In 2001, Philippine female singer
Rufa Mae Quinto released her debut album,
Rated R.
Quinto is a popular actress and television personality, and has become famous because of her voluptuous figure and comedic skills. The theme song from one of her most popular films to date, 2001's Booba, is included in this album. If not for her screen popularity and voluptuous figure, it is doubtful she would have ever gotten a record contract, as
Quinto is one of the worst singers to ever make an album in the Philippines. Probably, she is the worst. Her singing is simply terrible. Her off-key warbling makes a listener cringe, and her voice is weak and thin. Many songs contain lyrics written in a double entendre manner, bubbling with sexual connotations. On the surface, the lyrics are innocent, but underneath are some risqué elements. For example, the remake of
Hank Williams' "Jambalaya (On the Bayou)," called "Jumbo (Jambalaya)" here, has new lyrics written in Tagalog, the Philippines national language, and tells of a "huge" man who gives a girl a massage, and when he pushes on her, it feels good. Musically, many songs are easy listening, a popular style of music in the Philippines, while others have a novelty ambience, as heard in the dramatic, 1950s-styled, "Mayroong Iliyak, Mayroong Hahalaklak" (Someone Will Cry, Someone Will Love). The easy listening songs sound derivative, a problem that plagues much easy listening music in the Philippines. The saucy "Kiss Kita Sabay Hug" (I'll Kiss You With a Hug) is a bouncy tune with Latin inflections. Four songs are remakes of international hits, and use new lyrics written in Tagalog. No matter what style or song, however,
Quinto sounds terrible. Her best performance comes on "Jumbo (Jambalaya)," on which her voice sounds heavily double-tracked. Still, this album should never have been made. ~ David Gonzales