Charice ft. Iyaz - 'Pyramid'
Ladies and gentlemen, people who have not been paying attention, sceptics and believers alike, I give you, the female Justin Bieber!
OK, the hair is different, and the voices don't quite match up - he's more Mickey Mouse with a sore throat, and she's more junior Beyonce - but what they do share, apart from extreme youth, is the strange experience of being massively popular on YouTube, and managing to turn this into success in the wider world of entertainment.
Here's how it worked. Five years ago Charice appeared on a TV talent show in the Phillipines. She did OK, reaching the final, and then the Top 3. Clips of her performances were put on YouTube, then lots and lots of people watched them.
A couple of years later, she appeared on another TV show, this time in South Korea. And then the performances from that were put on YouTube and lots and lots of people watched them too.
After this, it all gets a bit showbiz. American TV chat shows started to get her on, then UK TV shows like Paul O'Grady, and all the while the video clip pile is growing and more and more people are watching her do her thing. Until eventually there's a flurry of ridiculous celebrity names and international acclaim: Oprah, Celine, Bocelli, Alvin and the Chipmunks...and now she's even managed to nab a role in the next series of Glee.
Katie, Cheryl, Robbie, you are going to have to UP your GAME if you wanna compete with that little lot.
(. It's Gleeful.)
It's fascinating to come at this relatively fresh and try and see what all the fuss has been about. On the face of it, she's a small girl with a big voice, establishing a global pop presence using the tried-and-tested method of taking a beefed-up slow jam, about faith or hope or turmoil, putting a guest rapper in the middle of it, and attempting to sing his face off.
She damn near manages it too. Poor Iyaz, attempting to join in now and again by nodding "like a pyramid, like a pyramid" around her hurricane howl, sounds a smidge lost. No, wait, not lost, as such. He sounds like someone who is doing none of the work, but attempting to take some of the credit. He's a skiver on a building site, yelling at passing girls and waving his big hammer around.
And no, I'm not just saying this because - as is so often the way of things at the moment - the very first word out of his mouth is the s-word. You know the one. Sean Kingston knows it too.
Anyway, yes. Stirring stuff, sung to within an inch of its life by a girl who belongs in the showboating vocal fireworks display of Glee like custard belongs in a trifle.
Well done, the internet!
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(Fraser McAlpine)
"Though Charice shows off some high notes and other vocal stylings, 'Pyramid' not as intimidating as a power ballad"
Comment number 1.
At 23rd Sep 2010, a wrote:fraser, it's a lot better than any justin bieber rubbish
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Comment number 2.
At 23rd Sep 2010, RandomEnigma wrote:I won't lie. This is my guilty pleasure and I love it! So inspirational, brings a tear to my eye. It makes me feel like I can overcome all my troubles and fears and carve out my own identity in the world and not care about others thinking I'm a loser. Srsly.
Okay, exaggeration but I do enjoy this track a lot. It's kind of old school. Bit cheesy. Bit HSM. Bit Glee. But it's wonderful. Charice reminds me of Jojo - who by the way has released a mixtape with a sexy, breathy electronic single called 'In The Dark'. It's amazing! Like Britney's Blackout - electro with a bit of a creepy alternative edge to it.
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Comment number 3.
At 23rd Sep 2010, OddOne wrote:RANDY! YOU'RE BACK!
:D
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Comment number 4.
At 24th Sep 2010, jimbo_888 wrote:5 stars for Jedward - 'Under Pressure', only 3 stars for Katy Perry 'Teenage Dream' and this...need i say any more?
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Comment number 5.
At 24th Sep 2010, stocksy wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 6.
At 27th Sep 2010, francis wrote:At last, here is a a young star who can sing. It's great.
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