Young madam delivers
CD review: I Believe – Thank You Edition by Tata Young
Who? This former teen starlet has been famous in Thailand for years. Then, after a pop tart image overhaul, Tata put out her first English-language single, a Britney-esque number called, subtly, Sexy, Naughty, Bitchy. Especially risque to Asians, the cheeky little ditty had hoary conservatives up in arms. And, true to the time-honoured tradition of teen rebellion, it stormed the charts and hogged the airwaves for ages, becoming something of a girls-on-the-tiles anthem in the process.
Oops! I Did It Again! Dunder-headed publicity stunts – such as staging 
a press conference to announce she was dating tennis idol Paradorn – have met with public disapproval. (That time Tata got her just desserts: she was quickly dumped her after the tennis pro's mum publicly scolded her, deeming Tata “unworthy” of Paradorn.) Interviews likewise portray an egocentric brat. But, displaying a mostly canny knack for image, spin, hype, and pop sass, Tata’s hugely popular in these parts. 
Is the album any good? Yes, Tata parlays her strong, driving lead vocal across a grab-bag of catchy pop winners, both derivative and worthy of early Spears. The main criticism is that the tinny production denies the songs the proper bass whoomp they deserve. But Tata’s loyal fan-base (who admirably crooned along to I Believe when her mic cut out at the MTV-Asia Awards) will still buy this in droves. The bonus VCD features the flesh-baring promo videos. See Tata writhe in a pink bikini! Flirt with bondage imagery! And erotically mud-wrestle a Bollywood hunk! (In the raunchy video for Dhoom Dhoom. Wonder which lucrative emerging market she's targeting with that one?) Run for the hills! Lock up your sons! No, lock up your sons then run for the hills.
-- Published by In Residence, 2005