She’s the woman with an extraordinary voice that made heads turn and record sales boom. She’s Jessa Zaragoza and she’s back with one of her strongest records to date, Pag Wala Na Ang Ulan. The five-track album from this 15-year industry veteran is a collection of love stories, snippets of romantic themes delivered in true Jessa fashion: with a confident voice that exhibits versatility and pulls off dramatic tunes with relative ease—thanks to her vast life and musical experience.
Her carrier single “Nasaan”, which is the theme song of the GMA soap opera Kung Aagawin Mo Ang Langit reunites her with Vehnee Saturno, the man responsible for her biggest hit “Bakit Pa,” rolling back the years with a collaboration that’s characteristically Jessa. Here, she effortlessly hits her notes and varies pitches to suit the song’s hurtful story. Her delivery is poignant, her emotion is real.
That raw sentiment continues on throughout the record. Title track “Pag Wala Na Ang Ulan” sees her embrace a new lease on love in a gentle, piano-driven ballad. It’s a song that drips with sweet optimism, accented beautifully by her signature vocal dips and rolls that made her who she is today. By far, one of the highlights is “Ayoko Na” written by husband Dingdong Avanzado. Tackling the character of an aching woman brave enough to walk out of a relationship, Jessa never overworks her voice, just funneling enough strength to send the message across, chilling even, and, at times, meld prettily with the string arrangements. The bonus piano solo version is equally, even heartbreakingly, beautiful.
Even the production on the last two compositions “Napatawad Na Kita” and “Buti Na Lang” are timeless masterpieces made entirely modern. The former features Kris Lawrence who offers a much-welcomed R&B flavor, prodding the song to newer territory midway through when his soulful vocals ultimately shifts it to a more contemporary track. The set closes with the serene “Buti Na Lang”, in a relaxed manner that displays how silky smooth her vocals are. The album also comes with minus one versions should the listener feel like expressing themselves like Jessa.
This is solid proof that Jessa is back with a bang. Pag Wala Na Ang Ulan fulfills the dreams of her fans and more importantly her own as this album persuasively proves there’s still plenty of lovely tunes from her to show the world.
Pag Wala Na Ang Ulan is now available on CDs in Astroplus, Astrovision, Odyssey Music & Video and SM Music and Video outlets nationwide for only P199.00 each.
