James Reid entered mainstream consciousness when he was first introduced in the teen edition of “Pinoy Big Brother” back in 2010. Four years and a movie (plus its soundtrack) later, the Filipino-Australian heartthrob now has a newly-released self-titled debut album under his own name with Viva Records.
The CD showcases a couple of originals and a pair of covers, one of which is James Reid’s take on the popular Michael Jackson tune “Rock With You.” James Reid recently said in an interview that he prefers music to acting, saying that music “gives him more flexibility to express himself artistically.” Not many may know it, but James is an avid listener of R&B and a big music fan in general. He counts r&b artists Mario and Chris Brown as early influences. He also has a soft spot for pop-rock and alt-pop as evidenced by his inclination to have Maroon 5 and The Script songs into his repertoire during live performances.
On his first solo outing though, James is counting on a handful of great sounding originals to get his music across. One of those songs is the “Alam Niya Ba” is a song about a guy who got his heart broken. “He loves the girl so much that even though it hurts, he’ll wish the girl well and hopes that the next guy she loves will treat her well,” James shares.
James Reid‘s debut album also includes two of his own songs — the mid-tempo funk/r&b tune “You Make My Body Move” and the straight r&b-flavored “Game Changer.” Both songs not only showcase his dance, pop and R&B roots, but his songwriting skills as well. Two more songs, ”Gone” and “Loving Arms,” complete the album. The former is a song written by composer-lyricist-artist Thyro Alfaro, while the latter a cover of a Dobie Gray song.
Whether it’s his own song, or if he’s interpreting somebody else’s, James Reid proves that he can handle both and let his own style shine through. He’s certainly not into singing just because it’s a stepping stone into showbiz. He’s performing because he’s an artist in his own right too.
Tracklisting:
- Alam Niya Ba
- You Make My Body Move
- Gone
- Game Changer
- Rock with You
- Loving Arms
- Bonus: minus one versions of all the tracks
