who was effortlessly tearing up a Whitney Houston song. I was impressed, but I assumed it was only a brief talk show novelty.
Well, boy was I wrong. After a few false starts in America, platinum albums in her homeland, and enough support from the entertainment big wigs to ensure a long career even if her album doesn't do well (it's on track for a top ten debut, though), Charice has released her debut album, a record that doesn't exactly age her but doesn't show what she can really do. Nothing is one of the few tracks with tempo on this midtempo/ballad heavy set, so it's a welcomed listen, if nothing else. With a strolling bassline and shimmering production, it's a decidedly young listen (in the vein of Jordin Sparks/Kristinia DeBarge) but one that suits Charice's vocals fairly well. She doesn't blow the rafters off the place or anything, though the song is crafted to let her have her moments; she's controlled, extremely confident, and sells the lyricism better than I would have expected. The Truth Is immediately put me in mind of young Celine Dion (for positive reasons). This isn't the most innovative piece on the record (that's a criticism I had for the record: there's not a whole lot of originality), but the structure is very power ballad and the build-up is gradual yet noticeable. The humming piano and breathy background vocals help to fill the track's space, but add in a few glory notes and some very misty production and it's brimming with sonic changes. It's not great, but it's solid. Built on some heavy claps and a head nodding bassline, I Love You sounds initially like a typically gushy teenage girl track (I cringed upon reading the title), but there's a minor lyrical twist that keeps things fresh. Charice has always exuded a certain maturity and this song is no exception. Her flirty delivery reaches its apex on the flashy ad libs, though her best moments are the quieter, more nuanced notes.
I go back and forth on All That I Need to Survive, the slightly cinematic ballad whose intro surpasses the rest of the track. Though it's an undeniably gorgeous song (Disney-ish string section, haunting acoustic guitars, very slow dance ready), it's slightly cheesy (did I mention Disney?) and overdone (the production is smothering). Charice sounds typically strong, but I wish she would adopt a touch of subtlety to her repertoire; I personally think that'll come with experience, but it's almost like she only knows one way to present a ballad. Reset goes back to her young sound; it's not necessarily bad that she's trying to be age appropriate (it's really refreshing, to be honest), but it's not the most appealing for anyone over the age of about 15. Melodically, it's one of the best songs on the record, but it just sounds like a JoJo rehash instead of a Charice song. That's another main problem; you don't get a whole lot of personality on this record. Again, I'm sure that'll come with experience, but a good portion of Charice could have been made by any 15-21 year old female pop/r&b singer and that's not a good thing. Oddly enough, Note to God originally appeared on JoJo's last studio album and Charice performed/released it around this time last year following an appearance on Oprah. It's a little out of place, in my opinion; the subject matter is a touch too heavy for such a light, girly record and honestly, it sounds a bit dated in its production. Written by Diane Warren (that should tell you everything you need to know), it features a strong technical vocal from Charice, but where's the soul? The heart? She hits everything she's supposed to, but her vocal doesn't move me in the slightest on this overwrought ballad. It has good intentions and is a clean listen, but it's just Charice riffing, some choirs, and a whole lot of hot air.
Charice could have been stronger; with Pempengco's extraordinary technical vocals, her team could have tackled pretty much any market they wanted to. That may have been more of a curse than a blessing, as there are moments of trying to play up Charice's age/innocence for the younger crowd but they almost downplay her talent to do so. There are moments where she gets to be a little bit show-y in her presentation (or it seems like she just has to get a big note in), but they can lean toward being a tad stuffy. With no Asian presence in the pop music scene, I genuinely doubt the long-term success of the record aside from the novelty of "hey, there's that girl from Oprah". This record has a few songs that are geared toward radio, but it's more Radio Disney than Z100. By trying to appeal to everyone, Charice has lessened what little artistic integrity she had in the first place, creating a product that's beneath her talent. Her connections may be keeping her in the industry longer than she would have been otherwise, but it won't be until she gets out from under David Foster's thumb that she can truly let loose and push that all important reset button.
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