1. I Thought It Was Forever
2. Don’t Give A…
3. Free To Love
4. Drive Me Crazy
5. Tell A Lie
6. You Never Know
7. Miracle Love (Unplugged)
The album began with the ballad-y I Thought It Was Forever, which showcases the sweet singer’s soulful voice, but was a bit too safe and lacked surprises. Such a song make it difficult for Wendyz to stand out amongst a sea of pop star wannabes, especially in Hong Kong, because of the similarity it bears to generic karaoke songs by local female artists, meaning that it runs the risk of sounding like a background track at a fast food restaurant.
Don’t Give A…, the title track, was a lot more playful and funky, and acted as a sharp contrast to the first song. But her voice suddenly turned shrill as she was hitting the high notes in the “I, I, I, I, I, I” line, – deliberately, I presume – and it admittedly scared me a little. The stylistics of its music video, which featured the singer roleplaying all sorts of different roles from angels and demons to nuns, was reminiscent of the Rollin Wong’s Chick Chick, but I’m not sure what exactly it was that she was trying to do. If she was trying to create a viral hit, the subject matter of the song was perhaps not wacky enough (it was mostly her repeating over and over that she really, really does not give a shit) – but it was also too odd and over-the-top to be taken seriously.
The summer-y and uplifting vibes in the next song Free to Love, would make it a great feel-good track for lounging on the beach, and Drive Me Crazy takes a darker turn. Tell A Lie and You Never Know are heartfelt and melancholic, but I struggle to find anything that prevent me putting them completely out of my mind from once the song is over. Certain high notes in Tell A Lie – when she sings “Tell me why”, in particular – also sound forced, and she might want to make sure she’s singing in a range she’s comfortable with next time. Miracle Love (Unplugged) was perhaps the song in which she performed the best, but the way she sang the last line – “You, you love me!”, which I guess was meant to be playful or cute, came off as awkward and inconsistent with the tone of the rest of the song.
It may be difficult for Wendyz to find her own niche market. Music-wise, the album is undoubtedly pop, but if she’s to be competing with other pop stars, without her own star power or the help of great lyricists like Lin Xi or Wyman Wong to rescue her music from being bland, it could be difficult for her to get anywhere. At the same time, her music isn’t unique enough for her to garner any underground following of fans in the local indie scene, like Serrini or Tang Yi, for example. The lyrics need a lot of work, because right now they sound empty and too general to be relatable (example: “Why don’t you come along and I’ll show you/ Let’s make some dreams come true” in Free to Love). But she has a very good voice, and she’s undoubtedly talented as a piano player as well. She needs a push in the right direction and to figure out how to rebrand herself – may I suggest dropping the unnecessary ‘z’ in her stage name? – and she could be going places.
– Karen Cheung
Wendyz can be heard & purchased at itunes.
