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Heaven (Nina Girado song)
Encyclopedia
"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, and produced by Ferdie Marquez. The song is heavily influenced by the international urban sound, and Nina is one of the first pop
-R&B
artists to have entered the Philippine music scene. It was considered to be risky for Warner to release, since OPM music at that time focuses on ballad
s and love songs
, making the song a rare record during its release.
Upon release, the song and the album were met with critical acclaim, with most critics pointing out the international sound and smooth production as well as Nina's wide vocal range. Manila Bulletin
described it as "a groovy breakthrough, boasting of an international-sounding music and voice, sung by a young Filipina talent". Despite a risky release, the song peaked at number seven on the Singles Chart. It was not a huge commercial hit, but it enabled Nina to breakthrough the music scene. On August 20, 2002, the song was made available on digital download
through iTunes
and Amazon.com
MP3 Download on January 23, 2007.
, 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. Under the direction of Warner managing head Ilacad, foreign songwriters and arrangers from the United States
and Korea
, including Shelly Peiken
and Brett Laurence, were hired for the production of the album. 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.
The song was released in the third quarter of 2002, and 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. The song was not a commercial hit, but it managed to peak at number seven on the Philippine Singles Chart, exposing Nina's potential in the music scene.
"Heaven" is Nina's first music video
as an artist. It was directed by filmmaker Avid Liongoren. The video for "Heaven" is considerably plotless. It depicts Nina in a series of beauty shots, singing as there are special effect
s introduced in the music video. Blue animated background can be seen moving and in transition behind her.
and rhythm
, becoming heavily inspired by dark, hip-hop beats, distancing from music similar to fellow contemporaries like Kyla
and Arnee Hidalgo. Additional footage from Artstrong and Nina were included to differentiate the original version from the remix version.
Live!, hosted by Rico Blanco
, where she performed a few songs from the album. She also sang her own versions of "Through the Fire", "It Might Be You
", and Mariah Carey
's "Never Too Far
" and "Through the Rain
". In 2003, she had a back-to-back major concert with Kyla
entitled Cold War at Ratsky Morato. 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 has also performed Heaven singles on MTV Live and on the first ever MYX Mo!.
Filipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
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...
from her 2002 debut album of the same name
Heaven (Nina Girado album)
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 jazzy lounge pop-R&B and composed of songs that are reminiscent to the sound of international records at that time. Under the direction of...
. 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
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 song was written by Brett Laurence and Gary Haase, and produced by Ferdie Marquez. The song is heavily influenced by the international urban sound, and Nina is one of the first 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
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
artists to have entered the Philippine music scene. It was considered to be risky for Warner to release, since OPM music at that time focuses on ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
s and love songs
Love Songs
Love Songs, Lovesongs or The Love Songs may refer to:*Love song, a song about love-Albums:*Love Songs *Love Songs *Love Songs *Love Songs...
, making the song a rare record during its release.
Upon release, the song and the album were met with critical acclaim, with most critics pointing out the international sound and smooth production as well as Nina's wide vocal range. 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...
described it as "a groovy breakthrough, boasting of an international-sounding music and voice, sung by a young Filipina talent". Despite a risky release, the song peaked at number seven on the Singles Chart. It was not a huge commercial hit, but it enabled Nina to breakthrough the music scene. On August 20, 2002, the song 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.
Background and release
At seventeen, Nina became a vocalist of the XS, The Big Thing, MYMPMYMP
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
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...
song "Foolish Heart
Foolish Heart (song)
"Foolish Heart" is a rock song written by Steve Perry, formerly of the band Journey and Randy Goodrum, and was performed by Perry from his first solo album, Street Talk...
", "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. Under the direction of Warner managing head 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 Brett Laurence, were hired for the production of the album. 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
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
and composed of songs that are reminiscent to the sound of international records at that time.
The song was released in the third quarter of 2002, and 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. The song was not a commercial hit, but it managed to peak at number seven on the Philippine Singles Chart, exposing Nina's potential in the music scene.
Music videos
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
as an artist. It was directed by filmmaker Avid Liongoren. The video for "Heaven" is considerably plotless. It depicts Nina in a series of beauty shots, singing as there are special effect
Special effect
The illusions used in the film, television, theatre, or entertainment industries to simulate the imagined events in a story are traditionally called special effects ....
s introduced in the music video. Blue animated background can be seen moving and in transition behind her.
Remix version
A remix version was commissioned by Warner Music to boost up promotion of the single. The remix features labelmate Artstrong, who contributed a rap verse, which he wrote himself. Retaining the same melody and lyric, the song differed in beatBeat (music)
The beat is the basic unit of time in music, the pulse of the mensural level . In popular use, the beat can refer to a variety of related concepts including: tempo, meter, rhythm and groove...
and rhythm
Rhythm
Rhythm may be generally defined as a "movement marked by the regulated succession of strong and weak elements, or of opposite or different conditions." This general meaning of regular recurrence or pattern in time may be applied to a wide variety of cyclical natural phenomena having a periodicity or...
, becoming heavily inspired by dark, hip-hop beats, distancing from music similar to fellow contemporaries like 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....
and Arnee Hidalgo. Additional footage from Artstrong and Nina were included to differentiate the original version from the remix version.
Live performances
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, bar gigs and TV appearances. In 2002, she was featured in an episode of MYXMyx
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....
Live!, hosted by Rico Blanco
Rico 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 few songs from the album. She also sang her own versions of "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
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...
'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...
". In 2003, 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 at Ratsky Morato. 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 has also performed Heaven singles on MTV Live and on the first ever MYX Mo!.
Official versions
| Version | Length | Album |
|---|---|---|
| Album version | 4:03 | Heaven |
| Boywonder Remix (featuring Artstrong) | 4:12 | |
| Angel 31 Remix | 4:47 | Nina in the Mix: The Dense Modesto Remixes Nina in the Mix: The Dense Modesto Remixes Nina in the Mix: The Dense Modesto Remixes is the first remix album by Filipino singer Nina, and the second by DJ Dense Modesto. It was released in the Philippines on October 31, 2007 by Club Myx, in collaboration with Warner Music... |
Credits and personnel
Credits taken from Heavens liner notes.- Artstrong Clarion - rap vocals, songwriterSongwriterA songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
(remix version) - 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...
- vocals - Garry Haase - songwriter
- Brett Laurence - songwriter
- Lowkey - producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
(remix version) - Ferdie Marquez - producer