Sabrina is a star in Asia—but anonymous in Pinas
Will that change with the young Pinay's sixth album?
Filipina cover artist Sabrina, a young singer curiously more popular abroad than in her homeland, has come out of her shell.
Or, to be downright frank, cell.
The latest package in her ever-growing catalogue of acoustic covers reveals her feeling of total liberation from whatever kind of restraints she may have had in the past.
Asian stardom
"Everything you hear here, how I sung each and every song, is straight from my own very heart. Nobody telling me how to do it this time, nobody teaching me which notes to use, nobody dictating what emotions to deliver," she said, referring to the tracks filling up "I Love Acoustic 6."
Sabrina is largely credited for starting the pop trend of female vocalists singing recent hits in laid-back style.
Which, by all indications, is something neighboring Asian countries are just as wild about since Sabrina’s CDs are a big hit in Indonesia, Korea and Singapore--reportedly selling around 200,000 units.
‘It’s all mine’
Released by MCA Music, the album features the top tracks of the day, including Katy Perry's "Roar," Miley Cyrus's "Wrecking Ball," Bruno Mars's "Treasure," Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines" and Pink's "Just Give Me a Reason."
"Every note, every stroke, every attack, this time it's all mine. It's me you'll hear, real, renewed, rediscovered," explained the 25-year-old.
That impassioned outpouring seems to suggest that her five previous installments featured an artist still battling with forces keeping her from doing the things she wants.
A ‘bear hug’ of a song
Aside from the usual, "I Love Acoustic 6" features the carrier single "Almost Is Never Enough," a duet with “The Voice of the Philippines” finalist Myk Perez.
In addition, the album contains her original composition "Paradise," which she calls her "bear hug for the people in the world I love most."
She adds, "This album represents the new me who is a change captured through notes and melodies. I am beaming with pride and joy that this is mine." Sabrina has been dubbed Asia's Acoustic Sweetheart by her label.
Anonymous in Pinas
While her records sell well in countries like Indonesia, where she says her supporters are "screaming fans talaga," she is barely recognized here.
She’s hardly on TV, even if her albums sell.
There’s this anecdote about a Filipino celebrity who bought her CD abroad, only to realize later that Sabrina is a pure Pinay.
A ‘worthy investment’
"In showbiz, there's no assurance of instant success no matter how big your efforts are,” she says.
“But I'm thankful of my kind of success and especially to people who make it their goal to let the world know about my music."
In her own words she is humbled that her recording label considers her as a "worthy investment," especially after finding out that people in places like Singapore and Korea do buy her albums.
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