Written by Elijah P. After almost hitting every note and scoring every possible R&B collaboration known locally, Bulacan-based pop singer-songwriter Dionela has finally hit the algorithm goldmine in streaming with their collaborative hit “Sining” alongside R&B royalty Jay R. Not too long ago, the same mainstream artist and respected industry titan passed down the “crown” to the young neophyte on live television. Dionela humbly turned down the offer by returning the symbolic crown to Jay R in the same segment. Looking back at that moment symbolizes a lot about Dionela’s output: clunky, laughable, and an overall striver that fails to follow up the greatness of any industry singer-songwriter from decades before. Despite numerous attempts to hit the sweet spot in choruses, the “all my life” line is more laughable than sticky in the sensual listening experience. “Sining” is as grating as sprinkling rotten cheese on a bad serving. The awkward use of Tagalog in the verses and choruses feels forced, much like the strained high notes. Meanwhile, the unbearable lows don’t cover up the shortcomings of Nelly’s Tagalog counterpart. When Dionela tries, they try hard, just like the chorus they’ve written. Jay R, on the other hand, turns the track around. However, when an industry veteran tries to steal the spotlight rather than complement the feature, something unequivocally goes wrong in the execution of the track. “Sining” neither looks nor sounds sexy; it’s a track that begs to make sense. Like a ribcage rumbling from the notes of a xylophone while rupturing longing feelings. Did that passage make sense? Not really, and neither does “You’ve turned my limbics into a bouquet” when your prefrontal cortex is fully developed. Support the art & the artist:
Tag: Dionela
TRACK REVIEW: Dionela – Musika
Written by Elijah P. Starting off as a viral Tiktok video wherein singer-songwriter Dionela formulates a song that’s based on an off-the-cuff piano melody started by his girlfriend. Entitled as “Musika”, Dionela thought of all possible green flags right from scratch; timbres fade, melodies are improvised and “butterflies” come out of his stomach after several trials from a songwriting session inside his car. From this point forward this is where “Musika” has weight. The subject is pivotal in the process. The artist, however, has barely scratched the surface of making a memorable experience despite their significant other being the main cause and effect of its virality. If anything, the pianos are barely heard in the mix; neither the vocals legitimize the piano melody that’s as significant as Dionela’s output entirely. It’s ‘hugot’ stripped down to a very unsymmetrical formula to the point where we’re all in for the virality and not for the actual craft. This is made apparent from the Tiktok video alone, we’re here to witness the process, the interaction between love and its result. Although the latter never really give grounds for “Musika”. Just like the title, it’s a textbook love song with several sore thumbs. If we were to look at how the single is formed, the intention of “Musika” is an example of an artist finding inspiration. It’s self-explanatory from the video: we don’t need a PR statement to tell us otherwise. But the mere fact that a viral Tiktok would persuade everyone that the song is good is a trap marketing ploy. Sonically, “Musika” is dry. It’s soup without proper peppering. It’s a billboard with only face value. It’s only a QR code and nothing more. Support the art & the artist: