Salamat (Yeng Constantino)

Salamat
Artist: Yeng Constantino
Record Label: Star Records
Released: 2007

4.5 out of 5 stars!

Thankful, this is what Yeng Constantino, Grand winner of the first ever season of Pinoy Dream Academy, wishes to extend to her fans. We, too, are thankful for her arrival.

What's amazing about Yeng's debut album under Star Records is that 7 of the 10 equally ingenious tracks are self-penned by this multi-talented artist. One song entitled, "If We Fall in Love" was originally a duet with co-dreamer RJ Jimenez, but has since been converted as a solo for this album. Yeng also pays tribute to the father of OPM, Ka Freddie Aguilar, with her remake of the nostalgic "Bulag, Pipi, at Bingi." Yeng truly hits home.

Starting off with "Salamat," a song truly dedicated to her many fans and supporters, Yeng delivers with placidity beyond compare. Not only does the song possess a beautiful tune, but it also reaches deep with its heart-warming lyrics. The sincerity in this girl's heart is poured all-out for this song.

Enough senti, moving on to the hip "Away Bati," which is still, yes, composed by hers truly. Encouraging listeners to jam to the amazing beat, this can undoubtedly become a hit to many avid rock listeners today.

Why does "Cool Off" sound eerily like Kitchie Nadal's first solo hit, "'Wag na 'Wag Mong Sasabihin"? I initially thought this song was another one of those ripoffs that later became undeserving hits, but when Yeng busts into the chorus, she reclaims the identity of this song as her own.

Another Yeng Constantino-penned song, "Time In," is a collaboration with Yeng's co-dreamers, Panky, Davey, Yvan, and Emman, who incidentally formed the new band, CEBALO. Casual yet fun lyrics, a jammin' tune, and amazing vocals make up this beautiful cut.

Make way for a beautiful remake of Ka Freddie Aguilar's "Bulag, Pipi, at Bingi." Yeng fills her rendition with so much emotion and character that she channels it to her listeners very well. The song may have brought back the old memories of Yeng's humble past. The tune-play and prolonged note at the end gives the song an eerie and dark finish.

Yeng's self-composed English cut, "Just Can't Say," drifts slightly away from the intense rock and focuses more on emotion and meaning.

"Awit ng Pangarap," also composed by Yeng Constantino, was chosen as the theme song of Pinoy Dream Academy. The song is inspiring and has a new flavor to its tune and mix. It's rare to hear songs of this caliber to be chosen as theme songs to ABS-CBN's shows.

Taking a full break off of rock music, Yeng renders a solo version of a former duet with RJ Jimenez entitled, "If We Fall in Love," which became the theme song of ABS-CBN's Koreanovela, Princess Hours. Frankly speaking, the song sounds twice as beautiful as a solo cut rather than a collaboration with RJ Jimenez, who struggled greatly with the key in the duet version. Not only does this song sound great, but it is also a testimony of Yeng's versatility as a singer.

"Pangarap Lang" is a hip and enjoyable track, with it's creative lyrics and tune. It comes close to the feel of Eraserhead's "Overdrive," except it is graced by the sultry voice of a female rocker-diva.

There is no better way to end this album but with Yeng's first-ever massive hit, "Hawak Kamay," which has enjoyed extremely frequent airplay even while Yeng was still inside the academy. What makes this song different yet tremendously appealing is its empathetic lyrics and ingenious yet easy-to-learn tune. The song's album version is one of three mixes, the other two coming from the Pinoy Dream Academy album and as a theme song to Ryan Agoncillo and Judy Ann Santos' movie, Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo, respectively. The version of "Hawak Kamay" in the album is inclined to rock, while the one in the PDA album sounds more acoustic, and the version for the movie, more appropriately as a ballad.

Yeng is truly a gold find of 2006 in our struggling OPM industry, because not only is she a great singer, but she is also a fabulous composer. Let's hope ABS-CBN and Star Records take care of this rare find and give her more opportunities to enrich her budding career. On a different note, Yeng should also slowly build her personality, character, and her hosting abilities to improve her marketability. But that aside, Yeng's undisputed talent is never to be left unnoticed.