Heaven (Nina Girado album)
Encyclopedia
Heaven is the debut studio album
by Filipino
singer Nina
, released in the Philippines on August 20, 2002 by Warner Music
. The album is heavily influenced by jazz
y lounge
pop
-R&B
and composed of songs that are reminiscent to the sound of international records at that time. Under the direction of Warner managing head Ricky R. Ilacad, foreign songwriters and arrangers from the United States
and Korea
, including Shelly Peiken
and Guy Roche
, were hired for the production of the album. Ilacad was so impressed when he personally reviewed Nina's demo disc, enabling one song, a cover of Steve Perry
's hit, to make it to the final cut of the album's track list. The album also features a cover of a Ric Segreto
song.
Upon release, the album received generally positive reviews. Most critics applauded her vocal ability and skills, as well as the composition of songs. It is credited for being one of the main reasons why the acoustic phenomenon
is very much popular in the country. It won numerous awards from different major organizations and was also one of the best-selling OPM albums in 2003. The album has also brought back inclusions of whistle register
to pop albums at that time. In addition, Nina was given favorable comparisons to Mariah Carey
. On its release date, Heaven was made available on digital download
through iTunes
and Amazon.com
MP3 Download on January 23, 2007. As of October 2003, the album has reached double platinum status by the Philippine Association of the Record Industry (PARI), denoting over 60,000 copies sold in the Philippines.
Five singles were released from the album, all of which became commercially successful in the country. "Heaven
", the first single, was released alongside the album. "2nd Floor" was later released as a promo single. Initially, both the album and the first single did not perform well on charts as expected. However, when the second single "Jealous
" was released, it managed to reach the top of Philippine Singles Chart for weeks, enabling the album to increase in sales and place at the top of album charts as well. Following the success of the second single, two cover version
s were released. "Foolish Heart", a song originally included on Nina's demo, began receiving numerous airplay and later, charted at number one in the country, staying at the position even longer than "Jealous". "Loving You
" was released as the final single from the album. It reached the top 5 of the Singles Chart, proving that Nina has become a hit artist.
single she heard over the radio. Her father, Filbert, noticed her potential and immediately trained her to hone her skills by doing several techniques such as submerging her into a drum of water, while belting out her high notes. All the hard work payed off a few months later when she was declared as daily winner on GMA-7 Lunchdates "Bulilit Jamboree" in 1985. In 1991, she joined the most popular defunct talent search in the Philippines, Tanghalan ng Kampeon, where she became a champion for seven weeks. When she went to Miriam College
and took up a bachelor's degree
in Accountancy
, her father had a sudden change of heart. Instead of a professional music career, he wanted his daughter to finish her studies and then join him in the United States to work. Because of too much love for singing, she disobeyed her father and joined different bands. He gave up on trying to stop her, and just told her to maintain good grades.
At seventeen, she became a vocalist of the XS, The Big Thing, MYMP
, Silk and lastly, the Essence. After college, she recorded an amateur demo CD
with the help of a friend. It was composed of three tracks, including the Steve Perry song "Foolish Heart", "Breathe Again
" and "Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)
", recorded in a home studio with only a guitar for accompaniment. After listening to the demos, Warner Music managing director at that time, Ricky Ilacad wanted to sign her up even without seeing or hearing her in person. Two months after her father died of heart attack in the United States, she signed her first contract with Warner Music.
Unlike all the other OPM records of 2002, Heaven was heavily influenced by jazzy lounge pop-R&B. International songwriters Shelly Peiken
, Guy Roche
, Brett Laurence and Gary Haase contributed some of the album's tracks. Peiken is responsible for the songs "First Kiss" and "Jealous" (with Laurence) which became Nina's first ever chart-topper. Laurence, this time with Haase, also contributed her first ever single "Heaven". Additional lyrics for the official remix of "Heaven" were made by Artstrong, who was also featured on the rap part of the song. Arnie Mendaros, vocal coach of Nina, wrote and composed "2nd Floor", which later became an award-winning and charting promotional single. It also became one of the first Taglish
Filipino pop, R&B songs ever released, with lyrics of "Sa bawat sandali [...] Up, down, movin' all around." Nina described Heaven as "a mix of pop and R&B," while critics noted the heavy influence of hip-hop to the album. Paolo Reyes of The Philippine Star
stated the album "features 10 smooth and euphonic tracks infused with an eclectic blend of styles ranging from rap to romantic. Armed with a panoply of fleeting ballads for lovelorn (and lonely-hearted) listeners, the album also boasts rap styling remixes by Artstrong and DJ Lowkey lending the compilation a true trip-hop, R&B feel." Nina cited Mariah Carey
as one of her major influences to the album, although she still stressed the originality of her sound, saying "But it's not like I want my career to imitate or even be compared with hers [Carey]. In the end, I want to be acknowledged as a singer of my own brand of music."
's cover of "Dreaming of You
" in 2004, where she performed a whistle that is influenced by Nina's style. According to Leonardo Belen of Manila Bulletin
, the album is described as "a groovy... and breakthrough album, boasting of an international-sounding music and voice, sung by a young Filipina talent." Baby A. Gil of The Philippine Star
praised Heaven and Nina's vocal ability in the following statement:
and Awit Awards
in 2003 due to the single’s breakthrough. When the song was released in February 2003, it managed to pick up substantial airplay, allowing it to enter and top the charts immediately. In mid-2003, she released "Foolish Heart". The construction of the song's remake was far more different than that of the original, as the melody was completely played through an acoustic guitar
. The song is famous for the whistle register sung by Nina just before she ends the song, which immediately became her trademark. The last commercial single was "Loving You", a cover of a late Ric Segreto hit. It was released in the last quarter of 2003 and became another monster hit for Nina.
commercial, while "Talk to Me" was used, also as a theme song, but for a Colgate
commercial.
, where she performed a Heaven track, "2nd Floor". Aside from performing a few songs from the album, she sang "Through the Fire", "It Might Be You
", and Mariah Carey's "Never Too Far
" and "Through the Rain
". At the same year, she had a back-to-back major concert with Kyla
entitled Cold War. The concert began when rivalry sparked between the two artists, and its production was full of showdowns and face offs. Their rivalry was so strong, it was even compared to that of Nora Aunor
and Vilma Santos
. She also performed as special guest on Paolo Santos' concert, Acoustic Night Out, singing her single "Foolish Heart" and "Power of Two" with Santos. She performed the same single, as well as "Jealous", on Freestyle
's Acoustic Night Out concert at OnStage. She has also performed the album's songs on MTV Live
and on the first ever MYX Mo!.
Most of the album's singles were later performed live throughout the Nina Just Wanna Have Fun (2005) concert at the Music Museum, as well as the Nina Live! (2005) concert at the Araneta Coliseum
. "Jealous" was sang in a higher version on Nina's Valentine's Day
concert with Freestyle and Side A, Love2Love2Love (2010). The rest of the songs were also performed on Nina... The Diamond Soul Siren (2010) concert. Heavens music videos were envisioned to be having playful storylines, colorful scenery, creative imaginations and breezy effects. They focused on a youthful, yet soulful idea. The album's music videos received heavy rotation on MTV Philippines
and MYX
, helping them to reach the top of video and radio charts.
, she was nominated for four categories—including Best Performance by a Female Recording Artist, Song of the Year, Best Produced Record of the Year and Best R&B song for "2nd Floor"—where she won Best R&B song and a People's Choice award for Favorite New Female Artist. However, she lost Best Performance by a Female Recording Artist and Best Produced Record of the Year to Bituin Escalante's "Kung Ako na Lang Sana", and Song of the Year to Jamie Rivera
's "Only Selfless Love". "2nd Floor" is considered to be a success, earning a few awards and entering Philippine music charts, without even a commercial release. In the same year, she had three nominations for the MTV Pilipinas Music Awards
—including Favorite Female Video
, Favorite New Artist in a Video
and Favorite Song
for "Jealous". She won Favorite New Artist in a Video, but lost the other two awards to Regine Velasquez
' "Sa Aking Pag-iisa". Later in the same year, she won the OPM Artist of the Year award by Magic 89.9
, receiving another Song of the Year award for "Jealous". She also grabbed the OPM Female Artist of the Year award by RX 93.1.
By the end of the year, Nina has proven herself as an established artist, achieving the "Best New Artist" titles on both Awit Awards and MTV Pilipinas Music Awards. In addition, her second commercial single, "Jealous", won the "Best Song" titles on both MTV Pilipinas Music Awards and Magic 89.9. Furthermore, she won the "OPM Artist of the Year" title on both Magic 89.9 and RX 93.1, and the "Favorite Female Artist" titles on both Candy Rap Awards
and Teens Voice Awards. "Foolish Heart" was the most played single of 2003 as well. On the MTV Pilipinas Music Awards 2004, "Loving You" was nominated for Favorite Female Video, but lost the award to Jolina Magdangal
's "Bahala Na".
List of awards and nominations
Production
Personnel
Album design
Recording locations
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by Filipino
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
singer Nina
Nina Girado
Marifil Niña Girado , better known by her stage name Nina, is a Filipino pop/R&B singer, occasional songwriter, record producer, TV and radio personality. She made her recording debut in 2002 after signing a recording contract with Warner Music Philippines...
, released in the Philippines on August 20, 2002 by Warner Music
Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group is the third largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the big four record companies...
. The album is heavily influenced by jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
y lounge
Lounge music
Lounge music is a retrospective description of music popular in the 1950s and 1960s. It is a type of mood music meant to evoke in the listeners the feeling of being in a place — a jungle, an island paradise, outer space, et cetera — other than where they are listening to it...
pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
-R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
and composed of songs that are reminiscent to the sound of international records at that time. Under the direction of Warner managing head Ricky R. Ilacad, foreign songwriters and arrangers from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, including Shelly Peiken
Shelly Peiken
Shelly Peiken is a multi-platinum Grammy nominated songwriter who is best known for her #1 hits "What a Girl Wants" and "Come on Over Baby ".Shelly and Meredith Brooks earned a Grammy nomination for Brooks's hit song "Bitch"....
and Guy Roche
Guy Roche
Guy Roche is a record producer and songwriter who is best known for the hit singles he has co-written/co-produced for Christina Aguilera, which include but are not limited to "What a Girl Wants", "I Turn to You", and "Come on Over Baby . He also co-wrote Brandy's Never Say Never single "Almost...
, were hired for the production of the album. Ilacad was so impressed when he personally reviewed Nina's demo disc, enabling one song, a cover of Steve Perry
Steve Perry (musician)
Stephen Ray "Steve" Perry is an American singer and songwriter best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Journey from 1977–1987 and 1995–1998. Perry had a successful solo career throughout the late 1980s and early '90s.Perry's voice has garnered acclaim from musical peers and music...
's hit, to make it to the final cut of the album's track list. The album also features a cover of a Ric Segreto
Ric Segreto
Ric Segreto born Richard Vincent Segreto Macaraeg, was a Filipino Italian-American recording artist, singer-songwriter, actor, teacher, journalist and historian who became popular in the Philippines.-Early life:...
song.
Upon release, the album received generally positive reviews. Most critics applauded her vocal ability and skills, as well as the composition of songs. It is credited for being one of the main reasons why the acoustic phenomenon
Acoustic music
Acoustic music comprises music that solely or primarily uses instruments which produce sound through entirely acoustic means, as opposed to electric or electronic means...
is very much popular in the country. It won numerous awards from different major organizations and was also one of the best-selling OPM albums in 2003. The album has also brought back inclusions of whistle register
Whistle register
The whistle register is the highest register of the human voice, lying above the modal register and falsetto register...
to pop albums at that time. In addition, Nina was given favorable comparisons to Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
. On its release date, Heaven was made available on digital download
Music download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
through iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
and Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...
MP3 Download on January 23, 2007. As of October 2003, the album has reached double platinum status by the Philippine Association of the Record Industry (PARI), denoting over 60,000 copies sold in the Philippines.
Five singles were released from the album, all of which became commercially successful in the country. "Heaven
Heaven (Nina Girado song)
"Heaven" is a song by Filipino singer Nina from her 2002 debut album of the same name. It was released as the album's first commercial single, and her first single as an artist, in August 2002 along with the album by Warner Music Philippines. The song was written by Brett Laurence and Gary Haase,...
", the first single, was released alongside the album. "2nd Floor" was later released as a promo single. Initially, both the album and the first single did not perform well on charts as expected. However, when the second single "Jealous
Jealous (Nina Girado song)
"Jealous" is a song by Filipino singer Nina from her 2002 debut studio album Heaven. It was released as the album's second commercial single in February 2003 by Warner Music Philippines. The song was written by international songwriters Shelly Peiken and Brett Laurence, and it was produced by...
" was released, it managed to reach the top of Philippine Singles Chart for weeks, enabling the album to increase in sales and place at the top of album charts as well. Following the success of the second single, two cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
s were released. "Foolish Heart", a song originally included on Nina's demo, began receiving numerous airplay and later, charted at number one in the country, staying at the position even longer than "Jealous". "Loving You
Loving You (Nina Girado song)
"Loving You" is a song by Filipino singer Nina from her 2002 debut album Heaven. It was released as the album's fourth and final commercial single in the Philippines in October 2003 by Warner Music Philippines. The song was written by Gerry Paraiso, and produced by Ferdie Marquez. It is a...
" was released as the final single from the album. It reached the top 5 of the Singles Chart, proving that Nina has become a hit artist.
Background
Nina was five years old when she started singing a Lea SalongaLea Salonga
Lea Salonga-Chien is a mezzo-soprano singer and actress from the Philippines well known for originating the lead role of Kim in the musical Miss Saigon, for which she won the Olivier, Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics and Theatre World awards.She was the first Asian to play the roles of Éponine and...
single she heard over the radio. Her father, Filbert, noticed her potential and immediately trained her to hone her skills by doing several techniques such as submerging her into a drum of water, while belting out her high notes. All the hard work payed off a few months later when she was declared as daily winner on GMA-7 Lunchdates "Bulilit Jamboree" in 1985. In 1991, she joined the most popular defunct talent search in the Philippines, Tanghalan ng Kampeon, where she became a champion for seven weeks. When she went to Miriam College
Miriam College
Miriam College is a non-stock, non-profit Filipino Catholic educational institution for girls and young women in Quezon City, Philippines. It offers academic programs from pre-elementary to post-graduate and adult education levels that develop the learning and caring competencies of students and...
and took up a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in Accountancy
Accountancy
Accountancy is the process of communicating financial information about a business entity to users such as shareholders and managers. The communication is generally in the form of financial statements that show in money terms the economic resources under the control of management; the art lies in...
, her father had a sudden change of heart. Instead of a professional music career, he wanted his daughter to finish her studies and then join him in the United States to work. Because of too much love for singing, she disobeyed her father and joined different bands. He gave up on trying to stop her, and just told her to maintain good grades.
At seventeen, she became a vocalist of the XS, The Big Thing, MYMP
MYMP
M.Y.M.P. is an acoustic band act from the Philippines, which consists of five members. Their career started when Raymond Ryan, a station manager of iFm watched one of their gigs, and met up with a producer to produce their 2003 debut album, Soulful Acoustic, which has since been certified...
, Silk and lastly, the Essence. After college, she recorded an amateur demo CD
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
with the help of a friend. It was composed of three tracks, including the Steve Perry song "Foolish Heart", "Breathe Again
Breathe Again
"Breathe Again" is a song by American R&B singer Toni Braxton from her self-titled debut album, Toni Braxton . Written by Babyface and produced by L. A. Reid, Babyface, and Daryl Simmons, the ballad was released as the album's second single, garnering heavy airplay during late 1993 and early 1994,...
" and "Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)
Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)
"Against All Odds " is a song by British singer Phil Collins recorded for soundtrack to the 1984 film of the same name. It is a power ballad in which its protagonist implores an ex-lover to "take a look at me now", knowing that reconciliation is "against all odds" while considering it worth trying...
", recorded in a home studio with only a guitar for accompaniment. After listening to the demos, Warner Music managing director at that time, Ricky Ilacad wanted to sign her up even without seeing or hearing her in person. Two months after her father died of heart attack in the United States, she signed her first contract with Warner Music.
Music and lyrics
In 2000, after Nina finished college, she immediately recorded and sent a demo to Warner Music Philippines. Ricky lacad, the head of Warner Management at that time, was so impressed that he wanted to sign her up even without seeing or hearing her in person. Believing that she has the potential to be the next superstar, Ilacad made a huge preparation for the release of Nina's debut album. "Foolish Heart", a song included on her demo, was re-recorded and became her first recording. The arrangement showed her range from falsetto to high vocal belting. It also became her trademark single, specially when it comes to the use whistle register. Aside from "Foolish Heart", she recorded another cover version, "Loving You", which was originally released by late Ric Segreto. It was later released also as a single.Unlike all the other OPM records of 2002, Heaven was heavily influenced by jazzy lounge pop-R&B. International songwriters Shelly Peiken
Shelly Peiken
Shelly Peiken is a multi-platinum Grammy nominated songwriter who is best known for her #1 hits "What a Girl Wants" and "Come on Over Baby ".Shelly and Meredith Brooks earned a Grammy nomination for Brooks's hit song "Bitch"....
, Guy Roche
Guy Roche
Guy Roche is a record producer and songwriter who is best known for the hit singles he has co-written/co-produced for Christina Aguilera, which include but are not limited to "What a Girl Wants", "I Turn to You", and "Come on Over Baby . He also co-wrote Brandy's Never Say Never single "Almost...
, Brett Laurence and Gary Haase contributed some of the album's tracks. Peiken is responsible for the songs "First Kiss" and "Jealous" (with Laurence) which became Nina's first ever chart-topper. Laurence, this time with Haase, also contributed her first ever single "Heaven". Additional lyrics for the official remix of "Heaven" were made by Artstrong, who was also featured on the rap part of the song. Arnie Mendaros, vocal coach of Nina, wrote and composed "2nd Floor", which later became an award-winning and charting promotional single. It also became one of the first Taglish
Taglish
Taglish is a portmanteau of the words "Tagalog" and "English" which refers to the Philippine language Tagalog infused with American English terms. It is an example of code-switching....
Filipino pop, R&B songs ever released, with lyrics of "Sa bawat sandali [...] Up, down, movin' all around." Nina described Heaven as "a mix of pop and R&B," while critics noted the heavy influence of hip-hop to the album. Paolo Reyes of The Philippine Star
The Philippine Star
The Philippine Star is a daily English-language broadsheet newspaper based in Manila and circulated nationwide in the Philippines. Owned and published by PhilSTAR Daily, Inc, it was founded on July 28, 1986 by veteran journalists Max Soliven, Betty Go-Belmonte and Art Borjal...
stated the album "features 10 smooth and euphonic tracks infused with an eclectic blend of styles ranging from rap to romantic. Armed with a panoply of fleeting ballads for lovelorn (and lonely-hearted) listeners, the album also boasts rap styling remixes by Artstrong and DJ Lowkey lending the compilation a true trip-hop, R&B feel." Nina cited Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
as one of her major influences to the album, although she still stressed the originality of her sound, saying "But it's not like I want my career to imitate or even be compared with hers [Carey]. In the end, I want to be acknowledged as a singer of my own brand of music."
Critical reception
Heaven was a critical acclaim, receiving overwhelming positive reviews and opinions from critics pertaining to the production, music and Nina's vocal ability as a whole. With songs like "Foolish Heart", it is considered to be one of the main reasons why acoustic phenomenon became very much popular in the Philippines. It was one of the best-selling OPM albums in 2003 as well. Furthermore, the album has brought back inclusions of whistle register (similar to Mariah Carey's technique) to Filipino pop and R&B songs. One good example is Rachelle Ann GoRachelle Ann Go
-External links:*...
's cover of "Dreaming of You
Dreaming of You (Selena song)
"Dreaming of You" is the name of a Selena love song written by Franne Golde and Tom Snow. It was Selena's biggest single, peaking at #21 on the Billboard Hot 100.The song was released at the end of the first quarter of 1995, after Selena's murder...
" in 2004, where she performed a whistle that is influenced by Nina's style. According to Leonardo Belen of Manila Bulletin
Manila Bulletin
The Manila Bulletin , is the Philippines' largest broadsheet newspaper by circulation, followed by the Philippine Daily Inquirer. It bills itself as "The Nation's Leading Newspaper", which is its official slogan...
, the album is described as "a groovy... and breakthrough album, boasting of an international-sounding music and voice, sung by a young Filipina talent." Baby A. Gil of The Philippine Star
The Philippine Star
The Philippine Star is a daily English-language broadsheet newspaper based in Manila and circulated nationwide in the Philippines. Owned and published by PhilSTAR Daily, Inc, it was founded on July 28, 1986 by veteran journalists Max Soliven, Betty Go-Belmonte and Art Borjal...
praised Heaven and Nina's vocal ability in the following statement:
Heaven is quite a package. Production is sleek and Nina’s delivery, smooth. A pronounced danceable beat segues from one cut to the next but it is never heavy nor frenetic. It is instead used as a stable base for Nina’s sweet but definitely multi-octave singing voice. This is surely her strongest point and it is really a blessing to know that she can skillfully wield her vocals to conform to the demands of every song."
"
Singles
In late 2002, "Heaven" was released accompanied by Nina’s debut album with the same name. The song proved risky for Warner Music to breakthrough an artist such as Nina who is extremely influenced with R&B. The song was considered to be one of the first R&B/hip-hop inspired tracks in the Philippine music scene, which was rare for Filipino acts at that time. "Jealous" was released as the second commercial single from the album. Due to its extreme reception, Nina became a radio favorite as her songs gained more airplay. She won the "Best New Artist" awards on both MTV Pilipinas Music AwardsMTV Pilipinas Music Awards
MTV Pilipinas Music Awards is the Philippines' biggest annual music video awards event.-Award categories:*Video of the Year*Favorite Male Video*Favorite Female Video*Favorite New Artist in a Video*Favorite Group Video*Favorite Pop Video...
and Awit Awards
Awit Awards
The Awit Awards is the longest-running award-giving body of the Philippines that gives recognition to Filipino musical talents, performing artists and producers it was Philippines equivalent to Grammy Awards, organized by the Philippine Association Of The Record Industry .-Objectives and Winner...
in 2003 due to the single’s breakthrough. When the song was released in February 2003, it managed to pick up substantial airplay, allowing it to enter and top the charts immediately. In mid-2003, she released "Foolish Heart". The construction of the song's remake was far more different than that of the original, as the melody was completely played through an acoustic guitar
Acoustic guitar
An acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
. The song is famous for the whistle register sung by Nina just before she ends the song, which immediately became her trademark. The last commercial single was "Loving You", a cover of a late Ric Segreto hit. It was released in the last quarter of 2003 and became another monster hit for Nina.
Other notable songs
"2nd Floor" was sent as a radio single in December 2002 to boost album sales and increase popularity. It was hailed as the "Best R&B Song" in the 2003 Awit Awards and allowed Nina to bag the "Best New Artist" award as well. Since it was not commercially released, the song had no video, and only a live performance of Nina was issued in music video channels. Late in 2003, "Simula" was released as a promotional single for the album and it became the theme song for a NescaféNescafé
Nescafé is a brand of instant coffee made by Nestlé. It comes in the form of many different products. The name is a portmanteau of the words "Nestlé" and "café". Nestlé's flagship powdered coffee product was introduced in Switzerland on April 1, 1938 after being developed for seven or eight years...
commercial, while "Talk to Me" was used, also as a theme song, but for a Colgate
Colgate (toothpaste)
Colgate is an oral hygiene product line of toothpastes, toothbrushes, mouthwashes and dental floss.-Duraphat:Duraphat is a professional strength paste intended for the treatment and prevention of dental caries....
commercial.
Promotion
Heaven was the first album of Nina as a debut artist, making her unfamiliar to everyone at that time. To gain fans and promote her album, she has done concert performances, guestings and TV appearances. In 2003, she was featured in an episode of MYX Live!, hosted by Rico BlancoRico Blanco
Rico Blanco is a Filipino singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. As a solo artist and with his former band, Rivermaya, Blanco has so far recorded, written and produced more local and regional number one hits than any other musician since 1994 and has sold over a...
, where she performed a Heaven track, "2nd Floor". Aside from performing a few songs from the album, she sang "Through the Fire", "It Might Be You
It Might Be You
"It Might Be You" is a popular song with music written by Dave Grusin, and lyrics written by Alan and Marilyn Bergman. It was performed by singer/songwriter Stephen Bishop in the 1982 film, Tootsie, starring Dustin Hoffman and Jessica Lange....
", and Mariah Carey's "Never Too Far
Never Too Far
"Never Too Far" is a song written and produced by American singer Mariah Carey, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis for Carey's tenth album/soundtrack, Glitter. The protagonist of this ballad states that although physical distance can sometimes separate lovers, the love they share will never be too far apart...
" and "Through the Rain
Through the Rain
"Through the Rain" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey, taken from her ninth studio album, Charmbracelet . It was written by Carey and Lionel Cole, and produced by the former and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. The song was released as the album's lead single on October 17, 2002...
". At the same year, she had a back-to-back major concert with Kyla
Kyla
Melanie Hernandez Calumpad Alvarez , better known by her stage name Kyla, is an R&B singer, songwriter, producer, TV host, and occasional actress from the Philippines....
entitled Cold War. The concert began when rivalry sparked between the two artists, and its production was full of showdowns and face offs. Their rivalry was so strong, it was even compared to that of Nora Aunor
Nora Aunor
Nora "Guy" Aunor is a multi-awarded Filipino actress, singer and producer. Aunor has also topbilled several stage plays, television shows, and concerts. She is regarded as the "Superstar in Philippine Entertainment Industry"...
and Vilma Santos
Vilma Santos
Maria Rosa Vilma Tuazon Santos-Recto commonly known as Vilma Santos-Recto or Ate Vi is a multi-awarded actress and politician...
. She also performed as special guest on Paolo Santos' concert, Acoustic Night Out, singing her single "Foolish Heart" and "Power of Two" with Santos. She performed the same single, as well as "Jealous", on Freestyle
Freestyle (band)
-Current members:*Joshua Desiderio *Mike Luis *Rommel dela Cruz *Gerald Banzon *Tat Suzara -Former Members:*Christopher "Top" Suzara *Carlo Tapia *Obet Luzon...
's Acoustic Night Out concert at OnStage. She has also performed the album's songs on MTV Live
MTV Live
MTV Live was a U.S. television series that aired from 1997 to 1998 on MTV, featuring interviews with celebrity guests, live musical performances, news coverage, and music video premieres.-Series run:...
and on the first ever MYX Mo!.
Most of the album's singles were later performed live throughout the Nina Just Wanna Have Fun (2005) concert at the Music Museum, as well as the Nina Live! (2005) concert at the Araneta Coliseum
Araneta Coliseum
The Smart Araneta Coliseum, known as The Big Dome is an indoor multi-purpose sports arena located in the Cubao area of Quezon City, Philippines...
. "Jealous" was sang in a higher version on Nina's Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day
Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day, is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine, and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496...
concert with Freestyle and Side A, Love2Love2Love (2010). The rest of the songs were also performed on Nina... The Diamond Soul Siren (2010) concert. Heavens music videos were envisioned to be having playful storylines, colorful scenery, creative imaginations and breezy effects. They focused on a youthful, yet soulful idea. The album's music videos received heavy rotation on MTV Philippines
MTV Philippines
MTV Philippines was a 24-hour music/entertainment television network owned by All Youth Channels, Inc., with a partnership with MTV Networks Asia Pacific...
and MYX
Myx
myx or MYX is the music channel of ABS-CBN brand and the #1 music channel in the Philippines. It is also a part of Studio 23's program line-up. In 2007, MYX North America was launched in the United States....
, helping them to reach the top of video and radio charts.
Re-release
In October 2003, Heaven was re-released in a Special Edition. The album packaging is slightly different from the original release, with just a silver cardboard attached to the album case and written on it is the new track list. Three new tracks were added—the acoustic version of "Jealous", the Nescafé theme song "Simula", and the Colgate theme song "Talk to Me". The album version of "Loving You" was also replaced with its Radio Edit version.Awards and accolades
Heaven became a huge breakthrough for Nina, earning numerous awards and positive response from critics. On the 2003 Awit AwardsAwit Awards
The Awit Awards is the longest-running award-giving body of the Philippines that gives recognition to Filipino musical talents, performing artists and producers it was Philippines equivalent to Grammy Awards, organized by the Philippine Association Of The Record Industry .-Objectives and Winner...
, she was nominated for four categories—including Best Performance by a Female Recording Artist, Song of the Year, Best Produced Record of the Year and Best R&B song for "2nd Floor"—where she won Best R&B song and a People's Choice award for Favorite New Female Artist. However, she lost Best Performance by a Female Recording Artist and Best Produced Record of the Year to Bituin Escalante's "Kung Ako na Lang Sana", and Song of the Year to Jamie Rivera
Jamie Rivera
Jamie Rivera is a pop singer from the Philippines. She was born Mary Jane C. Mendoza on August 29. She graduated from University of Santo Tomas.-Singles:*Heal Our Land...
's "Only Selfless Love". "2nd Floor" is considered to be a success, earning a few awards and entering Philippine music charts, without even a commercial release. In the same year, she had three nominations for the MTV Pilipinas Music Awards
MTV Pilipinas Music Awards
MTV Pilipinas Music Awards is the Philippines' biggest annual music video awards event.-Award categories:*Video of the Year*Favorite Male Video*Favorite Female Video*Favorite New Artist in a Video*Favorite Group Video*Favorite Pop Video...
—including Favorite Female Video
MTV Pilipinas for Favorite Female Video
The following is a list of MTV Pilipinas winners for Favorite Female Video....
, Favorite New Artist in a Video
MTV Pilipinas for Favorite New Artist in a Video
The following is a list of MTV Pilipinas winners for Favorite New Artist in a Video....
and Favorite Song
MTV Pilipinas for Favorite Song
The following is a list of MTV Pilipinas winners for Best Song or Favorite Song, depending on what year the award was given. The last of this award was given out in 2005....
for "Jealous". She won Favorite New Artist in a Video, but lost the other two awards to Regine Velasquez
Regine Velasquez
Regina Encarnacion Ansong Velasquez , better known as Asia's Songbird, Regine Velasquez, is a Filipino singer, actress, record producer and TV host...
' "Sa Aking Pag-iisa". Later in the same year, she won the OPM Artist of the Year award by Magic 89.9
Magic 89.9
DWTM is the flagship FM station of Quest Broadcasting Incorporated/The Radio Partners Inc. Known as Magic 89.9, the station's studios and transmitter are located at Paragon Plaza, Mandaluyong City...
, receiving another Song of the Year award for "Jealous". She also grabbed the OPM Female Artist of the Year award by RX 93.1.
By the end of the year, Nina has proven herself as an established artist, achieving the "Best New Artist" titles on both Awit Awards and MTV Pilipinas Music Awards. In addition, her second commercial single, "Jealous", won the "Best Song" titles on both MTV Pilipinas Music Awards and Magic 89.9. Furthermore, she won the "OPM Artist of the Year" title on both Magic 89.9 and RX 93.1, and the "Favorite Female Artist" titles on both Candy Rap Awards
Candy (magazine)
Candy is a magazine which is dedicated to the Filipino youth. It is published by Summit Media, publisher of Yes! Magazine, Cosmopolitan, Seventeen, Total Girl, and others. The magazine is manned by editor-in-chief Mia Fausto....
and Teens Voice Awards. "Foolish Heart" was the most played single of 2003 as well. On the MTV Pilipinas Music Awards 2004, "Loving You" was nominated for Favorite Female Video, but lost the award to Jolina Magdangal
Jolina Magdangal
-Filmography:Pasan ko ang Daigdig-Television:-Studio albums:-Compilation albums:-2007:* FAMAS Awards - Golden Artist Awardee* PMPC Star Awards for TV - Favorite Female Host Starstruck: The Next Level* UNICEF Ambassadres of Goodwill...
's "Bahala Na".
List of awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Awit Awards Awit Awards The Awit Awards is the longest-running award-giving body of the Philippines that gives recognition to Filipino musical talents, performing artists and producers it was Philippines equivalent to Grammy Awards, organized by the Philippine Association Of The Record Industry .-Objectives and Winner... |
Best Performance by a Female Recording Artist | |
| Song of the Year ("2nd Floor") | |||
| Best Produced Record of the Year ("2nd Floor") | |||
| Best R&B ("2nd Floor") | |||
| People's Choice Favorite New Female Artist | |||
| Candy Rap Awards Candy (magazine) Candy is a magazine which is dedicated to the Filipino youth. It is published by Summit Media, publisher of Yes! Magazine, Cosmopolitan, Seventeen, Total Girl, and others. The magazine is manned by editor-in-chief Mia Fausto.... |
Favorite Female Artist | ||
| Magic 89.9 Magic 89.9 DWTM is the flagship FM station of Quest Broadcasting Incorporated/The Radio Partners Inc. Known as Magic 89.9, the station's studios and transmitter are located at Paragon Plaza, Mandaluyong City... |
OPM Artist of the Year | ||
| OPM Song of the Year ("Jealous Jealous (Nina Girado song) "Jealous" is a song by Filipino singer Nina from her 2002 debut studio album Heaven. It was released as the album's second commercial single in February 2003 by Warner Music Philippines. The song was written by international songwriters Shelly Peiken and Brett Laurence, and it was produced by... ") |
|||
| MTV Pilipinas Music Awards MTV Pilipinas Music Awards MTV Pilipinas Music Awards is the Philippines' biggest annual music video awards event.-Award categories:*Video of the Year*Favorite Male Video*Favorite Female Video*Favorite New Artist in a Video*Favorite Group Video*Favorite Pop Video... |
Favorite Female Video MTV Pilipinas for Favorite Female Video The following is a list of MTV Pilipinas winners for Favorite Female Video.... ("Jealous") |
||
| Favorite New Artist in a Video MTV Pilipinas for Favorite New Artist in a Video The following is a list of MTV Pilipinas winners for Favorite New Artist in a Video.... ("Jealous") |
|||
| Favorite Song MTV Pilipinas for Favorite Song The following is a list of MTV Pilipinas winners for Best Song or Favorite Song, depending on what year the award was given. The last of this award was given out in 2005.... ("Jealous") |
|||
| RX 93.1 | OPM Female Artist of the Year | ||
| Teens Voice Awards | Favorite Female Artist | ||
| 2004 | MTV Pilipinas Music Awards MTV Pilipinas Music Awards MTV Pilipinas Music Awards is the Philippines' biggest annual music video awards event.-Award categories:*Video of the Year*Favorite Male Video*Favorite Female Video*Favorite New Artist in a Video*Favorite Group Video*Favorite Pop Video... |
Favorite Female Video MTV Pilipinas for Favorite Female Video The following is a list of MTV Pilipinas winners for Favorite Female Video.... ("Loving You Loving You (Nina Girado song) "Loving You" is a song by Filipino singer Nina from her 2002 debut album Heaven. It was released as the album's fourth and final commercial single in the Philippines in October 2003 by Warner Music Philippines. The song was written by Gerry Paraiso, and produced by Ferdie Marquez. It is a... ") |
|
Track listing
Translations- "Kung Ibibigay Sa'yo" (English: "If I Would Give You")
- "Simula" (English: "Beginning")
Album credits
Credits taken from Heavens liner notes.Production
- Darwin Concepcion – production assistant
- Nikki Cunanan – vocal recording
- Neil C. Gregorio – A&R administration, producer
- Ricky R. Ilacad – A&R administration, executive producer
- Lowkey – producer
- Don Manalang – vocal recording
- Ferdie Marquez – sequence and programming, mixing, producer
- Arnie Mendaros – vocal coach
- Ricky – production assistant
- Gery Samson – mixing
- Dante Tanedo – mixing, vocal recording
Personnel
- Artstrong Clarion – lead vocals, rap vocals
- Nina GiradoNina GiradoMarifil Niña Girado , better known by her stage name Nina, is a Filipino pop/R&B singer, occasional songwriter, record producer, TV and radio personality. She made her recording debut in 2002 after signing a recording contract with Warner Music Philippines...
– lead vocals, back-up vocals - Ferdie Marquez – back-up vocals
- Noel Mendez – guitar
Album design
- Rey Cortez (of WMP CreativeCreative TechnologyCreative Technology Ltd. is a Singapore-based global company headquartered in Jurong East, Singapore. The principal activities of the company and its subsidiaries consist of the design, manufacture and distribution of digitized sound and video boards, computers and related multimedia, and personal...
) – album cover layout - Chris Genuino (of WMP Creative) – album cover layout
- Anne S. Poblador – album cover concept
- Lilen Uy – photography
Recording locations
- Pinknoise Studio (Quezon CityQuezon CityQuezon City is the former capital and the most populous city in the Philippines. Located on the island of Luzon, Quezon City is one of the cities and municipalities that make up Metro Manila, the National Capital Region. The city was named after Manuel L...
, PhilippinesPhilippinesThe Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
) – vocal recording - Jam Creations Studio – vocal recording
- Chili Red Studio (NYL) – mastering
Certifications
| Country | Provider | Certification | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philippines Philippines The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam... |
PARI PHIL Music The Philippine Association of the Record Industry or PARI is the Philippine equivalent to the American RIAA.The Philippine Association of the Record Industry , a non-profit, non-stock, purely private industry organization, was organized in 1972.-Objectives:* To promote and develop a legitimate and... |
2× Platinum | 95,000+ |
Release history
| Country | Edition | Release Date | Label | Catalogue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philippines | Standard (CD + bonus tracks) | . | Warner Music Warner Music Group Warner Music Group is the third largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the big four record companies... |
0927-44337-2 |
| Special Edition | 504668042-2 | |||
| South Korea | Standard (CD) | 809274433763 | ||
| United States | Standard (download + bonus tracks) | WEA | ||