In 1999, Philippine female singer
Ara Mina released her self-titled debut album.
Mina was a popular movie actress at the time, rising to fame mostly on the basis of her well-developed figure. The album sold well, reaching at least gold status (gold is 20,000 units in the Philippines), but
Mina has little ability as a singer. Her voice lacks depth or charm, and she sings offkey all too often, sometimes laughably so, as heard in the painful opening notes to "Ay, Ay, Ay Pag-ibig" ("Ay, Ay, Ay Love") and "We Were Meant to Be."
Ara Mina is dominated by slow, easy-listening love songs, a style of music popular in the Philippines, but which quickly becomes tedious for a listener desiring a more diverse sound.